u04a2 Application Questions

5. The phoneme /p/ has three allophones. When the /p/ is at the end of a syllable, it is an unreleased allophone with no explosion of air (like in stop, slap, keep). This is the most common allophone for the phoneme /p/. When a /p/ is at the beginning of a syllable followed by a stressed vowel, it is pronounced with aspiration (like in peach, pear, pal). Finally, when the /p/ follows an /s/, the sound has no aspiration (like in spin, spot, sport). English language learners would not always know which allophone to use, but with the /p/ phoneme, it will not hinder conversation drastically. We are taught that the 'p' says /p/ with the aspiration. If an ELL adds the aspiration, it does not confuse the listener. However, if one were to say 'peach' without the aspiration, it might sound more like 'beach'. Since we are taught that the /p/ sound has the aspiration, they are not too likely to make mistakes that would cause confusion. Depending on the student's first language, some allophones might be the same or some might be different. This is where engaging in conversation would help them use the correct allophone, because it is not something that can be taught directly- it would need to be modeled and observed.

6. A southern dialect sounds very different from a Pennsylvania dialect (even more so in different parts of Pennsylvania). Compared to a speaker from Oklahoma, syntax does not change, but pronunciation and vocabulary differ quite drastically. The Oklahoma speaker speaks slower, but does not enunciate all sounds of a word- instead, blends sounds and words together (ya'll, y'ins). Consonants sound the same, but vowels sound different. I  have heard people say that when the dialect includes talking slower, that means the person thinks slower- demonstrating less intelligence or prestige. I, however, firmly disagree but I would say that it represents one's outlook on life. In the south, they are not rushing everywhere- they take their time and enjoy whatever is happening. In the north, however, we are always rushing and busy. I see that the dialect and speed of speech relate directly to the speed of that person's life. The concept of dialect reduction upsets me, honestly. I could understand if someone wanted to become an actor or singer, but otherwise dialect is a part of who you are and where you came from. I love going back to Oklahoma, and picking up my 'accent' for a week. A standard dialect would eliminate authenticity and uniqueness. I enjoy hearing other people's dialects and accents, and think that a standard dialect would just be boring and one more step towards eliminating individuality.