Accumulation of Errors Question Answer 2022

1) What is the "accumulation of errors" account, and why is it not a sufficient account of sound change? 2) How does variability in American English s-retraction suggests a solution to the actuation problem? Briefly summarize Baker et al's argument regarding when sound change is expected to happen (and when it's not) 3) Does/Can Baker et al's account of sound change "work" with Exemplar Theory? If yes, say how. If no, say where the inconsistency is. 4) What are two questions you had about this paper?

Surname 1
Student’s Name
Instructor’s Name
Class Title
Date
Accumulation of Errors
Question 1
Accumulation of error usually occurs in speech and has been adopted by several researchers. It is
the form of language that involves using error including the very small changes in languages that
could be regarded teleogical or functional. In other words, it is the process where sound change
undergoes gradual language accommodation to the needs of the hearers and the speakers (Szakay
et al. 100). It is not a sufficient account of sound change because it makes it difficult to have
clear utterances, sounds and/ or combination of sounds (Baker et al. 349).
Question 2
The variability proposes a partial solution. It does not give a complete solution but a partial one.
Therefore, the S-retraction would enable /s/ to be actualized as an [ʃ]-like sound, particularly
when it takes place in an /stɹ/ cluster (Baker et al. 352).
They argue that there are two instances: one, if the sound change is conceived as an
coarticulation accumulation. Two, when the articulation is spread widely. Also, they argue that
problem in actuation greatly concerns the initiation of changes in sounds. They not that it is

Surname 2
difficult for a theory to include a change mechanism that fails to predict instances where change
occurs, and failing to forecast instances where changes does not occur (Baker et al. 352).
Question 3
No. This is because Baker et al believe change of sound could be actuated if there is difference
variability in pronunciation of specific segments of individual groups (Baker et al. 351). On the
contrary, exemplar theory has it that dialects and languages have a high probability of differing
for similar phonological contrasts sets. This brings inconsistency.
Question 4
Is there a purely precursor stage? For instance, a situation where /xrøtlI/ has a lowered vowel.
What are the principle determinants of sound changed regarding actuation of phonological
processes?

Surname 3
Work cited
Baker, Adam, Diana Archangeli, and Jeff Mielke. "Variability in American English s-retraction
suggests a solution to the actuation problem." Language variation and change 23.3
(2011): 347-374.
Szakay, Anita, Molly Babel, and Jeanette King. "Social categories are shared across bilinguals׳
lexicons." Journal of Phonetics 59 (2016): 92-109.