2/23/14, 10:58 AM Received Pronunciation

Page 1 of 4 http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/case-studies/received-pronunciation/connected-speech/
Home > Learning > Language & Literature > Sounds Familiar? > Case Studies > Received
Pronunciation > Connected speech processes
SEARCH
Learning
Language & Literature
Playground games
Sounds Familiar?
English Timeline
Poetry &
Performance
Dickens in Context
Changing
Language
Books for Cooks
Texts in Context
Dictionaries and
Meanings
English Literature
History & Citizenship
Art & Images
Culture & Knowledge
Creative Research
Teachers' Area
Learning News
Received Pronunciation Phonology Received Pronunciation Phonology
Connected Speech Processes in RP Connected Speech Processes in RP
We all adjust the way we pronounce certain sounds in connected speech. For We all adjust the way we pronounce certain sounds in connected speech. For
example, we pronounce the final consonant in the word example, we pronounce the final consonant in the word ten ten with a <n> sound, with a <n> sound,
but use a <m> sound for the same consonant when we say the phrase ten but use a <m> sound for the same consonant when we say the phrase ten
pence. We are generally unaware we are making this adjustment as it does not pence. We are generally unaware we are making this adjustment as it does not
impede understanding. We use a <m> sound because our lips are preparing impede understanding. We use a <m> sound because our lips are preparing
for the <p> in pence - it eases the process of moving from one sound to for the <p> in pence - it eases the process of moving from one sound to
another. Such phenomena are known as another. Such phenomena are known as connected speech processes connected speech processes and and
they occur naturally whenever we speak in utterances of more than one they occur naturally whenever we speak in utterances of more than one
syllable. syllable.
Listen to examples Listen to examples
Most connected speech processes in English are unimportant when Most connected speech processes in English are unimportant when
differentiating between accents - speakers of all accents convert a <n> sound differentiating between accents - speakers of all accents convert a <n> sound
to a <m> sound in the phrase ten pence, for instance. The table below, to a <m> sound in the phrase ten pence, for instance. The table below,
however, lists connected speech processes for RP speakers of different ages. however, lists connected speech processes for RP speakers of different ages.
Click on the sound files to hear an RP speaker using the target feature. Use Click on the sound files to hear an RP speaker using the target feature. Use
the right-hand column and return to the home map to hear recordings of the right-hand column and return to the home map to hear recordings of
speakers who share the same pronunciation. speakers who share the same pronunciation.
RP RP
RP RP Vowel Sounds Vowel Sounds
RP RP Consonants Consonants
RP RP Connected Speech Connected Speech
Process Process
pronunciation pronunciation
feature feature
circumstances that prompt this circumstances that prompt this
feature feature
sound file sound file recordings recordings
where this where this
feature also feature also
occurs occurs
T-tapping T-tapping
a flap or tap sound a flap or tap sound
produced by produced by
flicking (tapping) flicking (tapping)
the tip of the the tip of the
tongue against the tongue against the
roof of the mouth roof of the mouth
thus making only thus making only
very brief and rapid very brief and rapid
contact contact
when <t> occurs between vowels in when <t> occurs between vowels in
words such as words such as ge gett tting ing and and be bett tter er
and across word boundaries in and across word boundaries in
phrases such as phrases such as ge gett up, sor up, sortt of of and and it it
is is
go gott about ten about ten
people lined up like people lined up like
sardines on the sardines on the
floor of this little floor of this little
studio flat studio flat
Birmingham Birmingham
Banbury Banbury
SED SED
Hackney Hackney
London RP London RP
Harrow Harrow
School School
Cardiff Cardiff
Bangor Bangor
T-voicing T-voicing
a <t> pronounced a <t> pronounced
almost identically to almost identically to
a <d> sound a <d> sound
when <t> occurs before <l> in words when <t> occurs before <l> in words
such as such as bo bott ttle le or between vowels in or between vowels in
words such as words such as ge gett tting ing and and be bett tter er and and
across word boundaries in phrases across word boundaries in phrases
such as such as ge gett up, sor up, sortt of of and and iitt is is
got about ten got about ten
people lined up like people lined up like
sardines on the sardines on the
floor of this li floor of this litt ttle le
studio flat studio flat
Melksham Melksham
Portesham Portesham
London RP London RP
East Harting East Harting
Milland Milland
Ballymoney Ballymoney
Londonderry Londonderry
Belfast Belfast
Downpatrick Downpatrick
2/23/14, 10:58 AM Received Pronunciation
Page 2 of 4 http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/case-studies/received-pronunciation/connected-speech/
contemporary RP contemporary RP
T-glottaling T-glottaling
a glottal stop is a glottal stop is
used in place of a used in place of a
<t> sound <t> sound
when <t> occurs at the end of a when <t> occurs at the end of a
statement such as statement such as thats i thats itt and and what what
do you wan do you wantt or between vowels or between vowels
across word boundaries in phrases across word boundaries in phrases
such as such as ge gett up, sor up, sortt of of and and iitt is is
note even contemporary RP avoids note even contemporary RP avoids
T-glottaling where <t> occurs before T-glottaling where <t> occurs before
<l> in words such as <l> in words such as bo bott ttle le or or
between vowels within individual between vowels within individual
words such as words such as ge gett tting ing and and be bett tter er
and I thought, and I thought,
Well, what the Well, what the
heck? Go heck? Gott aa
summer free! summer free!
Whitehaven Whitehaven
Leeds Leeds
Withernsea Withernsea
Burnley Burnley
Salford Salford
Birkenhead Birkenhead
North North
Elmham Elmham
Norwich Norwich
Birmingham Birmingham
Gloucester Gloucester
Bristol Bristol
Melksham Melksham
Plymouth Plymouth
MMB MMB
Hackney Hackney
London RP London RP
Harrow Harrow
School School
Peckham Peckham
Canterbury Canterbury
Milland Milland
Bethesda Bethesda
Cardiff Cardiff
Bangor Bangor
Portsoy Portsoy
Stonehaven Stonehaven
Glasgow Glasgow
Kilmarnock Kilmarnock
New New
Cumnock Cumnock
Dalmellington Dalmellington
Selkirk Selkirk
Ballymoney Ballymoney
Londonderry Londonderry
Downpatrick Downpatrick
conservative RP conservative RP
R-tapping R-tapping
a flap or tap sound a flap or tap sound
produced by produced by
flicking (tapping) flicking (tapping)
the tip of the the tip of the
tongue against the tongue against the
roof of the mouth roof of the mouth
thus making only thus making only
very brief and rapid very brief and rapid
contact contact
when <t> occurs between vowels in when <t> occurs between vowels in
words such as words such as ve verryy and and na narr rrow ow and and
when linking R occurs across word when linking R occurs across word
boundaries in phrases such as boundaries in phrases such as ca carr
alarm, fou alarm, fourr iron iron and and the therre is e is
a hopeless, dissolute a hopeless, dissolute
man who ma man who marr rried ied
and had no children and had no children
Leeds Leeds
Salford Salford
Burnham Burnham
Thorpe Thorpe
Bangor Bangor
Bethesda Bethesda
Maerdy Maerdy
Cardiff Cardiff
Uig Uig
Stonehaven Stonehaven
Glasgow Glasgow
Kilmarnock Kilmarnock
New New
Cumnock Cumnock
Dalmellington Dalmellington
Selkirk Selkirk
conservative RP conservative RP
zero linking R zero linking R
<r> is not <r> is not
pronounced at a pronounced at a
word boundary word boundary
between vowels between vowels
when <r> occurs at the end of a word when <r> occurs at the end of a word
and preceding a word that starts with and preceding a word that starts with
a vowel in phrases such as a vowel in phrases such as ca carr
alarm alarm, , fou fourr iron iron and and the therree is is
I suppose we talked I suppose we talked
about the weathe about the weatherr
as usual as usual
Byker Byker
Burnham Burnham
Thorpe Thorpe
linking R linking R
<r> is pronounced <r> is pronounced
between vowels at between vowels at
a word boundary to a word boundary to
ease pronunciation ease pronunciation
when <r> occurs at the end of a word when <r> occurs at the end of a word
and preceding a word that starts with and preceding a word that starts with
a vowel in phrases such as a vowel in phrases such as ca carr
alarm alarm, , fou fourr iron iron and and the therree is is
you know, having you know, having
to get off the tracto to get off the tractorr
and mo and morre-or-less e-or-less
push it in unde push it in underr an an
arch that was too lo arch that was too lo
fo forr it it
2/23/14, 10:58 AM Received Pronunciation
Page 3 of 4 http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/case-studies/received-pronunciation/connected-speech/
Back to top


intrusive R intrusive R
regardless of regardless of
spelling an <r> spelling an <r>
sound is inserted sound is inserted
between vowels at between vowels at
a word boundary to a word boundary to
ease pronunciation ease pronunciation
at a word boundary when a word that at a word boundary when a word that
ends in a weak vowel precedes a ends in a weak vowel precedes a
word that starts with a vowel, as in word that starts with a vowel, as in aa
vill villa i a in Spain n Spain, also when <r> appears , also when <r> appears
between two vowels in words such as between two vowels in words such as
dra drawwing ing or at a word boundary or at a word boundary
between two vowels in phrases such between two vowels in phrases such
as as la law a w and order nd order or or we sa we saw i w itt
and so I ended up and so I ended up
going to Indi going to Indiaa
aafterwards fterwards
conservative RP conservative RP
yod retention yod retention
a <y> sound occurs a <y> sound occurs
after <t, d, s, z> after <t, d, s, z>
preceding an <oo> preceding an <oo>
vowel vowel
when a <y> sound is pronounced when a <y> sound is pronounced
after <s> in words such as after <s> in words such as su suit it and and
ti tissu ssuee, after <z> in words such as , after <z> in words such as
vi visu sual al, after <t> in words such as , after <t> in words such as
tu tune ne and after <d> in words such as and after <d> in words such as
du duke ke
if so youd be a if so youd be a
su superman and Im perman and Im
not not
and that stopped and that stopped
the, uhm, wind the, uhm, wind
encroaching on the encroaching on the
sand sand du dunes and the nes and the
sand sand du dunes have nes have
gone further and gone further and
further towards the further towards the
sea sea
Burnham Burnham
Thorpe Thorpe
yod coalescence yod coalescence
a <y> sound is a <y> sound is
combined with the combined with the
<t, d, s, z> <t, d, s, z>
preceding an <oo> preceding an <oo>
vowel vowel
when the medial consonant in words when the medial consonant in words
such as such as ti tiss ssue ue becomes a <sh> becomes a <sh>
sound and the initial consonant in sound and the initial consonant in
words such as words such as tu tune ne and and dduke uke convert convert
to <ch> and <j> respectively to <ch> and <j> respectively
you dont have to you dont have to
have any sort of have any sort of
du duties as such, you ties as such, you
just settle in and just settle in and
you you
Harrow Harrow
School School
contemporary RP contemporary RP
high rising high rising
terminal terminal
a rising pitch a rising pitch
towards the end of towards the end of
a declarative a declarative
statement that statement that
peaks on the final peaks on the final
syllable syllable
this intonation pattern is traditionally this intonation pattern is traditionally
associated in RP with asking a associated in RP with asking a
question, but it appears to be on the question, but it appears to be on the
increase particularly among young increase particularly among young
females on normal declarative females on normal declarative
statements, although the origins of statements, although the origins of
this trend are unclear this trend are unclear
uh, I guess the first uh, I guess the first
time I kind of went time I kind of went
abroad really by abroad really by
myself was straight myself was straight
after A-Lev after A-Levels els and and
I went to Par I went to Paris is
so that Octob so that October er, in , in
nineteen-ninety- nineteen-ninety-
five five I went to I went to
Ne Nepal pal with an with an
organisation called organisation called
GAP which GAP which
arranged for me to arranged for me to
teach in a school for teach in a school for
Tibetan kids Tibetan kids
you really can let you really can let
your whims your whims rule rule
I wouldnt say the I wouldnt say the
world is smaller; world is smaller;
the world is the world is
certainly more certainly more
accessible for me accessible for me
than my parents; I than my parents; I
think also I have think also I have
more curiosit more curiosityy
London RP London RP
Plymouth Plymouth
Print this page
Credits
2/23/14, 10:58 AM Received Pronunciation
Page 4 of 4 http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/case-studies/received-pronunciation/connected-speech/
Disclaimer | Privacy | Copyright The British Library Board