Trường Đại học Mở Hà Nội Mở cơ hội học tập cho mọi người

UNIT 3: ASPECTS OF CONNECTED SPEECH

(VARIATION)
Text
I. Aims and objectives of Unit 3
This unit helps learners understand in details all aspects of connected speech or
variation, including assimilation, elision and linking and how to use them in daily
communication.
* The aspects of connected speech in English consist of assimilation, elision and
liking; they are more likely to be found in rapid, casual speech and less likely in
slow, careful speech.

II. ASSIMILATION
+ Assimilation is the influence of one phoneme upon another neighbouring
phoneme, so that they become more alike.
+Assimilation is more likely to be found in rapid, casual speech and less likely in
slow, careful speech.
+ Assimilation affects consonants only.
+ Kinds of assimilation
- In terms of the direction of change
Regressive assimilation: Cf (final) – Ci (initial)
Progressive assimilation: Ci- Cf
- In terms of the way in which phonemes change
• Assimilation of place
• Assimilation of manner
• Assimilation of voice
+ Cases of assimilation
- / t, d, n/ are likely to be replaced by
/p, b, m/ before bilabial /p, b, m/ and to /k, g, ŋ/ before velar /k, g/.
/ t / > /p, b, m/  / p /
That man /ðæt mæn/ - / ðæp mæn/
/ d / > /p, b, m/  / b /
Bad boy /bæd boi/ - /bæp boi/
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/ n / > /p, b, m/  / m /
Ten buds /ten bʌdz/- /tem bʌdz/
/ t / > /k, g/  / k /
That car / ðæt ka:/ - / ðæk ka:/
/ d / > /k, g/  / g /
Good girl /gud gɜ:l/- /gug gɜ:l/
/ n / > /k, g/  / ŋ /
In case / in keiz/- /iŋ keiz/
- Word medial /s/ + /j/ = / ʃ /
/z/ + /j/ = / ʒ /
issue / 'isju:/  / 'iʃu: /
azure / 'æzjə /  / 'æʒə /
- Word medial /t/ + /j/ = / tʃ /
/d/ + /j/ = / dʒ /
student / 'stju:dnt /  / 'stʃu:dnt /
educate / 'edju:keit /  / 'edʒu:keit /
/s/>/ʃ//ʃ/
Nice shoes /nais ʃu:z/ - /naiʃ ʃu:z/
/z/>/ʃ//ʒ/
This shop / ðiz ʃɔp/ - / ðiʒ ʃɔp/

II. ELISION
+ Elision is the complete disappearance of a sound.
+ Elision is typical of rapid casual speech. Foreign learners do not need to learn to
produce elisions, but the perception of elision is important.
+ The cases of elision
- / h / may be elided from he, his, her, have, has, had, him when these words are
unstressed and do not begin a sentence.
Where does he live?
/ weə də z (h)i: liv /
- /v/ in “of” may be elided if “of” is unstressed and followed by a
consonant sound
Both of us /bəuθ əv ʌz/
Both of them /bəuθ ə ðem/
+ The cases of elision
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/t, d/ may be elided if they occur in the middle of a sequence of three consonant
sounds. Normally, when /t/ is preceded by /f, s/ (ft, st), /t/ is elided and /d/ is
preceded by /n,m/ (nd, md), /d/ is elided.
first time / fə:s(t) taim /
left hand /lef (t) hænd/
blindman / blain(d)mæn/
skimmed milk /skim (d) milk/

III. LINKING

Linking happens when words are linked together, usually for ease of pronunciation.
Example: Thousands of people. He eats and drinks. /z əv/
/s ən/
Learners of English must be made aware of the problems that they will meet in
listening to colloquial, connected speech.
If a word ends with a consonant followed by another word beginning with a vowel,
the consonant is linked.
Example : Give him a book.
// gi v im ə buk //
// gi v im ə buk //
When a suffix beginning with a vowel is added to a word ending with r/re in the
spelling, / r / must be pronounced.
Example.: near /niə/ + er = nearer / niərə /
more / mƆ: / + over = moreover
/ mƆ:rəuvə /
If a word ending with r/re in the spelling followed by another word beginning with
a vowel, / r / is pronounced.
Example: for a week // fə rə wi:k //
here and there // hiər ən ðeə //
Native English speakers usually insert
/ r / after / a:, ə; Ɔ: / for ease of pronunciation.
Example: The idea of it / aidiər əv it /
raw eggs / rƆ: regz /
ma and pa / ma: r ən pa: /
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Similar to assimilation and elision, the case of linking only happen in casual and
rapid speech ,however, to avoid ambiguity, the case of linking is mostly restricted to
“r” when it is followed by a vowel sound.

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