Phonology & Phonetics

LCL 226-3 (2019)

Final Project

Suprasegmental Feature
Analysis

Professor: Oscar Fuenzalida

Constanza Muñoz Araya
Esperanza Rodríguez Thiess

Discourse 1:
Phonology & Phonetics
LCL 226-3 (2019)
Final Project

(3-minute movie clip) “Bojack Horseman One Of the Best Scene”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3znJHZ16Mbc

Weak-form used in their strong form:

“And it’s a long way to travel but I need you here” (2:54)
/ən ɪts ə lɔŋ weɪ tə ˈtrævəl bʌt aɪ nid ju hɪər/

Explanation: The weak form /jə/ became the strong form /ju/

In the utterance taken of the American show Bojack Horseman, the weak form /jə/
becomes the American strong form /ju/ due to the stress that the function word “you”
carries in this particular context. However function words usually don’t carry the
sentence stress because their work is to hold the sentence together, in this case, the
function word “you” carries a high information load that needs to be stressed.

“You can’t do what anymore” (0:52)

/ju kænt du wɑːt ˌen.iˈmɔːr/

Explanation: /kən became kænt/

In the mentioned utterance, the auxiliary verb can is used in its negative form which
means that it is pronounced as a strong form.

Discourse 2:

(3-minute movie clip) “One of the best scenes of FRIENDS - TV Show”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5TMcx0ofEc&feature=youtu.be

Elision:

“Don’t look at him” (2:07)

/doʊn lʊk ət ɪm/

Explanation: /ət hɪm/ became /ət ɪm/

In this utterance, the glottal fricative /h/ in the word “him” is elided because it is after
the consonant /t/ and at the end of the utterance. When an initial /h/ is at the beginning
of a sentence, it is usually pronounced because there is no consonant before it.

“I don’t wanna be with them either” (1:16)

/ɑɪ doʊn ˈwɑː.nə bɪ wɪð ðem ˈiðər/
Phonology & Phonetics
LCL 226-3 (2019)
Final Project

Explanation: /doʊnt wɑːnə/ became /doʊn wɑ:nə/

In this utterance, the final alveolar plosive /t/ in the word “don’t” is elided because the
initial sound in the following word is another consonant. When a /t/ is found between
two consonants, in connected speech it is preferred to elide it to pronounce the words
better and sound more natural.

Weak-form used in their strong form:

“That’s a lie” (0:04)

/ðæts ə laɪ/

Explanation: /ðət/ became /ðæt/

In this utterance, the weak form /ðət/ became the strong form /ðæt/ because the
second one is used as a demonstrative in this context.

Discourse 3

(Movie clip) “Mean Girls (2003) - Best Scenes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7SYnc0x4YQ

Elision:
“We’re doing a lunchtime survey of new students”
/wir ˈduː.ɪŋ ə ˈlʌnʧ.taɪm ˈsɝː.veɪ ə nuː ˈstuː.dənts/

Explanation: /əv/ became /ə/

In the utterance above, the labio-dental fricative /v/ in /əv/ is elided because the
preposition “of” is before a word with an initial consonant.

Plain Linking:

“Hold on. Other line” (04:04)

/hoʊl dɒn. ʌðər laɪn/

Explanation: /hoʊld ɒn/ became /hoʊl dɒn/

Phonology & Phonetics
LCL 226-3 (2019)
Final Project

Since the word “hold” follows a vocal + consonant sounds sequence and the next word
“on” starts with a vocal sound, there is a linking between these two words. The /d/
sound on “hold” is pronounced as it were part of the word “on”.

Linking “w”

“Vintage. So adorable” (2:54)

/ˈvɪn·tɪdʒ. soʊwəˈdɔrəbəl/

Explanation: /soʊ əˈdɔrəbə/ becomes /soʊwəˈdɔrəbə/

In the utterance above, the final vocal sound /ʊ/ is connected with the vocal sound /ə/
by a little /w/ sound since the tongue moves from a close-back position to a middle-
centre one, thus, the mouth shape is like there was a /w/ sound produced.

Linking “j”

“Okay, Hurry up” (04:14)

/əʊˈkeɪ. ˈhʌri ʌp/

Explanation: /hʌri ʌp/ became /hʌrijʌp/

In the utterance above, there is a link between the words “hurry” and “up” since the
first one ends in a vowel sound /i/ and the next word starts with a vowel sound /ʌ/. In
consequence, a /j/ sound is perceived between the two words because the tongue
moves from a close-front position towards an open-centre one.

Leading assimilation

“Sexually active band geeks” (00:38)

/sɛkʃuəli æktɪv bæng giks/

Explanation: /bænd giːks/ becomes /bæng giːks/

In the utterance above, the alveolar plosive voiced /d/ in the word “band” becomes a
/g/ since it precedes a velar plosive voiced /g/ sound. Thus, the sound /g/ in the word
“geeks” affects the final sound /d/ in “band”, replacing this /d/ for a velar plosive voiced
/g/ in connected speech.

“We’re having a Halloween party at my friend Chris’ tonight” (02:17)

/wɪr hævɪŋ ə hæləwim pɑrti ət maɪ frɛnd krɪsəs tənaɪt/

Explanation: /hæləwin pɑrti/ becomes /hæləwim pɑrti/

Phonology & Phonetics
LCL 226-3 (2019)
Final Project

In the utterance above, the final alveolar nasal voiced /n/ sound in the word
“halloween” becomes a /m/ since it precedes a bilabial plosive voiceless /p/. Thus, the
the sound /n/ is replaced by a /m/ sound.

“I can put my whole fist in my mouth” (03:58)

/aɪ kən pʊp maɪ hoʊl fɪst ɪn maɪ maʊθ/

Explanation: /pʊt maɪ/ becomes /pʊp maɪ/

In the utterance above, the alveolar plosive voiceless /t/ in the word “put” is replaced
by a bilabial plosive voiceless /b/ since it precedes a bilabial nasal nasal /m/.

Reciprocal assimilation:

“Is your muffin buttered?” (00:53)

/ɪʒər ˈmʌfən ˈbʌtərd?/

Explanation: /ɪz jər/ becomes /i ʒ ər/

In the question above, there is a place and manner assimiliation which affects the
alveolar fricative /z/ and the palatal approximant /j/. Both sounds produced together
form a palato-alveolar fricative /ʒ/.

“Would you like us to assing someone to butter your muffin?” (00:58)

/wədʒʊ laɪk əs tʊ ˈæsɪŋ ˈsʌmˌwʌn tə ˈbʌtər jər ˈmʌfən/

Explanation: /wəd jʊ/ becomes /wə dʒ ʊ/

In the question above, there is a place and manner assimilation wich affects the
alveolar plosive /t/ and the palatal approximant /j/. Both sounds merge and the result
is a palato-alveolar affricate /dʒ/.

“What's your question?”

/wʌtʃər kwɛsʧən/

Explanation: /wʌts jər/ becomes /wʌt ʃ ər/

In the question above, there is a place and manner assimilation which affects the
alveolar fricative /s/ and the palatal approximant /j/. Both sounds together form a
palato-alveolar fricative /ʃ/.
Phonology & Phonetics
LCL 226-3 (2019)
Final Project
Discourse 4

(2 minute-video) The End of the F***World- E03 Dance Scene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy
O7y2uMQIo

Linking r

“Hey, close your eyes” (01:24)

/heɪ, kləʊs jər aɪz/

Explanation: /jɔ: aɪz/ becomes /jər aɪz/

In the utterance above, there is a link between the words “your” and “eyes” with a
central approximant sound /r/ since the speaker has a rhotic accent in which /r/ is
pronounced only preceding a vowel.