The [l] sound in the words let and slate would be referred to as a(n)
A) phoneme because it sounds significantly different across the two words.
B) allophone because it is a variant of the same phoneme in the two words.
C) allophone because it sounds significantly different across the two words.
D) bilabial because it is produced by obstructing airflow.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The [l] sound in let and slate is a variant of the same phoneme because it represents the same sound in slightly different contexts within the English language. It can be considered an allophone, which is a variant of a phoneme that does not significantly change the meaning of a word. The [l] sound is produced by placing the tip of the tongue against the alveolar ridge behind the teeth, not by obstructing airflow with the lips, so choice D is incorrect. Choice A is incorrect because the [l] sound does not have a significant impact on word meaning in this context.

The [L] Sound in the Words Let and Slate Would