# data[].attributes.headline
What are phonological features in English?

# data[].attributes.subject
What are phonological features in English?

# data[].attributes.body
While a phoneme cannot by definition be broken up into shorter successive units, it can be viewed as a bundle of simultaneous units called phonological features: individual properties whose sum makes up the phoneme.

# data[].attributes.body
Features generally relate to articulatory parameters

1. Consonants
1.1. Voicing
1.2. Place
1.3. Manner

2. Vowels
2.1. Height
2.2. Backness
2.3. Rounding
2.4. Tense (In English only)

# data[].attributes.body
Voicing is the simplest of consonant features: a consonant is either [+voice] or [-voice].

Voiced [+voice] will appear to the right.

Voiceless [-voice] will appear to the less.

# data[].attributes.body
There are 3 broad place features

1.2.1.  Labial: (= lips)

1.2.2. Coronal: (= in front of the palate)

1.2.3.  Dorsal (= on and behind the palate)

# data[].attributes.body
Dentals

Alveolars

Palato-alveolars

The feature [+/- anterior] distinguishes between palate-alveolars and the others.

The feature [+/-strident] distinguished between dentals and the others.

PS: Using [+/- anterior] and [+/-strident] we can fully distinguish between Dentals, Alveolar and Palato-alveolars in Coronal features.

# data[].attributes.body
Some consonants are more likely vowels than others

Vowels form the nucleus of the syllable, as they are peak sonority

Vowels are [+syllabic]

Consonants are [-syllabic]

[+syllabic] sounds are those which may function as the nucleus of a syllable. The basic gist is that these sounds can be the “center” of a syllable. By default, only vowels are [ syllabic], and all consonants are [-syllabic].  However, sometimes certain consonants can become [ syllabic]. In English, we sometimes find [ɹ] (the “r” sound in “her” and “red”) becomes syllabic.

# data[].attributes.headline
The 6 manners of articulation for consonants can be ranked by Sonority 

# data[].attributes.subject
The 6 manners of articulation for consonants can be ranked by Sonority 

# data[].attributes.body
We need five features to distinguish these
1.3.1. Delayed release
1.3.2. Nasal
1.3.3. Consonantal

1.3.4.  Sonorant

1.3.5. Continuant

# data[].attributes.body
Affricates are [+delayed release]

Stops are [-delayed release], (other manners generally do not use this feature).

English has two affricates: voiceless [t͡ʃ] (as in church) and voiced [d͡ʒ] (as in judge).

# data[].attributes.body
Nasals are [+nasals]

The rest are [-nasals]

The nasal consonants of English are [m] (mime), [n] (none), and [ŋ] (young).

# data[].attributes.body
Glides are [-consonatal]
The rest are [+consonatal]

Examples of semivowels in English are the consonants y and w, in yes and west, respectively.

# data[].attributes.body
[+/-sonorant] is used to distinguish between the sonorants and obstruents

Obstruents: the 3 least sonorant manners:

Stops, affricatives, fricatives  [-sonorant]

Sonorants: the 3 most sonorant (vowel like) manners: Nasals, liquids, glides   [+sonorant]

# data[].attributes.body
[+/-continuant] is used to distinguish between the fricatives and stops/affricatives
Fricatives, liquids, and glides are [+ continuant], since they are produced with continued friction.

·         Stops, affricatives and nasals are [-continuant]

# data[].attributes.body
High vowels are [+high] [-low]

Mid vowels are [-high] [+low]

Low vowels are [-high] [+low]

# data[].attributes.body
Front vowels are [-back]

Back vowels are [+back]

# data[].attributes.body
Rounded vowels are [+round]

Unrounded vowels are [-round]

# data[].attributes.body
Tense vowels are [+tense]

Lax vowels are [-tense]