What is the difference between complementary and contrastive distribution?

If two sounds are in contrastive distribution, they must belong to different phonemes. If two sounds are in complementary distribution: – One of them (the one with the restricted distribution) is not a phoneme, and must be created by a phonological rule.

Are S and Z contrastive?

Yes? They are contrastive and allophones of different phonemes. They are allophones of the same phoneme.

How do you know if a distribution is complementary?

Definition: Complementary distribution is the mutually exclusive relationship between two phonetically similar segments. It exists when one segment occurs in an environment where the other segment never occurs.

What is a complementary distribution in linguistics?

: a distribution of a pair of speech sounds or a pair of linguistic forms such that the one is found only in environments where the other is not (as the unaspirated t of English stone and the aspirated t of English tone or English your occurring before a noun, yours in all other environments), especially when used as a …

Which is the correct description of contrastive distribution?

For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. Contrastive distribution in linguistics, as opposed to complementary distribution or free variation, is the relationship between two different elements in which both elements are found in the same environment with a change in meaning.

What is the relationship between complementary distribution and free variation?

In linguistics, complementary distribution, as distinct from contrastive distribution and free variation, is the relationship between two different elements of the same kind in which one element is found in one set of environments and the other element is found in a non-intersecting (complementary) set of environments. Click to see full answer.

Are there any sounds in contrastive distribution in English?

Phonology. Note that two sounds which are in contrastive distribution in one language can be in complementary distribution or free variation in another. These sounds occur in English, as in the word team [tʰiːm] and steam [stiːm], but their occurrence is purely dependent upon phonological context.

Is the word team in contrastive or complementary distribution?

These sounds occur in English, as in the word team [tʰiːm] and steam [stiːm], but their occurrence is purely dependent upon phonological context. Therefore, in English, [tʰ] and [t] are not in contrastive distribution but in complementary distribution.