A Critical Introduction to Phonology

Taking an interdisciplinary approach to phonological theory and analysis, A Critical Introduction to Phonology introduces the key aspects of the discipline. Departing from the mainstream tradition, Daniel Silverman argues that the nature of linguistic sound systems can only be understood in the context of how they are used by speakers and listeners.
By proposing that linguistic sound systems are the product of an interaction among sound (acoustics), mind (cognition), and body (physiology), Silverman focuses on the functional consequences of their interaction. Now with each chapter supplemented by a section on "Doing Phonology", together with phonological examples from a large corpus of data, this expanded second edition offers a provocative introduction to phonological theory. This book is essential reading for all students and researchers of phonology who are already familiar with the standard approaches and provides both a new theoretical background and the mechanical tools for truly successful phonological analyses.

Dr Daniel Silverman is the author of Phasing and Recoverability (New York: Garland, 1997)

Preface
Part I
1. The Functional Typology of Sound Substitution
Setting the scene
The functional typology of sound substitution
Learning the alternants
Summary and conclusion
Doing phonology: Dutch
2. Meaning-Changing Sound Substitution
Introduction
Three examples of meaning-changing sound substitution
Summary and conclusion
Doing phonology: Southern Kongo
Part II
3. Meaning-Merging Sound Substitution
Introduction
Dutch
Korean, Chinese, and Chong
Hungarian
Summary and conclusion
Doing phonology: Russian
4. Meaning-Maintaining Sound Substitution
Introduction
Four cases of meaning-maintaining sound substitution
Physical similarity versus functional identity
'Two-and-a-half' cases of mistaken identity
Summary and conclusion
Doing phonology: Korean
5. Variation and Probability
Introduction
Models of variation
Probability matching
Probability matching promotes category separation and phonetic stability
Trique trans-velar labial harmony
Comaltepec Chinantec tone alternation
High-tone behaviour in Zulu and elsewhere
Summary and conclusion
Doing phonology: Chiquihuitlan Mazatec
6. The Pull of Phonetics; the Push of Semantics
Introduction
Corsican again
American English
Word-initial position
Summary and conclusion
Doing phonology: Lithuanian
Part III
7. Loquor ergo es
Introduction
Ease of perception: Are speakers 'altruistic'?
Ease of production: Are speakers 'selfish'?
'Alphabetism' and 'phonemism': Whence and whither?
The 'synchronic explanation' oxymoron
'Synchronic explanation'
Summary and conclusion
Doing Phonology: Sea Dayak
Appendix: Primer of Phonetic Rudiments
Glossary
Index