Linguistics rules you've been subconsciously following

Speakers and signers of their primary language(s) possess subconscious knowledge of the complex linguistic rule systems governing their communication, which are likely difficult to articulate. Essentially, we are all child (or adult) prodigies. Congratulations!

Navigating the process of uncovering these linguistic rules, rather than constructing them, is quite complex. However, examining the intricacies of the “t” sound provides a brief glimpse into this field of study. You may have observed how North American English speakers subtly alter the pronunciation of the "t" in words like "meeting" compared to "attack." Words like "meeting" have a noticeably duller “t” sound than the sharper “t” in "attack." This dullness, the sound produced when the tip of the tongue lightly touches the roof of the mouth behind the top front teeth to pronounce the “t” sound, is what linguists refer to as a “tap.”

Using a small dataset of words with a tap, it may seem that the dull “t” is produced if the “t” sound follows a vowel, as in "atom," "forgettable," and "satisfy." However, when testing this theory, you'll encounter words like "tattoo" and "return," which both have a “t” sound following a vowel, yet lack a tap. Instead, we hear the sharper “t.” The rule of the “t” sound is fascinating, and confirming it fully requires some trial and error.

Further analysis beyond the now-defunct vowel stipulations will reveal a two-part commonality in words with a tap: (1) the “t” sound is sandwiched between two vowels, and (2) the syllable immediately following where the “t” occurs needs to be the quieter syllable in the word. The linguistic description of a “quiet” syllable is “unstressed syllable,” meaning that part of the word is less emphasized when spoken.

Most conversations have a natural ebb and flow, involving a combination of robust pronunciations that are clearly emphasized, and other parts that are less noticeable. Think of the word “banana,” in which the first and last syllables are unstressed ("ba-NA-na"), while the middle one is stressed and sounds more emphasized.

Examining the intricacies of the pronunciation of just one letter demonstrates how language rules become ingrained in our brains and integrate into our daily communications. While these rules aren’t tangible like using an apostrophe or comma, we absorb these patterns and likely apply them consistently, highlighting the fascinating complexity of language acquisition.