Modification of consonants and vowels in connected speech

1. Coarticulation.

2. Assimilation.

3. Accommodation.

4. Elision/Deletion.

5. Insertion.

6. Reduction.

7. Simplification.

8. Stylistic modifications of sounds.

In the process of speech that is in the process of transition from the articulatory work of one sound to the articulatory work of the neighbouring one, sounds are modified. To make the mechanism of articulatory transitions clear it should be viewed in detail in terms of the articulatory work of the speech producing mechanisms.

Every speech-sound pronounced in isolation has three stages of articulation:

1) The on-glide/the initial stage. During this stage organs of speech move to the position which is necessary to pronounce the sound.

2) The retention/ medial stage. During this stage the organs of speech are kept for some time in the position necessary to pronounce the sound.

3) The off-glide/release stage.During this stage the organs of speech are move away to the neutral position.

There two ways of joining the sounds:

1. Merging of stages – when the final stage of the first sound merges with the initial stage of the second sound. It usually takes place when the sounds of different nature are joined together: vowels and consonants.

2. Interpenetration of stages – when the medial stage of the second sound “penetrates” into the medial stage of the first sound. It usually takes place when sounds of a similar or identical nature are joined together: consonant and consonant.

If the medial stage of the first sound coincides with the initial stage of the second sound, this type of articulatory transition is called close.

If the final stage of the first sound is followed by the initial stage of the second sound this transition is called loose.

Language in everyday use is not conducted in terms of isolated, separate units. It is performed in connected sequences of larger units: words, phrases and utterances. In connected speech sounds influence each other and as a result there appear such processes as coarticulation, assimilation, accommodation, elision, vowel reduction and insertion.

Coarticulation is the articulation of two or more speech sounds together, so that one influences the other. Usually it takes place when the final stage of the first sound overlaps the initial stage of the second sound. Types of coarticulation can be distinguished according to 1) direction (anticipatory/right-to-left, left-to-right, perseverative); 2) degree of completeness (complete, incomplete).

Coarticulation as universal phenomenon in English can be found in: 1) devoicing of voiced consonant in position before voiceless consonant: It wa s so; 2) labialization of a consonant in position before rounded vowel: t oo.

Coarticulation (CC) of consonants can be distinguished according to: 1) work of vocal cords; 2) place of articulation; 3) manner of noise production; 4) position of the lips.

Coarticulation (CV) of consonants and vowels can be distinguished according to: 1) manner of noise production; 2) position of the soft palate; 3) position of the lips; 4) place of articulation; 5) work of vocal cords; 6) secondary place of articulation.

The adaptive modification of a consonant by a neighboring consonant in the speech chain is assimilation. Types of assimilation can be distinguished according to 1) direction (progressive, regressive, reciprocal); 2) degree of completeness (complete, incomplete); 3) degree of stability.

Progressive assimilation – some articulatory features of the following sound are changed under the influence of the preceding sound, which remains unchanged.

Regressive assimilation – the following sound influences the articulation of the preceding one.

Double assimilation (mutual, reciprocal) – mutual influence of the adjacent sounds.

Complete assimilation – the adjoining sounds become alike or merge into one. Incomplete assimilation – the likeness of adjoining sounds is partial.

Assimilation affects:

Labialization – the regressive assimilation of a consonant to the following rounded vowel and the sonorant [w].

Nasal plosion affected by assimilation in the combination of a plosive-nasal sonant.

Lateral plosion affected by assimilation in the combinations a plosive-lateral sonant [l].

Loss of plosion. The manner of articulation changes as a result of assimilation. Assimilation affects the manner of noise production in the combinations of two English plosives: [pt, pd, bd, pk, bk, tp, tk, kp, kt, gd] and in the combination [kt]. For example in the sequence of two plosive consonants the former loses its plosion: old clock.

Voicing-devoicing. The voicing value of a consonant may change through assimilation. The work of vocal cords is affected by incomplete assimilation, the cases when one of the two adjacent consonants becomes voiced under the influence of the neighbouring voiceless. For example voiced lenis sounds become voiceless fortis when followed by another voiceless sound: newspaper.

Accomodation – the process of adapting the articulation of a vowel to a consonant and a consonant to a vowel.

Accommodation involves:

1. Aspiration – a slight puff of breath which is heard after the explosion of [p, t, k] in initial position: paper.

2. Palatalization of [l] in initial position on before a vowel and [j]: tell you.

3. Nasalization before [η], [ηk].

4. Lip-rounding before rounded vowels. Labialization of consonants is traced under the influence of the neighbouring back vowels: pool, too, food.

Elision (deletion) – the dropping out of a consonant sound in rapid colloquial speech, especially at or in the vicinity of word boundaries.

Historical elision involves: 1. Initial. 2. Medial. 3. Final elision – dropping of initial, medial, final consonants. Spelling of such words reflects an earlier form: gnome, write, knight; listen, often; lamb.

Disappearance of [t], [d] between two stop consonants is obligatory: stric(t) parents.

Insertion occurs in connected speech in order to facilitate the process of articulation of the speaker and not as a way of providing extra information to the listener.

Linking [r]. When a word which ends in the letters -r or –re and the following word begins with a vowel, the linking [r] is pronounced: Where are you?

Intrusive [r]. When a word which ends in a vowel is followed by another word beginning with a vowel, the intrusive [r] is sometimes pronounced between the vowels. It is used in order to t link the vowels together and to make the flow of speech smoother: Asia and America.

Intrusive [j]. When the word-final vowel is a diphthong which glides towards [i] or [i:] and the following word begins with a vowel the palatal sonorant [j] tends to be inserted: Say it again. Saying.

Intrusive [w]. When the word-final vowel is a diphthong which glides towards [ʊ] or vowel [u:] and the following word begins with a vowel the bilabial sonorant [w] tends to be inserted: How are you?

Reduction of vowel – a historical process of weakening, shortening and disappearance of vowel sound in unstressed position.

Qualitative reduction is a shortening of the length of a vowel sound.

Quantitative reduction is a process of weakening of a vowel sound.

Zero reduction is a disappearance of a vowel sound before [l, n] in final position.

Simplification is a process of modern modifications of vowels which involves:

1. Simplification of diphthongs to monophthongs.

2. Weakening, elision, simplification of vowel sequences.

3. Compression. A sequence of sounds in English has two possible pronunciations: either as two separate syllables, or compressed into a single syllable.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14