Université de Savoie UFR-LLSH LCE1 UE 103

Lecture: Phonetics & Phonology

Alice Hendersonahend@univ-savoie.frOffice 812

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Content of the 5 lectures

1) Introduction, Phonemes

2) Sounds in context, « connected speech »

3) Stress, accent & rhythm

4) Intonation

5) Conclusion

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Outline, Sounds in context

Go over homework from last week 4 processes of modification of words

– Assimilation (coalescence)– Elision– Compression (smoothing)– Liaison

Weak forms Stress & rhythm in context Conclusion Bibliography

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Ex. 8.4

This exercise showed you:– The order of elements in a label for a sound

voicing + place of articulation + manner of articulation

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On-line transcriptions

http://www.uoregon.edu/~l150web/exer2b.html Consonants & vowels: Write the phonetic symbol for

the sound which the highlighted letter(s) in each word stand for. Don't be misled by spelling.

Classes of sounds: Determine which sound does NOT belong in each group.

Reading: The English words are written in phonetic symbols. Determine the correct normal spelling for each one.

Writing: Write each of the words below in phonetic symbols. Watch out for silent letters.

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Identifying & labelling consonants

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Identifying & labelling consonants

Effort: voiceless labiodental fricative

Measure: voiced postalveolar fricative

Baby: voiced bilabial plosive

Around: voiced alveolar approximant

Funny: voiced alveolar nasal

Ever:voiced labiodental fricative

Mother:voiced dental fricative

Away: voiced labial-velar approximant

Become: voiceless velar plosive

Supper: voiceless bilabial plosive

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Identifying & labelling consonants

Dishes: voiceless postalveolar fricative

Ditches: voiceless alveolar affricate

Easy: voiced alveolar fricative

Singer: voiced velar nasal

Bigger: voiced velar plosive

Author: voiceless dental fricative

Daddy: voiced alveolar plosive

Major: voiced alveolar affricate

Beyond:voiced palatal approximant

Summer: voiced bilabial nasal

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Outline, Sounds in context

Go over homework from last week 4 processes of modification of words

– Assimilation (coalescence)– Elision– Compression (smoothing)– Liaison

Weak forms Stress & rhythm in context Conclusion Bibliography

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Changes

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More changes

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Why modify sounds?

Often very hard to avoid Attract attention to important syllables Remove focus from unimportant syllables Maintain the rhythm of English

Therefore, effects on connected speech

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Outline, Sounds in context

4 processes of modification of words– Assimilation (coalescence)– Elision– Compression– Liaison

Weak forms Stress & rhythm in context Conclusion Bibliography

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Assimilation

A sort of contamination of a sound by an adjacent sound

Rarely « obligatory » A choice on the part of the speaker Can occur before vowels & consonants

(most commonly schwa and /t d s z/)

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Try it yourself …

a good girl

salad cream

broad beans

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Answers:

a good girl= the tongue stays pressed against the soft palate for a longer time than it would for a single velar consonant

salad cream= the final /d/ is followed by a velar plosive, we lose the movement of the tongue tip to the alveolar ridge

broad beans= same, final /d/ is followed by a bilabial, so we lose …

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Try these, too:

Ten minutes

Ten kilograms

That boy

That girl

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Try these, too:

Ten minutes= the final /n/ becomes /m/

Ten kilograms= the final /n/ becomes « ng »

*That boy= final /t/ becomes /p/

*That girl= final /t/ becomes /g/

*final /t/ usually pronounced as a glottal stop here, which is not usually assimilated

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Types of assimilation

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Advice for learners?

Don’t sacrifice fluency in order to pronounce an « uncontaminated » /z/ or /s/

Let the rhythm help you …

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Coalescence

A frequent example of coalescence /t/ and /d/ + /j/ = /

– Did you? – What did you do?

(*Also, elision of /t/ in What)

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Don’t forget … devoicing

To use /ju:z/ I rarely use my car. To be used to = accustomed to /ju:st/ I used to go there. /z/ becomes /s/

To suppose/ Be supposed to /z/ becomes /s/– I suppose you’re right.– I’m supposed to be there right now!

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Other cases of devoicing

/z/ becomes /s/

has to go

/v/ becomes /f/

I have to go.

of course

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Other examples

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Guess …

bag ‘door ‘baizeball ‘buzz route ‘eyesberg ‘rizzwatch ‘rose beef

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Guess …

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… and in the other direction

dretful fock patches flackpoles

Bratford / Bradford

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… and in the other direction

Bratford / Bradford

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Outline, Sounds in context

4 processes of modification of words– Assimilation (coalescence)– Elision– Compression– Liaison

Weak forms Stress & rhythm in context Conclusion Bibliography

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Elision

The omission of a sound, often due to articulatory constraints

Occurs naturally Advice for non-natives: no need to learn

these but you MUST be aware that native speakers do not always produce each consonant distinctly

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4 Types of Elision

Loss of final consonants: – George the VIth’s throne

Loss of syllables Historic elisions which cannot be modified Groups of consonants with acceptable & un-

acceptable modifications

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George the VIth’s throne

In clusters of three plosives or two plosives + a fricative, the middle plosive may disappear

Acts / axe Looked back / look back Scripts / Scripps

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Guess what disappears:

‘breaststroke

First ‘stop

Next ‘time

Masked ‘gunman

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Guess what disappears:

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Guess …

Good ‘eel

Take ‘air

Pry ‘minister

Extra ‘tension

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Guess …

Good ‘eel Good deal

Take ‘air Take care

Pry ‘minister Prime minister

Extra ‘tension Extra attention

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It’s not a problem to …

Say

Even though many English native speakers say

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BUT …

Be careful:

don’t add a syllable when you release a final plosive consonant followed by another obstruent (plosive, affricate or fricative)

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Examples of added syllables:

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4 Types of Elision

Loss of final consonants Loss of syllables Historic elisions which cannot be modified Groups of consonants with acceptable & un-

acceptable modifications

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Loss of syllables

Often adverbs derived from Latin– actually – generally – obviously – usually

Temporarily / temporally *in N.Am. English:

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4 Types of Elision

Loss of final consonants Loss of syllables Historic elisions which cannot be modified Groups of consonants with acceptable & un-

acceptable modifications

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Spelling ≠ pronunciation

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4 Types of Elision

Loss of final consonants Loss of syllables Historic elisions which cannot be modified Groups of consonants with acceptable & un-

acceptable modifications

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Affricates which cannot be simplified

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Consonant series which are difficult to pronounce

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Outline, Sounds in context

4 processes of modification of words– Assimilation (coalescence)– Elision– Compression– Liaison

Weak forms Stress & rhythm in context Conclusion Bibliography

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Compression/smoothing

Diphthong + schwa « Deletion of the closing movement of the

diphthong which after closing has to open again towards the central position of the schwa » (Deschamps, et al., p31)

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Examples

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Outline, Sounds in context

4 processes of modification of words– Assimilation (coalescence)– Elision– Compression– Liaison

Weak forms Stress & rhythm in context Conclusion Bibliography

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Liaison

Fluid, smooth link between two words Exists in French : C + V

– je suis allée, il est encore là, c’est assez grand, grand enfant/grand garçon

Exists in English: C + V, C + C, V + V

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C + V in English

Step out, bright eyes, look up, bad egg, leave out, West End, passed out, rushed away, help out, think up,

Tom ate all their ice cream

Final « r » : our own, or else, better off, better and better, later on, far off, other end, a pair of

Intrusive « r »: drama and music, the idea of it, Grandma and Grandpa

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C + C in English

Might rise // my tries Regent’s Park // region spark Cold rain // coal drain Ice cream // I scream Next train // neck strain

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More C+C examples

Homorganic fricatives: Rough fight, bus station, nice size, push shut, these zones, safe voyage, have faith, plus zero

Homorganic plosives: *right time,*a bit tight, bad day, keep busy, *that day, stop bickering, good time, had tea, started teaching*the first /t/ in the cluster becomes a glottal stop

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V + V in English

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Examples of V + V

Add /w/ after /u:/ and the back closing diphthongs (go, now)

Add /r/ after schwa, after the long vowels in door, car, & girl, and after the centring diphthongs (beer, chair, poor)

Add /j/ after /i:/ and the closing diphthongs (day, try, toy)

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More examples of V + V

Add /w/ after rounded vowels– So he’s left, too old, now I know

Add /r/– Mother-in-law, Peter and Tom, more apples, car

exit, her own– here I am, fair enough, poor Amanda

Add /j/ after « spread » vowels – Yes I am, very often, fancy a glass?, my uncle,

toy outlet

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Advice for learners?

Be able to pronounce at least the C + V liaisons, and maybe V + V

Be able to recognise C + C liaisons

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A bit of fun …

Try to read the following lines, as they are written:– Billy yate a napple, a nice ri papple– Betty yate a norange, a nice juicy yorange– Lucy yate a ni scream, a nigh screamy yi scream– Flo wate a napricot, a nice yellow wapricot– Mo wate a nomellet, a nice runny yomelette– Chloe yate a negg, a nice brow negg– Nelly yate a nalmond, a nigh scrunchy yalmond– Sally yate a nonion, a nigh Spanis shonion

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Outline, Sounds in context

4 processes of modification of words– Assimilation (coalescence)– Elision– Compression– Liaison

Weak forms Stress & rhythm in context Conclusion Bibliography

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Generalities on weak forms

A form of a word which is so reduced in its articulation that it consists of a different series of phonemes

Hundreds exist in English But only about 40 are considered obligatory These are mainly « grammatical » words

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Where and why?

Every variety of English uses them Partly to maintain the rhythm of spoken

English To NOT use them would have horrific effects

even if everything else was « picture perfect »

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Example

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What’s the difference?

1a) I’ll give him a painting that I shall have done by Christmas.

1b) I’ll give him a painting that I shall have done by Christmas.

2a) The speaker asked four questions.

2b) The speaker asked for questions.

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What’s the difference?

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What’s the difference?

3a) These books are awful. – Two of them are, all right.

3b) These books are awful. – Two of them are all right.

4a) He’s going too fast.

4b) He’s going to fast.

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What’s the difference?

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What’s the difference?

5a) I was 18 months (old) before I could walk. – I was, too.

5b) I was 18 months (old) before I could walk. – I was two (years old).

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What’s the difference?

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What’s the difference?

Which train are you taking?

6a) The 22.10.

6b) The twenty to ten.

7a) Don’t take it to heart.

7b) Don’t take it too hot.

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What’s the difference?

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Avoid cannibalism …

Dad’s bringing home some teacher for dinner. Yum yum!)

Dad’s bringing home some teacher for dinner. I wonder which one …)

(Thank you J.W.Lewis for these examples ..)

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A few useful phrases :

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Elision in weak forms

The /h/ disappears:– He, her, him, his– Have, had, has (auxiliaires)

The /w/ disappears :– Will, would

The vowel disappears :– Can, is, has, shall, some, them, Saint, etc.

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What’s important for learners?

Production (speaking): approx. 40 reduced forms

Reception (listening): be aware of the phenomena of modification

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One more set of exercises …

1. They came to the door.2. What are you surprised at?3. There were two of them.4. She is as old as the hills.5. She has an uncle and a cousin.6. Who will meet him at the airport? I will.7. What is her phone number?8. What does that/it matter?9. I would like some tea.// Well, make some.10. What can I do? // More than I can.11. He was pleased, wasn’t he? // Of course he was.12. When am I going to get it?13. I have taken it from the shelf. //Yes, I thought you had.14. They had already read it. // But so had I.

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Outline, Sounds in context

4 processes of modification of words– Assimilation (coalescence)– Elision– Compression– Liaison

Weak forms Stress & rhythm in context Conclusion Bibliography

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Stress & rhythm in context

Word stress: fixed or variable Word stress in compound forms Effect of rhythm on word stress

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Word stress

Indicated by the « tiny apostrophe » in front of the syllable that is stressed

to'morrow, de'velop, ho'tel, 'manage In English the position can vary

– 'import (noun) / im'port (verb)

– a 'drop-out (noun) / to drop 'out (verb)

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Stable/Fixed word stress

Certain languages have fixed word stress

– Czech: first syllable'Milan 'Kundera

– Welsh, Polish: the penultimate syllableLla'nelli, po'goda

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Grammatical category

'import (noun) / im'port (verb) 'digest / di’'gest 'torment / tor 'ment 'transfer / trans'fer 'transport / trans'port

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Basic word stress rules

N o u ns & a d je ctivesU su a lly s tre sse d o n th e f irs t sylla b le

H A p p y T A b le

V e rbsO ften s tre sse d on the seco nd sylla b le

p ro D U C E co n T R O L

2 sylla b le w o rds

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Words with 3+ syllables

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Words that don’t exist but should:

nega’HOlic= you are a compulsive negative thinker whose glass is always half full

fluffra’GETTE= you believe in pre-feminist role models aqua’DEXtrous= possessing the ability to turn the bathtub

faucet on and off with your toe techno’PLEgic= you suffer from paralysis induced by fear of

using technology carperpetu’Ation= the act, when hoovering, of running over a

string or a piece of debris at least a dozen times, reaching over and picking it up, examining it, then putting it back down to give the hoover one more chance …

‘Irishised= your pub has just been converted

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Stress in compounds

If the compound is a noun, stress 1st part– GREENhouse, BLACKbird

If the compound is an adjective, stress the 2nd part:– Bad-TEMPERED, old-FASHIONED

If the compound is a verb, stress the 2nd part:– underSTAND, overLOOK, drop OUT

** WHY?? He wanted to DROP out of SCHOOL.

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Rhythm rears its lovely head …

When you have word + word, rhythmic pressures apply– 'research/re'search

– 'adult/ a'dult

– Chi'nese / Chi'nese

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Rhythmic context plays a role …

'research/re'searchShe’s a 'research 'scientist.

I 'did some 'good re'search.

'adult/ a'dultThis is an 'adult 'magazine.

She’s 'very a'dult for her 'age.

Chi'nese / Chi'nese'They’re Chi'nese.

We 'ate in a 'Chinese 'restaurant.

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Rhythmic context plays a role …

Thir'teen / 'thirteen

I’m thir'teen. // 'That’ll be 'thirteen 'pounds.

Full-'grown / 'full-grown

This 'plant is full-'grown. // He’s a 'full-grown 'man.

After'noon / 'afternoon

'Tuesday after'noon would be 'good. // 'Let’s have 'afternoon 'tea.

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Outline, Sounds in context

4 processes of modification of words– Assimilation (coalescence)– Elision– Compression– Liaison

Weak forms Stress & rhythm in context Conclusion Bibliography

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Conclusion

Listening to colloquial, connected speech can be difficult

No need to produce all these phenomena when you speak: aim at a relatively careful pronunciation

But should be aware of these phenomena in native speakers’ speech

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Final advice to learners:

Observe rules concerning weak forms Use correct rhythmic variations of words Avoid « illegal » assimilations

– I was there ( /z/ not pronounced)– I like that ( /k/ pronounced as /g/)

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Bibliography (incomplete, see photocopy)

J. Windsor Lewis, Notes from Summer Course in English Phonetics, UCL, 2004

Cruttenden, A., Gimson’s Pronunciation of English, Arnold, London, 2001.

Deschamps, Duchet, et al, Manuel de phonologie de l’anglais, CNED, Paris, 2000.

M. Vaughan-Rees, M., 1994, Rhymes and Rhythm, Poem-based course for English pronunciation, Macmillan.