LECTURE 7: Aspects of

connected speech

Lecture: Nguyễn Hà Ngọc Ánh

 CONTENT
1. Rhythm

2. Assimilation

3. Elision

4. Linking

5. Exercise
 The basic

➢Connected speech refers to spoken language

when analyzed as a continuous sequence, as in
normal utterances and conversations.
➢ Two forms of pronunciation can be identified:
Citation form: the form of a word when pronounced
in isolation;
Connected speech form: the form of a word
influenced by the phonetic context in which it occurs.
The basic
 1. Rhythm
➢ Rhythm is detectable in the regular occurrence of
stressed syllables.

➢ In speaking English, we vary in how rhythmically we

speak
+ sometimes we speak very rhythmically ( typical of
some types of public speaking
+ at other times, we speak arrhythmically (without
rhythm) if we are hesitant or nervous
 2.Assimilation

Assimilation is a process by which “a

sound is changed into another because of
the influence of a neighboring
sound”
Ladefoged & Johnson, 2014
 2.Assimilation

Assimilation is a process by which “a

sound is changed to become resemble or
identical with the neighboring sound.
1. Based on the direction of influence, assimilation can
be:

1.1 regressive assimilation

a sound influenced by a following sound;

E.g. in case [ɪŋ keɪs]: /n/ becomes [ŋ] because it is followed

by /k/.
1.2. progressive assimilation
a sound influenced by a preceding sound;

E.g. on the shelves [ɒn nə ˈʃɛlvz]: /ð/ becomes [n] because it

is preceded by /n/ (and the is unstressed).

1.3. coalescent: a reciprocal influence, where two sounds fuse

into a single new segment;

E.g. need you [ˈniːdʒu]: /d/ and /j/ merge into [dʒ]
2. Based on the result of process, assimilation can be

2.1.allophonic: the resultant sound doesn’t exist as a

separate phoneme in the phonemic system of English;
E.g. on the shelves [ɒn̪ ðə ˈʃɛlvz]: [n̪] is not a phoneme in
English.

2.2 phonemic: the resultant sound does exist as a separate

phoneme in the phonemic system of English;
E.g. on purpose [ɒm ˈpɜːpəs]: [m] has the all the features of
/m/
 1.1. Regressive assimilation
1.1.1. Place assimilation
Citation Connected
Before….. Examples
form speech form
on purpose
bilabial sounds [ɒm ˈpɜːpəs]
[m]
/p b m/ in person
/n/ [ɪm ˈpɜːsn]

on call [ɒŋ ˈkɔːl]

[ŋ] velar sounds /k g/
in case [ɪŋ ˈkeɪs]
1.1. Regressive assimilation

1.1.1. Place assimilation

1.1. Regressive assimilation

1.1.1. Place assimilation

 1.1. Regressive assimilation
1.1.1. Place assimilation
Citation Connected
Before….. Examples
form speech form
this shop [ðɪʃ ˈʃɒp]
palato-alveolar or palatal
this chair [ðɪʃ ˈtʃɛə]
/s/ [ʃ] sounds
this job [ðɪʃ ˈdʒɒb]
/ʃ, tʃ, dʒ, j/
this year [ðɪʃ ˈjɪə]

these shops [ðiːʒ ˈʃɒps]

palato-alveolar or palatal
these chairs [ðiːʒˈtʃɛəz]
/z/ [ʒ] sounds
these jobs [ðiːʒ ˈdʒɒbz]
/ʃ, tʃ, dʒ, j/
these years [ðiːʒ ˈjɪəz]
 1.1. Regressive assimilation
1.1.2. Voicing assimilation
Citation Connected
Before….. Examples
form speech form

word-final before a have to [ˈhæv̥ tu] or

[ˈhæf tu]
voiceless of course [v̥] or [f]
Voiced Voiceless consonant
fricative fricative morpheme-final withstand
[wɪð̥ˈstænd] or
before a voiceless [wɪθˈstænd]
consonant
 1.2. Progress assimilation

Citation Connected
(after…) Examples
form speech form
on the shelves
[ɒn nə ˈʃɛlvz]
/n l s z/ all the time
(/ð/ belongs to an [ɔːl lə ˈtaɪm]
/ð/ [n l s z]
unstressed what’s the matter?
syllable) [ˈwɒts sə ˈmætə]
how’s the patient?
[ˈhaʊz zə ˈpeɪʃn̩t]
 1.3. Coalescent assimilation

In phrases with you/your

/t/ + /j/ = [tʃ]
He’ll meet you. [ˈmiːtʃ u]
He’ll meet your friend. [ˈmiːtʃ ɔː]

/d/ + /j/ = [dʒ]

I need you. [ˈniːdʒu]
I’ll hide your money. [ˈhaɪdʒɔː]
 1.3. Progress assimilation

In phrases with you/your

/s/ + /j/ = [ʃ]
It wakes you up. [ˈweɪkʃ u]
He likes your sister. [ˈlaɪkʃ ɔː]

/z/ + /j/ = [ʒ]

We’ll lose you. [ˈluːʒu]
Use your head. [ˈjuːʒɔː]
 3. Elision

Elision is the process by which a phoneme is

omitted in pronunciation
3.1. Consonant elision

/t/ and /d/ are often elided when they occur between
two consonants
 ❖ Elision and assimilation can co-occur.
E.g. grandparents [ˈgɹæmˌpɛəɹənts],
grandpa [ˈgɹæmˌpɑː],
grandmother [ˈgɹæmˌmʌðə],
grandma [ˈgɹæmˌmɑː]
❖ If the following consonant is /h/, elision doesn’t take
place.
E.g. gift horse [ˈgɪft ˌhɔːs], guest house [ˈgɛst ˌhaʊs],
left hand [ˌlɛft ˈhænd], handheld [ˈhænd ˈhɛld],
grand house [ˈgɹænd ˈhaʊs],
wild horse [ˈwaɪld ˈhɔːs], old hand [ˈəʊld ˈhænd]
 3.2. Vowel elision

The schwa is often elided when it occurs before the

/n, l, r/, followed by a weak vowel.

E.g. family [fæmli], every [ˈɛvri], history [ˈhɪstri]

 4. Liaison (linking)
The linking between the final sound of a word and
the initial sound of the following words for the
convenience of speaking
Linking [r]: the historical [r] is pronounced if the following
word begins with a vowel.
E.g. far /fɑː/ – far away [ˈfɑː r əˈweɪ]
near /nɪə/ – near enough [ˈnɪə r ɪˈnʌf]
there /ðɛə/ – there inside [ˈðɛə r ɪnˈsaɪd]
floor /flɔː/ – next floor up [ˈnɛkst ˈflɔː r ˈʌp]
stir /stɜː/ – stir in [ˈstɜː r ˈɪn]
Intrusive [r]: any word ending in /ɑː ɔː ɜː ə ɪə ɛə/ + a
word beginning with a vowel
E.g.
spa /spɑː/ – the spa is open [ðə spɑː r ɪs əʊpn]
media /ˈmiːdiə/ – media operation [ˈmiːdiə rˌɒpəˈreɪʃn]
law /ˈlɔː/ – law in Scotland [ˈlɔː r ɪn ˈskɒtlənd]
milieu /mɪˈljɜː/ – milieu in society [mɪˈljɜː r ɪn səˈsaɪəti]
Laura /ˈlɔːrə/ – Laura Ashley [ˈlɔːrə r ˈæʃli]
Linking [j]: any word ending in /iː i eɪ aɪ ɔɪ/ + a word
beginning with a vowel
E.g.
see /siː/ – see off [ˌsiː j ˈɒf]
stay /steɪ/ – stay out [ˌsteɪ j ˈaʊt]
high /haɪ/ – high over [ˈhaɪ j ˈəʊvə]
toy /tɔɪ/ – toy animals [ˈtɔɪ j ˈænɪməlz]
the /ði/ – the end [ði j ˈɛnd]
Linking [w]: any word ending in /uː ʊ aʊ əʊ/ + a word
beginning with a vowel
E.g.
new /njuː/ – new information [ˈnjuː w ɪnfəˈmeɪʃn̩]
no /nəʊ/ – no idea [ˈnəʊ w aɪˈdɪə]
how /haʊ/ – how about [haʊ w əˈbaʊt]
to end [tu w ˈɛnd]