Which of the following transcriptions is phonemic?
A[kʰæt]
B/kæt/
C[ˈlɪɾl̩]
D[bʌtɚ]
Answer:
B. /kæt/
Read Explanation:
Phonemic transcription represents only the distinctive sounds (phonemes) of a language, using slashes (/ /).
Phonetic transcription provides more detailed pronunciation using square brackets [ ] and includes allophonic variations.
✅ B) /kæt/ → Phonemic transcription (only phonemes, no extra details).
❌ A) [kʰæt] → Phonetic transcription (shows aspiration [ʰ] on /k/).
❌ C) [ˈlɪɾl̩] → Phonetic transcription (shows a flap [ɾ] and a syllabic [l̩]).
❌ D) [bʌtɚ] → Phonetic transcription (shows American English rhotic pronunciation [ɚ]).