A class of segments which can be specified using fewer features than it would take to specify any member or any subset of the class . The situation where a contrast between two or more segments is suspended or invalid in a particular environment. The classical example is the contrast between voiced and voiceless obstruent segments in German, which holds in most environments, but is absent in some, especially at the end of the word, where only voiceless obstruents may occur. Neutral vowel See schwa . A theory of phonology which views phonological structure as consisting of a number of independent tiers rather than as a simple string of segments and boundaries.
Normal voice See modal voice .
Nuclear tone One of a small number of pitch configurations which are attached to the intonation nucleus and any following syllables in the tail of the intonation pattern. The final accented syllable in an intonation pattern. The location of the nucleus in many languages is an important signal of focus. The pitch pattern which starts at the nucleus and which continues up to the end of the intonation pattern is called the nuclear tone. The only obligatory component of the syllable in most languages.