8.

Modification of vowels in connected speech

Reduction
In English as well as in other languages, vowels in unstressed syllable are
usually reduced. The laws of reduction, in these languages are not the same,
however.
Reduction is a historical process of weakening, shortening or disappearance of
vowel sounds in unstressed positions. This phonetic phenomenon, as well as
assimilation, is closely connected with the general development of the language
system. Reduction reflects the process of lexical and grammatical changes.
The neutral sound represents the reduced form of almost any vowel or diphthong in
the unstressed position, eg:
combine ['kombain] - combine [kәm'bain]
project ['prodʒikt], - project [prә'dʒekt]
The vowel sounds of the two related words are in contrast because of different
stress positions.
The sounds [I] and also [u] in the suffix -ful are very frequent realizations of
the unstressed positions. Eg. possibility [,posi’biliti], beautiful ['bju:tiful].
There is also a tendency to retain the quality of the unstressed vowel sound,
Eg. retreat, programme, situate.
Non-reduced unstressed sounds are often retained in:
(a) compound words, eg. blackboard, oilfield.
(b) borrowings from the French and other languages. Eg. bourgeoisie, kolkhoz.
Reduction is closely connected not only with word stress but also with rhythm and
sentence stress. Stressed words are pronounced with great energy of breath.
Regular loss of sentence stress of certain words is connected with partial or
complete loss of their lexical significance. These words play the part of form-
words in a sentence.
So reduction is realized:
(a) in unstressed syllables within words. Eg. demonstrative [di'monstrətiv);
(b) in unstressed form-words, auxiliary and modal verbs, personal and possessive
pronouns within intonation groups and phrases