Examines several aspects of functional load in English that may be relevant for assessing the relative importance of segmental features of learners' speech. Implications for the use of functional load in pronunciation drill books are discussed. (Author/CB)

Paper prepared under contract with the English Language Branch--Defense Language Institute, Lackland Air Force Base, Lackland, Texas, and delivered in 1971 to staff members of the Branch. (VM)

It is demonstrated that the phonemes represented by the diagraph "ng" can, with few exceptions, be predicted when the structure of the word in which it appears is taken into account. The regularity of English spelling is discussed, and suggestions are made for use of the findings in classroom situations. (Author/RM)