MLAT Phonetic Script Association 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A phonetic script uses a horizontal bar through a letter to indicate nasalization. If 'm' with a bar = nasalized 'm,' which word's final sound would most likely carry this mark?
- sing (Correct answer)
- sit
- sip
- sick
Correct answer: sing
'Sing' ends with the nasal velar /ŋ/, which would be marked for nasalization in such a system.
Question 2: An MLAT-style task presents the invented word 'felbu' transcribed as /fɛlbu/. If the script symbol ☾ = /ɛ/, what does ☾ sound like?
- The vowel in 'bed' (Correct answer)
- The vowel in 'bead'
- The vowel in 'bide'
- The vowel in 'bode'
Correct answer: The vowel in 'bed'
/ɛ/ is the short 'e' sound found in words like 'bed' or 'bet.'
Question 3: A code pairs each phonetic symbol with a color. Symbol for /p/ = blue, /b/ = red. What phonetic property explains grouping these two sounds together with different colors?
- They share place of articulation but differ in voicing (Correct answer)
- They share voicing but differ in place
- They are both fricatives
- They are both nasals
Correct answer: They share place of articulation but differ in voicing
/p/ and /b/ are both bilabial stops but /p/ is voiceless and /b/ is voiced, making voicing the distinguishing feature.
Question 4: In the MLAT phonetic section, a student hears a word and must select the correct symbol sequence. The word is 'phone.' Which sequence is correct if ∅=/f/, ○=/oʊ/, △=/n/?
- ∅○△ (Correct answer)
- ○∅△
- △∅○
- ∅△○
Correct answer: ∅○△
'Phone' is pronounced /foʊn/, so the symbols must appear in the order: consonant, vowel, consonant.
Question 5: A phonetic script doubles a symbol to show a lengthened consonant, as in Italian 'geminate' consonants. If ✦ = /t/, how would a long /t:/ be written?
- ✦✦ (Correct answer)
- ✦+
- ✦̄
- ✦²
Correct answer: ✦✦
The system's rule is to double the symbol for length, so ✦✦ represents the geminate /t:/ sound.
Question 6: A student is told that symbol ➤ marks sounds articulated at the back of the mouth. Which sound would NOT receive ➤?
- /f/ (Correct answer)
- /k/
- /g/
- /ŋ/
Correct answer: /f/
/f/ is articulated at the front of the mouth (labiodental), not the back, so it would not receive ➤.
Question 7: If a phonetic script represents tones with superscript numbers (1=low, 4=high), and a word has the pattern high-low-high across three syllables, what superscript pattern appears?
- 4-1-4 (Correct answer)
- 1-4-1
- 4-4-1
- 1-1-4
Correct answer: 4-1-4
High-low-high corresponds to the numbers 4, 1, 4 in a 1–4 scale where 4 is high.
MLAT Phonetic Script Association 3
A phonetic script uses a horizontal bar through a letter to indicate nasalization.
If 'm' with a bar = nasalized 'm,' which word's final sound would most likely carry this mark?