2. Types of Phonological Oppositions

The Prague School (1926 ff.) was the first group to formulate an explicit phonological theory (in The Hague 1928). With the concept of „opposition“ so central to the phonological theory, it is not surprising that the Prague phonologists tried to systematise it. Opposition classification was elaborated by N. S. Trubetzkoy to cover:

• Their relation to the overall system

- bilateral or multilateral

- isolated or proportional

In relation to the overall system, bilateral oppositions are equivalent to the correlations in the original classification. Multilateral oppositions, logically, have more than two members; e.g. p/t/k.

An isolated opposition has no other cases with the same feature opposition; e.g. r/l in many languages. If an opposition is not privative it is proportional; e.g. p/t/k, b/d/g and m/n/l (they have the same multilateral place opposition)

• The relation between the members of the opposition

- privative, gradual or equipollent

Regarding to the relation between the members of an opposition, an opposition is privative if one member lacks a feature that the other has. The member with the feature is „naturally marked“ (merkmaltragend); the one lacking the feature is „naturally unmarked“ (merkmallos).

A gradual opposition is one in which the same property is present to a differing degree; e.g. i/e or u/o.

Equipollent oppositions have no degree or absence of a property in one or the other member; The two members are considered logically equal; e.g. p/t or f/x.

• Their distinctive validity

- constant or suspendable

With regard to distinctive validity, a constant opposition has no position where the opposition does not apply; if it is suspendable in any position, the opposition is neutralised in that position.

• Quantitative oppositions

1. Single phonological opposition e.g. [p]-[t], as in [pen]-[ten]; bilabial vs. forelingual is based on a single difference in the articulation of two speech sounds, all the other features are the same.

2. If the sounds in distinctive opposition have two differences in their articulation, the opposition is a double one, or a sum of two single oppositions, e.g. [p]-[d], as in [pen]-[den], 1) bilabial vs. forelingual 2) voiceless-fortis vs. voiced-lenis

3. If there are three articulatory differences, the opposition is triple (multiple) one, or a sum of three single oppositions, e.g. [p]- [ð], as in [pei]-[ ðei]: 1) bilabial vs. forelingual, 2) occlusive vs. constrictive, 3) voiceless-fortis vs. voiced-lenis

3. Invariant and variant of the phoneme.

3.1. Variant of the phoneme.

The material aspect of the phoneme is reflected in the definition that the phoneme is the minimal abstract unit realized in speech in a form of speech sounds. It exists in speech of all people who belong to a given language community in a form of speech sounds, but as it occurs in different positions in the word (e.g. in different environments), the phonemes may slightly differ.

Compare the sound [t] in the phrase “let us” and “let them”, they are not the same. The [t] of “let us” is alveolar while the [t] in “let them” is dental. They are the variants of the phoneme [t] and are called “allophones”.