English Pronunciation

Originally Posted by tdol

Would you include weak and stressed forms in that, or would they be part of your wider picture?

I believe with "phonemes" we are just talking about the sounds themselves. Knowing which part of a word is stressed and which part is weak is something else. I've got lists of heteronyms to deal with that.

The "wider picture" would have more to do with segments.

I hear too many things like "I CAN DO IT." When it really should be, "I c'nduwit."

I can do it. = Ic'n duwit.

That's just one example.

I_c'n_OP'n the_CAN. = I can open the can.

Timed Stress - Linking/Connected Speech - Schwa/Neutral/Altered Vowel Sounds

More later, should anyone care for it.

8)


By the way, capitals mean full stress. We would typically use capitals for content words as well. I've chosen to use lower case for the non-stressed part of content words. Also, ' is used to indicate schwa vowel sounds. The lines indicate linking. No line means there is a stop. Words that are linked are really one word.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by CitySpeak

I hear too many things like "I CAN DO IT." When it really should be, "I c'nduwit."

I can do it. = Ic'n duwit.

Two of my favorites:

It's not, phonetically It's [s]not, and
Do you want to, phonetically Ja'wanna.

:D

[Tdol]

I like 'cudja' (could you) and 'wudja' (would you).

I understand what both of you are saying, but I would classify those examples under "informal and colloquial pronunciation". There is linking which applies to both formal and informal types of speaking. The informal and colloquial type of linking has more to do with word reduction. I believe there is only so much reduction that occurs in informal and colloquial pronunciation, and it most always occurs with function/grammar words. Just the same, that'll be covered in the course as well.

Consonant reduction for connected speech mostly occurs in colloquial and informal types of speaking.

Vowel reduction occurs in both formal and informal discourse.

Once in a while there is no vowel reduction where one might expect it. This would be for emphasis most of the time. And I would refer to it as "paralanguage", as it would be a deviation from the normal stress and intonation patterns of English. This much I can say for AE. I think it would, generally speaking, work the same way with other English accents as well.

I would say "It 'snot" for "It's not" is a normal part of linking in rapid speech whether it's formal/standard or informal/colloquial.


It works the same way for "an apple", which is really "a napple".

Once in a while there is no vowel reduction where one might expect it. This would be for emphasis most of the time. <<

But some times vowel reduction is simply optional, such as in the words "candidate" and "for". This could have to do with personal speaking style and preference. It could also have much to do with how fast someone is speaking.

[Tdol]

There is a lot of personal choice- how many syllables do you put in 'interestingly'? I'd go for 4, but you do hear 5.

Originally Posted by tdol

There is a lot of personal choice- how many syllables do you put in 'interestingly'? I'd go for 4, but you do hear 5.

Yes, there is a lot of personal choice.

Still, the main idea here is to help people with English pronunciation.

As for "interestingly", I'd say it depends on when I'm speaking. Who knows? However it comes out is how it comes out - interestingly enough.

Bom dia,

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by tdol

There is a lot of personal choice- how many syllables do you put in 'interestingly'? I'd go for 4, but you do hear 5.

in*ter*est*ing*ly

Hm. That looks like five syllables to me. I rarely have occasion to use the word myself. (I was going to say never, but I think I used the word once.) I think you are more likely to see it in print than hear it. It is an odd word. It is like telling everyone they will be interested in what you are about to say.

:)

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by tdol

There is a lot of personal choice- how many syllables do you put in 'interestingly'? I'd go for 4, but you do hear 5.

in'ter'es'ting'ly enough, you're right.
in'tres'ting'ly enough, you're right. ('e' is deleted)

:D