Aspects of Connected Speech Aspects of Connected Speech

Presented to: Mr.Suhail Falak Presented to: Mr.Suhail Falak Sher.Sher.

By: Muhammad Sajid us By: Muhammad Sajid us Salam.Salam.

Aspects of Connected SpeechAspects of Connected Speech

Weak FormsYod coalescenceElisionAssimilation

Linking

Weak formsWeak forms

When we talk about weak forms in the phonetics of English this regards a series of words which have one pronunciation (strong) when isolated, and another (weak) when not stressed within a phrase.

a car /ˈeɪ ˈkɑ:/ I bought a car/aɪ ˈbɔ:t ə ˈkɑ:/

Look at this phrase:

I went to the hotel and booked a room for two nights for my father and his best friend.

What are the most important What are the most important words?words?

I went to the hotel and booked a room for two nights for my father and his best friend.

If we eliminate the other words If we eliminate the other words can we still understand the can we still understand the

message?message?

went hotel booked room two nights father best friend.

Let’s look at the phrase Let’s look at the phrase transcribed:transcribed:

/aɪ ˈwent tə ðə həʊ ˈtel ən ˈbʊkt ə

ˈru:m fə ˈtu: ˈnaɪts fə maɪ ˈfɑ:ðər ən

hɪz ˈbest ˈfrend/

There is a tendency for vowels in There is a tendency for vowels in unstressed syllables to shift towards unstressed syllables to shift towards

the schwa (central position)the schwa (central position)

Weak form are commonly Weak form are commonly used wordsused words

PrepositionsAuxiliary verbsConjunctions

  Strong form Weak form

Prepositions    

to

for

from

into

of

as

at

Auxiliary verbs

   

are

was

were

would

could

should

can

must

Others    

and

but

than

that

you

your

her

a

an

the

 

Weak=unstressedWeak=unstressed

In the following sentences the underlined words are stressed and so would be pronounced using the strong form:

I do like chocolate. She drove to Las Vegas, not from Las Vegas. We were surprised when she told us her secret. (stress on

‘were’ for emphasis)

Yod coalescenceYod coalescence

In English phonetics Yod coalescence is a form of

assimilation – it is a phenomenon which takes place

when /j/ is preceded by certain consonants most

commonly /t/ and /d/:

/t/ + /j/ = /t/ + /j/ = /tS//tS/ …but use your head!

bətʃu:z jɔ: hed/

What you need…./wɒtʃu ni:d/

The ball that you brought…. /ðə bɔ:l ðətʃu: brɔ:t/

Last year…./lɑ:stʃɪə/

EXAMPLESEXAMPLES

1- ‘Betcha’ for‘( I ) bet you’ as in ‘Betcha can’t catch me.

2- ‘Gotcha’ for‘( I’ ve ) got you’ as in ‘Gotcha at last’

/d/ + /j/ = //d/ + /j/ = /ddZZ//

Could you help me? /kʊdʒu help mi:/

Would yours work? /wʊdʒɔ:z wɜ:k/

She had university students…/ʃi: hædʒu:ni:vɜ:sɪti stju:dənts

Exercise. Identify places where yod coalescence may occur in the following phrases:

 What you need is a good job! You told me that you had your homework done. She didn’t go to France that year. Could you open the window please? You’ve already had yours!

Elision  Elision is very simply the omission of certain sounds in certain contexts. The most important occurrences of this phenomenon regard: 1     Alveolar consonants /t/ and /d/ when ‘sandwiched’ between two consonants

The next day…. /ðə ˈneks ˈdeɪ/

The last car… /ðə ˈlɑ:s ˈkɑ:/

Hold the dog! /ˈhəʊl ðə ˈdɒg/

Send Frank a card. /sen ˈfræŋk ə ˈkɑ:d/ 

Africates / t / & / d /Africates / t / & / d /

This can also take place within affricates /t/ and /d/ when preceded by a consonant, e.g. lunchtime /ˈlʌntʃtaɪm/ becomes /ˈlʌnʃtaɪm/ 

 strange days /ˈstreɪndʒˈdeɪz/ /ˈstreɪnʒˈdeɪz/ 

Elision of ‘not’Elision of ‘not’The phoneme /t/ is a fundamental part of the negative particle not, the possibility of it being elided makes the foreign students life more difficult. Consider the negative of can – if followed by a consonant the /t/ may easily disappear and the only difference between the positive and the negative is a different, longer vowel sound in the second: + I can speak…./aɪ kən ˈspi:k/  / - I can’t speak… /aɪ ˈkɑ:n(t) ˈspi:k/  / /

ASSIMILATIONASSIMILATION

A significant difference in natural connected speech is the way that sounds belonging to one word can cause change in sounds belonging to neighbouring words.

Assimilation Assimilation

Assimilation can be:of Placeof Voicingof Manner

Regressive & Progressive.Regressive & Progressive.

1- That person. /ppsn/

2- good boy /b / 3- get them /ettm/

4- read these /riddiz/

Assimilation of PlaceAssimilation of PlaceThe most common form involves the movement of place of articulation of the alveolar stops /t/, /d/ and /n/ to a position closer to that of the following sound. For instance, in the phrase ten cars, the /n/ will usually be articulated in a velar position, so that the tongue will be ready to produce the following velar sound /k/. Similarly, in ten boys the /n/ will be produced in a bilabial position, to prepare for the articulation of the bilabial /b/.

BEFORE A VELAR (/k/, /g/)

/d/ /g/

e.g. good girl / /

/t/ /k/

e.g. that kid / /

BEFORE A BILABIAL (/m/, /b/, /p/)

/n/ /m/

e.g. ten men /tem men/

/d/ /b/

e.g. bad boys /bæb ˈbɔɪz/ /

/t/ /p/

e.g. hot mushrooms / hɒp ˈmʌʃru:mz/

ASSIMILATION OF VOICINGASSIMILATION OF VOICING

The vibration of the vocal folds is not something that can be switched on and off very swiftly, as a result groups of consonants tend to be either all voiced or all voiceless. Consider the different endings of ‘books’, bags and ‘catches’

LINKINGLINKING

The phoneme ‘r’ does not occur in syllable final position in BBC accent

When a word’s spelling suggests a final r, and a word beginning with a vowel follows the usual pronunciation is to pronounce with ‘r’

EXAMPLESEXAMPLES

‘Here’ / / but if

Here are / /

‘Four’ / / but if

Four eggs / /

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

There is a great deal of difference between words pronounced in isolation and in the context of connected speech.

Learners of English must be aware of the problem they will meet in listening to colloquial connected speech.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.ATTENTION.