Tool for Applying Sound Changes

In this episode, the host introduces a tool called 'Phonics' that simplifies the process of applying sound changes in constructed languages. The host explains that most sound change-appliers have limitations, but Phonics, created by Jesse Bangs, provides a flexible and comprehensive solution. Users need to create two files: a text file with words in the proto-language and a phonics file that contains the rules. With Phonics, users can declare features, define rules using a familiar syntax, and run the program from a command line interface. It supports both binary and unary features, feature geometry, and even scalar features for modeling metrical grids or underspecifying symbols. Phonics offers various options for rule application, such as vowel harmony, directionality, and exclusion.