Answer to Question #178053 in English for rona

Question

Manx Gaelic - Examine the status of [k] and [g] Manx Gaelic English Manx Gaelic English mak son gɛtlax flying kɛnax buying bɛg beside kɛth cat gærəs being hungry krɛk selling gɛnəl merry klag clock grɛ saying kælax cock gol going mɛnɪk frequent momɪg mother  Do [k] and [g] contrast or are they predictable variants? Briefly explain the reason(s) for your answers. (Hint: look for near minimal pairs) 

Answer 1

[k] and [g] are allophones that appear in free variation. They are random, predictable and appear in any environment. Pronounciation may take place depending on the speaking situation but it does not change the meaning of words. This shows that the allophones exhibit phonetic differences that are not contrastive.