7. (LF 3.37) Modern Greek is an Indo-European language spoken in Greece. Examine the sounds [ x ], [ k ], [ ç ], and [ c ] in th
e following data. [ k ] represents a voiceless velar stop, [ x ] a voiceless velar fricative, [ ç ] a voiceless palatal fricative, and [ c ] a voiceless palatal stop. Which of these sounds are in contrastive distribution, and which are in complementary distribution? State the distribution of the allophones. (22 points)
Contrastive distribution occurs when two sounds placed in the same context produce different meanings. This is the case in the sounds [k] and [x] . For example: <em>[kano] 'do' versus [xano] 'lose'.
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The same happens with the sounds [ç] and [c]. They are in constrastive distribution as in shown in the following example: <em>[çino] 'pour' versus [cino] 'move
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In complementary distribution, where one sound occurs the other cannot. This is the case in the sounds [k] and [c] The first sound (palatal stop) appears before front vowels whereas the second sound (velar stop) appears elsewhere.
The sounds [ç] and [x] are also in complementary distribution. As in the previous example, the palatal appears before front vowels and the velar appears elsewhere
