Тема . Зміна голосних звуків у процесі мовлення

Modification of Vowels in Connected Speech

Мета: to find out about the modification of vowels in connected speech.

 

Короткі теоретичні відомості

The modifications of vowels in a speech chain are traced in the following directions: they are either quantitative or qualitative or both. These changes of vowels in a speech continuum are determined by a number of factors such as the position of the vowel in the word, accentual structure, tempo of speech, rhythm, etc.

The decrease of the vowel quantity or in other words the shortening of the vowel length is known as a quantitative modification of vowels, which may be illustrated as follows:

1. The shortening of the vowel length occurs in unstressed positions, e.g. blackboard [Ɔ:], sorrow [зu] (reduction). In these cases reduction affects both the length of theunstressed vowels and their quality.

Form words often demonstrate quantitative reduction in unstressed positions, e.g.

Is → he or ̖ she to blame? – [hi:]

But: At → last he has ̖ come. – [hi]

2. The length of a vowel depends on its position in a word. It varies in different phonetic environments. English vowels are said to have positional length, e.g. knee – need – neat (accommodation). The vowel [i:] is the longest in the final position, it is obviously shorter before the lenis voiced consonant [d], and it is the shortest before the fortis voiceless consonant [t].

Qualitative modification of most vowels occurs in unstressed positions. Unstressed vowels lose their 'colour', their quality, which is illustrated by the examples below:

1. In unstressed syllables vowels of full value are usually subjected to qualitative changes, e.g. man [mæn] – sportsman ['spɔ:tsmən], conduct ['kɒndəkt] – conduct [kən'd٨kt]. In such cases the quality of the vowel is reduced to the neutral sound [ə].

These examples illustrate the neutralized (reduced) allophones of the same phonemes as the same morphemes are opposed.

Nearly one sound in five is either [ə] or the unstressed [i]. This high frequency of [ə] is the result of the rhythmic pattern: if unstressed syllables are given only a short duration, the vowel in them which might be otherwise full is reduced.

It is common knowledge that English rhythm prefers a pattern in which stressed syllables alternate with unstressed ones. The effect of this can be seen even in single words, where a shift of stress is often accompanied by a change of vowel quality; a full vowel becomes [ə], and [ə] becomes a full vowel. Compare: analyse ['ænəlaiz] – analysis [ə'nælisis].

2. Slight degree of nasalization marks vowels preceded or followed by the nasal consonants [n], [m], e.g. never, no, then, men (accommodation)

Завдання до теми

Read the tongue-twisters:

1. Gail’s maid mailed jade.

2. Gale’s great glass globe glows green.

3. Gertie’s great-grandma grew aghast at Gertie’s grammar.

4. Gig whip, gig whip, gig whip, …

5. Girl gargoyle, guy gargoyle.

6. Give me the gift of a griptop sock: a drip-drape, ship-shape, tip-top sock.

7. Give Mr. Snipe’s wife’s knife a swipe.

8. Give papa a cup of proper coffee in a copper coffee cup.

9. Gobbling gorgoyles gobbled gobbling goblins.

10. Good blood, bad blood, good blood, bad blood, good blood, bad blood.

11. Great glass globes gleam green.

Контрольні питання

1. According to what can English consonants be modified?

2. What is connected speech and what is its significance?

3. What does the ability to produce English with an English-like pattern of stress and rhythm involve?

4. What are coarticulatory / adjustment phenomena? Give examples.

5. What syllables are typically articulated precisely and what are weakened, shortened, or dropped in connected speech?

6. Speak on the typology of sound adjustments in connected speech.

7. What are the directions of modifications of vowels?

Література: [4, c. 122 – 125; 6, c. 66-68].

Практичне заняття  № 19

Тема. Редукція

      Reduction

Мета: to study the phenomenon of reduction