ABSTRACT
Model developed in particular by D.Stampe and W.U.Dressler as a critical alternative to generative phonology. The basic units of natural phonology are not phonemes or distinctive features, but rather ‘natural’ phonological processes such as final devoicing, nasalization ( nasal harmony), and labialization. According to the natural phonological viewpoint, such (potentially universally valid) processes are not part of language acquisition per se, but rather are an integral part of the human capacity for language. The acquisition of a phonological system takes place through suppression and limitation of cumbersome articulatory and perceptive processes; in this way, final devoicing has been eliminated from English in the course of language acquisition. Natural phonological processes are irreversible, thus there is no such thing as ‘denasalization’ or ‘final voicing.’ ( also distinctive feature theory, markedness)
References
Dogil, G. 1981. Elementary accent systems. In W.U. Dressler et al. (eds), Phonologica. Innsbruck. Donegan, P. and D.Stampe. 1979. The study of natural phonology. In D.Dinnsen (ed.), Current
approaches to phonological theory. Bloomington, IN. 126-73. Dressler, W.U. 1984. Explaining natural phonology. PY 1. 29-53. ——1985. Morphonology: the dynamics of derivation. Ann Arbor, MI. Hurch, B. and R.Rhodes (eds) 1995. Natural phono-logy: the state of the art. Berlin.
