Pronunciation Rules for Russian: A Systematic Approach for Converting Russian Spelling to Sound

3. From Regularized Orthography to Phoneticized Orthography

3 From Regularized Orthography to Phoneticized Orthography 3.0. Introduction In this chapter we present 19 blocks of rules to derive a Phoneticized Orthography (PO) from the Regularized Orthography (RO) which was derived in Chapter 2. These rule-blocks are set out under twelve different headings, the titles of which serve to emphasize the fact that only a limited number of processes are actually involved. For example, seven different rules are collected into the four rule-blocks 3N through 3Q, and these are all presented under the general heading Vowel Reduction (section 3.11.); and indeed in this instance, as in most, though the details may be complex and require many rules to describe fully, there is but a single phenomenon to be treated. Before attempting to use any of the rules presented in this chapter, readers may find it helpful to review first the general remarks and conventions for rules which were presented on pp. 26–29 above. 3.1. A Second Classification of the Russian Letters In this section, the letters are grouped in three classes. As in section 2.1. phonetic terms are used as labels for the classes; but once again, it must be remembered that the terms are not to be understood as phonetically precise. The classification made here cuts across the one made in 2.1.1.; for example, the consonants here grouped in the class of VOICELESS OBSTRUENTS include letters which in 2.1.1. were labelled Cp (Paired), H (Unpaired Hard) and S (Unpaired Soft). This means that consonant letters may henceforward belong simultaneously to two different classes. In 3.7. below the matter is further complicated, when five more classificatory labels are assigned. In that section (p. 54) readers will find a reference-chart which may help them if they become confused by these classificatory labels. 32 3. FROM RO TO PO Two new consonant letters are introduced here:  and .1 The first of these is required for our PO, and will be carried over into Chapter 4, where it will be rewritten as one of two distinct phonetic symbols. The second letter, , on the other hand, is to be regarded as a convenient, temporary device which is used in 3.5. to simplify the formulation of the rules in blocks 3D, 3E and 3F. Three combinations of letters (digraphs) are also referred to here: д, д and . These are to be treated as single units. Our (re-)classification is, firstly, into RESONANT LETTERS and OBSTRUENT LETTERS. The resonant letters represent sounds which are normally voiced, rather than voiceless; the new letter  is included in this class (see Table 6 on p. 54). The Resonant Letters (R):   л  The twenty other consonant letters and digraphs, on the other hand, typically represent sounds which have both voiceless and voiced counterparts; these counterparts are shown in vertical columns in the display below. Voiceless Obstruent Letters (Cvl): к ф с      Voiced Obstruent Letters (Cvd): б д г    д д   Since the new letters and digraphs have not been classified according to the groupings set out in 2.1., the following remarks must be borne in mind: • , like its voiceless counterpart , is a Paired Consonant Letter (Cp), and is a fricative. • д, like its voiceless counterpart , is an Unpaired Hard Consonant Letter (H). 1 Note that we use  to represent a fricative, in distinction to г, which represents a stop. This is the reverse of the usage in the SO of Ukrainian; readers who know Ukrainian must if necessary make this mental switch. The letter  is the equivalent of English w. 3.2. SYNTACTIC UNITS AND BOUNDARIES 33 • д, like its voiceless counterpart , is an Unpaired Soft Consonant Letter (S). • , UNLIKE its voiceless counterpart , is an Unpaired Hard Consonant Letter (H).2 A Note on Digraphs Two of the digraphs introduced above may cause some confusion, especially when the preposition- and prefix-boundary / (introduced in 3.2. below) is involved. The following notes are therefore given for future reference: • When not bisected by a boundary symbol such as /, the digraphs д and д are to be treated as single units. • When bisected by a boundary symbol, the letters д and  in, e.g., д/, and the letters д and  in, e.g., д/, are to be treated as separate units. • The digraph д, therefore, is always to be regarded as an Unpaired Hard Consonant (H); However, the  in д/ (being a separate letter) is a Paired Consonant Letter (Cp); and the sequence д/ is therefore possible (and indeed is derived in 3K below). • The digraph д, similarly...