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Velar consonants are produced by articulating the back of the tongue against the soft palate (velum).
Answer: True
Explanation: This statement accurately describes the primary articulation point for velar consonants, which involves the dorsum (back) of the tongue contacting the soft palate, also known as the velum.
The velar region of the mouth is considered imprecise for articulation, making velar consonants more prone to assimilation.
Answer: True
Explanation: The velar articulation point is relatively large and less precise, which facilitates phonetic assimilation, where velar consonants adapt to surrounding sounds.
Back vowels, such as 'u' or 'o', typically cause velar consonants to become 'retracted,' moving further back.
Answer: True
Explanation: Adjacent back vowels tend to cause velar consonants to retract, shifting the articulation point further back in the mouth, consistent with the vowel's back quality.
Why are velar consonants particularly susceptible to assimilation?
Answer: Because the velar region is large and tongue movements are not highly precise, allowing shifts based on surrounding sounds.
Explanation: The relative imprecision and larger surface area of the velar region facilitate phonetic assimilation, enabling velar consonants to adapt their articulation based on adjacent sounds.
How do adjacent *back* vowels typically influence the articulation of velar consonants?
Answer: They cause the velar consonant to become 'retracted,' moving further back.
Explanation: Back vowels, such as /u/ and /o/, tend to cause velar consonants to retract, shifting the articulation point posteriorly in the mouth.
Palatovelars are velar consonants that have undergone palatalization, involving the hard palate in their articulation.
Answer: True
Explanation: Palatovelar sounds are indeed velar consonants that have been modified through palatalization, incorporating articulation near the hard palate.
Labialized velar consonants involve lip rounding along with the articulation at the velum.
Answer: True
Explanation: Labialization as a secondary articulation involves simultaneous lip rounding during the primary articulation, which in this case is at the velum.
Labial-velar consonants are 'doubly articulated,' meaning they involve simultaneous articulation at the velum and the lips.
Answer: True
Explanation: The term 'doubly articulated' accurately describes labial-velar consonants, as they require simultaneous constriction at two distinct places of articulation: the velum and the lips.
Which of the following describes palatovelars?
Answer: Velar consonants that have undergone palatalization, involving the hard palate.
Explanation: Palatovelars are velar consonants modified by palatalization, meaning their articulation also involves the hard palate.
What is the defining characteristic of labial-velar consonants like [k͡p]?
Answer: They involve simultaneous articulation at two distinct places: the velum and the lips.
Explanation: Labial-velar consonants are characterized by double articulation, requiring simultaneous constriction at both the velum and the lips.
Xavante, standard Tahitian, and several Skou languages are cited as potentially lacking any dorsal consonants, including velars.
Answer: True
Explanation: The source material indicates that Xavante, standard Tahitian, and certain Skou languages are among those that may lack dorsal consonants, including velars.
In standard Tahitian, the sequence /tVt/ is pronounced as [kVt], showing a shift towards velar articulation.
Answer: True
Explanation: Standard Tahitian exhibits a velarization phenomenon where the sequence /tVt/ is realized as [kVt], demonstrating a shift in articulation towards the velar region.
In many indigenous languages of the Pacific Northwest, the historical sound *k has consistently remained unchanged.
Answer: False
Explanation: In many indigenous languages of the Pacific Northwest, the historical velar stop *k has undergone palatalization, and in some cases, affrication, rather than remaining unchanged.
In Northwest Caucasian languages like Ubykh, historical *k has typically remained a plain velar sound without palatalization.
Answer: False
Explanation: Contrary to the statement, historical *k in Northwest Caucasian languages such as Ubykh has often undergone palatalization, resulting in sounds like /kʲ/.
Proto-Indo-European is reconstructed as having a simple system with only one plain velar stop, *k.
Answer: False
Explanation: Reconstructions of Proto-Indo-European suggest a more complex system, including distinctions such as *kʲ and *kʷ, and potentially a marginal plain velar *k.
The voiceless velar plosive [k] is generally the least common velar consonant across languages.
Answer: False
Explanation: The voiceless velar plosive [k] is generally considered one of the most common velar consonants across languages, not the least common.
Mandarin Chinese phonemically distinguishes between /k/ and /g/, with /g/ being common.
Answer: False
Explanation: Mandarin Chinese does not phonemically distinguish between /k/ and /g/. While /k/ is present, /g/ is not a distinct phoneme, although /k/ can have a voiced allophone [ ɡ ] in unstressed syllables.
According to the World Atlas of Language Structures, approximately 90% of languages with /p, b, t, d, k/ also have /g/.
Answer: False
Explanation: The World Atlas of Language Structures (WALS) indicates that approximately 10% of languages that possess the plosive series /p, b, t, d, k/ do not have the /g/ sound. The statement implies the inverse relationship.
Hawaiian clearly distinguishes between [k] and [t] sounds in all phonetic contexts.
Answer: False
Explanation: Hawaiian does not maintain a consistent distinction between [k] and [t]. The sound transcribed as 'k' often varies, tending towards [t] before the vowel [i] and exhibiting variability in other positions.
Which of the following languages is cited as potentially lacking dorsal consonants?
Answer: Pirahã
Explanation: Pirahã is mentioned as a language where men might lack the only velar consonant, suggesting a potential absence of dorsal consonants in certain contexts.
How does standard Tahitian handle the sequence /tVt/?
Answer: It is pronounced as [kVt], indicating a shift towards velar articulation.
Explanation: In standard Tahitian, the sequence /tVt/ is realized as [kVt], demonstrating a velarization phenomenon where the articulation shifts towards the velar region.
What change occurred to historical *k in many indigenous languages of the Pacific Northwest?
Answer: It underwent palatalization, sometimes affricating to [tʃ].
Explanation: Historical *k in many indigenous languages of the Pacific Northwest underwent palatalization, and in some instances, further affricated to [tʃ].
According to the source, what is generally true about the voiceless velar plosive [k] across languages?
Answer: It is the most common velar consonant.
Explanation: The voiceless velar plosive [k] is generally considered the most common velar consonant found across the world's languages.
Why does Mandarin Chinese lack a phonemic /g/ sound?
Answer: Because Mandarin Chinese does not have voiced stops as a phonemic category.
Explanation: Mandarin Chinese does not possess phonemic voiced stops; therefore, it lacks a distinct /g/ phoneme, although /k/ can have a voiced allophone.
What does the World Atlas of Language Structures (WALS) report regarding the /g/ sound?
Answer: Approximately 10% of languages with /p, b, t, d, k/ lack /g/.
Explanation: According to WALS, approximately 10% of languages that possess the plosive series /p, b, t, d, k/ do not have the /g/ sound.
How does Hawaiian typically handle the distinction between [k] and [t]?
Answer: The distinction varies, with 'k' tending towards [t] before [i] and varying elsewhere.
Explanation: Hawaiian exhibits variability in the distinction between [k] and [t]; the sound transcribed as 'k' often shifts towards [t] before the vowel [i] and shows other variations.
Velodorsal consonants are produced by raising the tongue body towards the soft palate.
Answer: False
Explanation: Velodorsal consonants are produced by lowering the velum to contact the tongue body, which remains relatively stationary. This is distinct from typical velar articulation where the tongue body moves towards the velum.
What is the primary point of articulation for velar consonants?
Answer: The back of the tongue against the soft palate (velum).
Explanation: Velar consonants are defined by the articulation of the back of the tongue (dorsum) against the soft palate, also known as the velum.
What defines 'velodorsal' consonants?
Answer: Articulation where the velum lowers to contact the tongue.
Explanation: Velodorsal consonants are characterized by the velum lowering to make contact with the tongue body, which remains relatively stationary, in contrast to typical velar articulation.
Which of the following is a primary place of articulation mentioned in the source?
Answer: Glottis
Explanation: The glottis is listed as a primary place of articulation for consonants, alongside others such as labial, coronal, dorsal, and double articulation.
Which category do plosives and fricatives belong to under consonant manners of articulation?
Answer: Obstruents
Explanation: Plosives and fricatives are classified as obstruents, a major category within consonant manners of articulation.
Which airstream mechanism involves air pressure built up and released sharply, often creating an 'ejective' sound?
Answer: Ejective
Explanation: The ejective airstream mechanism involves building up air pressure and releasing it sharply, producing ejective sounds.
Which of the following is listed as a secondary articulation?
Answer: All of the above
Explanation: Nasalization, glottalization, and pharyngealization are all listed as examples of secondary articulations.
How are vowels classified based on tongue backness?
Answer: Front, Central, Back
Explanation: Vowels are classified based on tongue backness into three primary categories: Front, Central, and Back.