CHAPTER 7: ASPECTS OF CONNECTED SPEECH

The pronunciation of words when pronounced separately in their citation forms differs from the pronunciation in
natural connected speech (spontaneous speech) in which they are joined together without any clear boundaries.
Connected speech is a factor of fluency and causes changes to the shapes of the words when we make an utterance,
which is a continuous piece of speech beginning and ending with a clear pause.
The most common features of connected speech are the weak forms and contractions of grammatical and some
lexical words, some of which are acceptable in written English, e.g. can’t, won’t, didn’t, I’ll, he’d, they’ve, etc.
Other various features contribute to characterize natural connected speech are rhythm, weak forms, assimilation,
elision and linking
1. Rhythm
The rhythm of a language is the recurrence of prominent elements of speech at what are perceived to be regular
intervals of time. English has stress-timed rhythm, which means strong stresses tend to occur at relatively equal
intervals of time, irrespective of the number of the lesser-stressed syllables or words between them. In other
words, the amount of time between strong stresses is always roughly the same, and the more intervening lesser-
stressed syllables or words there are, the faster they are pronounced in order to fit them into the time span
available.
A unit of rhythm, the foot, begins with a stressed syllable and includes all following unstressed syllables up to
(but not including) the following stress syllable. The example sentences below would be divided into feet as
follows:
I’ve |ˈheard that |ˈJack and |ˈJane |ˈspent their |ˈholidays in Ja|ˈmaica.
FF C F C F C C F C F C
C = content word, F = function word
|ˈWalk |ˈdown the |ˈpath to the |ˈend of the ca|ˈnal
|ˈWhat are the |ˈplan for to|ˈmorrow |ˈJohn?
|ˈAll of |ˈthese are |ˈold |ˈphotographs
The |ˈconsequences of his |ˈactions are |ˈobvious
|ˈMegan had de|ˈcided to |ˈfetch them from the |ˈhospital

However, it seems that stresses are altered according to context. In speaking English, we vary in how
rhythmically. Sometimes we speak with rhythm and sometimes we don’t. Stress-timed rhythm is thus perhaps
characteristic of one style of speaking, not of English speech as a whole; one always speaks with some degree of
rhythmicality, but the degree varies.

1
 2. Assimilation
The articulation of one sound is influenced by the articulation of a neighbouring sound in that a speech organ
either prolongs a distinctive feature of a preceding sound or anticipates a distinctive feature of a following sound.
This process is called assimilation. Assimilation varies in extent according to speaking rate and style: it is more
likely to be found in rapid, casual speech and less likely in slow, careful speech.
Assimilation generally affects consonants. As an example, consider a case where two words are combined. The
first word ends with a single final consonant (Cf) and the second starts with a single initial consonant (Ci). We
can construct a diagram like this:
- - - - - - Ci - - - - -
Cf -
Word boundary

Types of assimilation Examples

Regressive assimilation a. Assimilation of place:
[Cf  Ci]  /t/ followed by a bilabial consonant becomes /p/:
Cf is affected by Ci and that person /ðæp ˈpɜ:sn/, that man /ðæp mæn/, meat pie /mi:p paɪ/
changes to become like Ci in  /t/ followed by a velar consonant becomes /k/:
some way. that case /ðæk keɪs/, bright color /braɪk ˈkʌlə/
 /d/ followed by a bilabial consonant becomes /b/:
good boy /ɡʊb boɪ/
 /d/ followed by a velar consonant becomes /g/:
card game /kɑ:ɡ ɡeɪm/
 /n/ followed by a bilabial consonant becomes /m/:
green paper /ɡri:m ˈpeɪpə/
b. Assimilation of manner
 Plosive Cf followed by a fricative or nasal becomes a fricative or nasal
that side /ðæs saɪd/, good night /ɡʊn naɪt/
c. Assimilation of voice:
 Voiced Cf followed by voiceless Ci becomes voiceless:
have to /hæf tu/, cheesecake /ˈtʃi:skeɪk/
Progressive assimilation a. Assimilation of place
[Cf  Ci]  /n/ following a bilabial consonant becomes /m/
happen /ˈhæpm/

2
 Ci is affected by Cf and  /n/ following a velar consonant becomes /ŋ/
f
changes to become like C in bacon /ˈbeɪkŋ/
some way. b. Assimilation of manner
 /ð/ following a nasal consonant becomes a nasal
in the /ɪn nə/
 /ð/ following a plosive consonant becomes a plosive
get them /ɡet təm/, read these /riːd diːz/
c. Assimilation of voice
 Suffix –s or –‘s is pronounced
- /s/ in cats /kæts/, jump /dʒʌmps/, Pat’s /pæts/ because of voiceless
Cf
- /z/ in dogs /dɒgz/, runs /rʌnz/, Pam’s /pæmz/ because of voiced Cf
 Suffix –ed or is pronounced
- /t/ in looked /lʊkt/, fished /fɪʃt/ because of voiceless Cf
- /d/ in turned /tɜ:nd/, moved /mu:vd/ because of voiced Cf
Coalescent assimilation  /t/ + /j/ becomes /tʃ/
[Cf  Ci] don’t you /dəʊntʃu/, intuition /ɪntʃuˈi:ʃn/, picture /ˈpɪktʃə/
Cf and Ci affect each other,  /d/ + /j/ becomes /dʒ/
merging to form a single, new could you /kʊdʒu/, duel /dʒu:əl/, soldier /ˈsəʊldʒə/
sound, or rather phoneme.  /s/ + /j/ becomes /ʃ/:
this year /ðɪʃɪə/, nice yard /naɪʃɑ:d/
 /z/ + /j/ becomes /ʒ/:
where’s your /wheəʒə/, was yummy /wəˈʒʌmi/

3. Elision
The omission of one or more sounds in spoken language is technically termed elision. Elision is more common
in rapid speech and informal situations as an important means of making the pronunciation easier, and
consequently of maintaining the natural, isochronous rhythm of English.
Types of elision Examples
Elision of consonants  Avoidance of complex consonant clusters
acts /æks/, clothes /kləʊz/, months /mʌns/, twelfth /twelθ/, scripts /skɪps/
old man /əʊl mæn/, looked back /lʊk bæk/, next please /neks pli:z/
 Loss of final /v/ in of before consonants

3
 lots of them /lɒts ə ðəm/, waste of money /weɪst ə ˈmʌni/
Elision of vowels  Loss of weak vowels after /p/, /t/, and /k/
potato /phteɪtəʊ/, tomato /thmeɪtəʊ/, canary /khneəri/, perhaps /phhæps/, today
/thdeɪ/
tonight /tˈnaɪt/, police /pˈli:s/, correct /kˈrekt/
 Loss of vowel in of
all of mine /ɔ:l v maɪn/, best of three /best v θri:/
Elision of whole syllables  Loss of unstressed syllable before or after a stressed syllable, especially when
the unstressed syllable contains a consonant that is repeated in the following
syllable.
library /ˈlaɪbri/, particularly /pəˈtɪkjəli/
4. Linking
In connect speech, words are linked together in a number of ways. We use /r/, /w/ and /j/ to link a vowel sound
at the end of a word with a vowel sound at the beginning of the next word.
Examples
Intrusive /r/ here are /hɪə r ə/
/ə, ɔ:, ɑ:/ + Intrusive /r/ + Vowel four eggs / fɔ: r egz/
media event /mi:diə r ɪvent/
visa application /vi:sə r æplɪkeɪʃn/
formula A /fɔ:mjələ r eɪ/
drawing /drɔ:rɪŋ/
Intrusive /w/ cooperation /kəʊwɒpəreɪʃn/
/u:, ʊ, aʊ, əʊ/ + Intrusive /w/ + Vowel to England /tu w ɪŋglənd/
you and me / ju w ən mi/
two or three /tu: w ə θri:/
go outside /gəʊ w aʊtsaɪd/
Intrusive /j/ he is silly and stupid /hi j iz sɪli j ən stju:pɪd
/i:, ɪ, aɪ, ɔɪ, eɪ/ + Intrusive /j/ + Vowel me and you /mi j ən ju/
three or four /θri: j ə fɔ:/
the end /ði j end/

4
Activity 7.2
Following the rules of assimilation, write the transcription of the phrase.
A. /t/ changes to /p/ before /m/, /b/ or /p/
0. white magic /waɪt ˈmædʒɪk/  /waɪp ˈmædʒɪk/
1. light music 
2. bright moon 
3. that man 
4. fat boy 
5. white bread 
6. light blue 
7. white paper 
8. footpath 
9. that person 
B. /t/ changes to /k/ before /k/ or /g/
10. white coffee 
11. short cut 
12. credit card 
13. street credibility 
14. white gloves 
15. cut glass 
16. that girl 
17. fat goat 
18. bright green 
C. /d/ changes to /b/ before /m/, /b/ or /p/
19. good morning 
20. grand master 
21. red mask 
22. blood bank 
23. red brick 
24. good boy 
25. hard path 
26. bad pain 
27. red pepper 

5
 D. /d/ changes to /ɡ/ before /k/ or /ɡ/
28. bad cold 
29. second class 
30. red cross 
31. sand castle 
32. hard copy 
33. red gate 
34. kid gloves 
35. good girl 
36. closed game 
37. field glasses 
E. /n/ changes to /m/ before /m/, /b/ or /p/
38. in March 
39. ten men 
40. open market 
41. gone back 
42. chicken breast 
43. green bean 
44. down payment 
45. pen pal 
46. tin plate 
F. /n/ changes to /ŋ/ before /k/ or /ɡ/
47. painkiller 
48. one cup 
49. green card 
50. open court 
51. Roman calendar 
52. green grass 
53. main gate 
54. common ground 
55. action group 
56. iron curtain 
G. /s/ changes to /ʃ/ before /ʃ/ or /j/

6
57. nice shoes 
58. spaceship 
59. bus shelter 
60. dress shop 
61. nice shirt 
62. this shiny one 
63. this year 
64. nice yacht 
65. this yogurt 
H. /z/ changes to /ʒ/ before /ʃ/ or /j/
66. those shops 
67. these shoes 
68. rose show 
69. these sheep 
70. cheese shop 
71. news sheet 
72. wise youngster 
73. Where’s yours? 
74. is young 
75. is youthful 
I. /θ/ changes to /s/ before /s/
76. fifth season 
77. bath salt 
78. birth certificate 
79. earth science 
80. both sides 
81. both sexes 
82. fourth summer 
83. north south 
84. fifth set 
85. bath seat 
J. /t/ merges with /j/ to produce /tʃ/; /d/ merges with /j/ to produce /dʒ/
86. suit yourself 

7
 87. last year 
88. Didn’t you…? 
89. what you need 
90. I bet you 
91. Would you …? 
92. Could you…? 
93. Did you…? 
94. educate 
95. you had yours 

Activity 7.3
Write the transcription of the full form and the form used in a rapid connected speech of the following words
and word combinations reduced by elision, dropping consonants.
Word Transcription of the full form Transcription of the form reduced by elision
(rapid connected speech)
0. firstly /ˈfɜ:stli/  /ˈfɜ:sli/
1. handgrip 
2. handmade 
3. landmark 
4. land‐breeze 
5. mindful 
6. sandbag 
7. sandstone 
8. sandstorm 
9. bandsman 
10. bandmaster 
11. bandbox 
12. handshake 

Activity 7.4
Mark the “linking r” and the phoneme it links with the following word combinations and phrases.
0. father‐rin‐law 12. after all
1. clutter of cats 13. mother‐in‐law

8
 2. for example 14. litter of pigs
3. daughter and son 15. for instance
4. muster of peacocks 16. brother and sister
5. more important 17. pair of horses
6. mother and father 18. bigger and better
7. a lecture on history 19. dead or alive
8. a picture of a city 20. sooner or later
9. a teacher of English 21. ask for a favor
10. a tour of Scotland 22. German or English
11. the Tower of London 23. partner and colleague

Activity 7.5
Transcribe the following phrases with the intrusive r.
0. the idea of it /ðɪ aɪˈdɪə rəv ɪt/
1. grandma always
2. law and order
3. India and China
4. Libya and Egypt
5. Korea and Japan
6. a media event
7. law of the land
8. Formula A
9. Australia all out
10. vodka and coke
11. “I saw a film today, oh boy”

Activity 7.6
Transcribe the following phrases with the intrusive w.
0. you and me /ju wən mi/
1. two or three
2. go outside
3. go along
4. you often

9
 5. new address
6. go up
7. a yellow and blue one
8. do his homework
9. blue or grey
10. new assistant

Activity 7.7
Transcribe the following phrases with the intrusive j.
0. me and you /mi jən ju/
1. three or four 8. G or H
2. the end 9. my answer
3. the eighth 10. by email
4. the eleventh 11. see anything
5. the alphabet 12. coffee or tea
6. I only 13. play a song
7. maybe it’s 14. I am

10