伪·《冰果》评论
信米泽穗信，学好语音学。拜折木不挂科，拜爱瑠读PhD。
由于豆瓣格式有限，此处送气轻清软腭塞音表记为[k`]。我知道[k']是velar ejective，真的知道。
看到这道题时，估计有很多人会想，#我的同学是个奇葩#。
In a Japanese novel named Hyouka, the hero, a Japanese secondary schoolboy, deciphered the English message "I scream" from the English title of a student magazine "Ice Cream".
Which conclusions can we derive from that particular story?
(1). "I scream" and "Ice Cream" are phonetically same in English.
(2). Japanese does not distinguish between aspirated and plain consonants.
(3). English does not distinguish between plain and pre-voiced consonants.
(4). Native speakers of Cantonese may easily understand this trick.
(5). Native speakers of Finnish may easily understand this trick.
A. (1) and (3)
B. (2) and (3)
C. (2) and (4)
D. (2) and (5)
E. (3) and (5)
--
The correct answer is D, consisting of two statements: "Japanese does not distinguish between aspirated and plain consonants", and "Native speakers of Finnish may easily understand this trick".
(1). "I scream" and "Ice Cream" are phonetically same in English.
In Southern British English, the two phrases "Ice cream" and "I scream" have slightly different pronunciations (regardless of stress). "Ice cream" is transcribed as [aɪsk`iːm], while "I scream" is [aɪskɹiːm]. The major difference between the pronunciations is whether the [k] sound is aspirated. As analysed above, the statement is wrong.
(2). Japanese does not distinguish between aspirated and plain consonants.
This statement is correct by definition and can also be reflected from the story. Since Japanese people do not distinguish aspirated and plain consonants, they tends to perceive and produce [aɪskɹiːm] for the word "Ice cream", which makes the two phrases sound alike. That is also the reason that the hero Houtarou Oreki could think about "I scream" when he was reading the word "Ice cream".
(3). English does not distinguish between plain and pre-voiced consonants.
This statement is correct by definition, but is not relevant to the story. The fact that English does not distinguish between plain and pre-voiced consonants has no effect on the pronunciation of two phrases, and does not influence how Japanese people perceive and produce the two phrases. This statement is deliberately arranged as a fake answer, so don't worry if you fall into the trap :)
Before go into the next two statements, we need to first deduce what kind of people are more likely to think about "I scream" when reading "Ice cream". As discussed above, we can see that if a person does not distinguish between plain and aspirated consonants, it may be possible for him/her to perceive and produce [aɪsk`ɹiːm] and [aɪskɹiːm] as the same string, and then understand this trick and decipher the message.
(4). Native speakers of Cantonese may easily understand this trick.
Cantonese, same as English, distinguishes between aspirated and plain consonants, and native Cantonese speakers will not be confused when facing [k] and [k`]. "I scream" and "Ice cream"should sound like two different string, so the task is harder for them to understand.
(5). Native speakers of Finnish may easily understand this trick.
Finnish is a language that does not distinguish among pre-voiced, plain and aspirated consonants, and all [g], [k] and [k`] will sound like [k] to the native speaker of Finnish. They are more likely to produce and perceive [aɪskhɹiːm] as [aɪskɹiːm], just like Japanese people. Therefore, they may share the same intuition to this trick.
References:
Ladefoged, P. (2005). Vowels and Consonants. 2nd edition. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. Chapter 13.3.
Reetz, H. and Jongman, H. (2009). Phonetics: Transcription, Production, Acoustics, and Perception. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. Chapter 6.3.
Story from Yonezawa, H. (2001). Hyouka. Tokyo: Kadokawa Shoten.
由于豆瓣格式有限，此处送气轻清软腭塞音表记为[k`]。我知道[k']是velar ejective，真的知道。
看到这道题时，估计有很多人会想，#我的同学是个奇葩#。
In a Japanese novel named Hyouka, the hero, a Japanese secondary schoolboy, deciphered the English message "I scream" from the English title of a student magazine "Ice Cream".
Which conclusions can we derive from that particular story?
(1). "I scream" and "Ice Cream" are phonetically same in English.
(2). Japanese does not distinguish between aspirated and plain consonants.
(3). English does not distinguish between plain and pre-voiced consonants.
(4). Native speakers of Cantonese may easily understand this trick.
(5). Native speakers of Finnish may easily understand this trick.
A. (1) and (3)
B. (2) and (3)
C. (2) and (4)
D. (2) and (5)
E. (3) and (5)
--
The correct answer is D, consisting of two statements: "Japanese does not distinguish between aspirated and plain consonants", and "Native speakers of Finnish may easily understand this trick".
(1). "I scream" and "Ice Cream" are phonetically same in English.
In Southern British English, the two phrases "Ice cream" and "I scream" have slightly different pronunciations (regardless of stress). "Ice cream" is transcribed as [aɪsk`iːm], while "I scream" is [aɪskɹiːm]. The major difference between the pronunciations is whether the [k] sound is aspirated. As analysed above, the statement is wrong.
(2). Japanese does not distinguish between aspirated and plain consonants.
This statement is correct by definition and can also be reflected from the story. Since Japanese people do not distinguish aspirated and plain consonants, they tends to perceive and produce [aɪskɹiːm] for the word "Ice cream", which makes the two phrases sound alike. That is also the reason that the hero Houtarou Oreki could think about "I scream" when he was reading the word "Ice cream".
(3). English does not distinguish between plain and pre-voiced consonants.
This statement is correct by definition, but is not relevant to the story. The fact that English does not distinguish between plain and pre-voiced consonants has no effect on the pronunciation of two phrases, and does not influence how Japanese people perceive and produce the two phrases. This statement is deliberately arranged as a fake answer, so don't worry if you fall into the trap :)
Before go into the next two statements, we need to first deduce what kind of people are more likely to think about "I scream" when reading "Ice cream". As discussed above, we can see that if a person does not distinguish between plain and aspirated consonants, it may be possible for him/her to perceive and produce [aɪsk`ɹiːm] and [aɪskɹiːm] as the same string, and then understand this trick and decipher the message.
(4). Native speakers of Cantonese may easily understand this trick.
Cantonese, same as English, distinguishes between aspirated and plain consonants, and native Cantonese speakers will not be confused when facing [k] and [k`]. "I scream" and "Ice cream"should sound like two different string, so the task is harder for them to understand.
(5). Native speakers of Finnish may easily understand this trick.
Finnish is a language that does not distinguish among pre-voiced, plain and aspirated consonants, and all [g], [k] and [k`] will sound like [k] to the native speaker of Finnish. They are more likely to produce and perceive [aɪskhɹiːm] as [aɪskɹiːm], just like Japanese people. Therefore, they may share the same intuition to this trick.
References:
Ladefoged, P. (2005). Vowels and Consonants. 2nd edition. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. Chapter 13.3.
Reetz, H. and Jongman, H. (2009). Phonetics: Transcription, Production, Acoustics, and Perception. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. Chapter 6.3.
Story from Yonezawa, H. (2001). Hyouka. Tokyo: Kadokawa Shoten.
