English Pronunciation PracticeEnglish Pronunciation Practice英语语音技巧突破英语语音技巧突破

Lecture 4 Liaison and Assimilation

连读与同化

Liaison(or Sound-linking)

连 音

LiaisonIn English one word is not separated from a

nother by pausing or hesitating; the end of one word flows straight on to the beginning of the next , e.g.

first of all /'fә:st◡ әv 'ɔ:l/◡some of us /'sΛm әv әs/◡ ◡The linking of words in connected speech m

ay be divided into the following types:

1.consonant + vowel

Examples: put it on /'puti'tɔn/

look at it /'lukәtit/

think of it /'θiŋkәvit /

2.vowel + vowel

a) ending with an unrounded-lip sound, add a /j/ sound.

Examples:

the other /ði j 'Λðә/◡◡ he is my uncle. /hi: j iz mai j 'Λŋkl/◡◡ ◡◡ she ate some./ ʃ i: j әt sәm/◡◡

b) ending with a rounded-lip sound, add a /w/ sound.

Examples: two others /'tu: w 'Λðәz/◡ ◡ do it /'du: w it/◡ ◡ how old /'hau w 'әuld/◡ ◡

3. r-linking

3) When a word ending with “r” or “re” goes before a word beginning with a vowel sound /r/ is usually pronounced as a link.

Examples: for ages /fәr 'eiʤiz/

her own /hә:r 'әun/

share out /'ʃεә r 'aut/

far away /'fa:rә 'wei/

However, there are special circumstances in which a final “r” is silent even when the following word begins with a vowel.

• a) When there is a /r/ in the same syllable, e.g. • a roar of laughter /ә 'rɔ : әv 'la:ftә/• a rare animal /ә 'rεә 'æniml/• nearer and nearer /'niәrә әn 'niәrә/

• b) when a pause is permissible between the two words (even if no pause is actually made) .e.g.

• He opened the door and walked in.• /hi: 'әupnd ðә 'dɔ: әnd 'wɔ:kt in/

4) some English people link a final /ә/ or even /a:/ and /ɔ:/ to an initial vowel in the same group by inserting a /r/ sound even if there is no letter r in the spelling. The /r/ sound added in this way is called “intrusive r”. Its existence should be known but not imitated.

Examples:

China and Japan /'ʧainәr әn(d) ʤә'pæn/

drama and music /'dra:mәr әn(d) 'mju:zik/

law and order /'lɔ:r әn(d) 'ɔ:dә/

I saw a man /ai 'sɔ:r ә 'mæn/

AssimilationIn connected speech, sounds, under the

influence of their neighbors, are replaced by other sounds. Sometimes two neighboring sounds influence each other and are replaced by a third sound which is different from both the original sounds.

This process is called assimilation.

3 types of assimilation

1) Progressive(顺同化 )

2) Regressive(逆同化 )

3) Reciprocal, or double(相互同化 )

Progressive

The assimilated sound is influenced by the preceding sound. For example:

What’s this? /'wɔts 'ðis/

Attention !• The strong voiceless consonant of a pai

r replaces the weak voiced consonant in the closely connected speech, but do not make it a general rule to replace the weak voiced consonant by the strong voiceless in other cases.

• A voiceless plosive (爆破音 ) or fricative (摩擦音 ) is not assimilated to a voiced plosive or fricative which follows it.

Examples：

not very /'nɔt 'veri/, not /'nɔd 'veri/

black door /'blæk 'dɔ:/, not /'blæg 'dɔ:/

this boy /'ðis 'bɔi/, not /'ðiz 'bɔi/

if they come /'if ðei 'kΛm/,

not /'iv ðei 'kΛm/

Regressive The preceding sound is influenced by th

e one following it. For example,:

/z/ news /nju:z/

/s/ newspaper /nju:speipә/

Reciprocal or Double

Assimilation the neighboring sounds influence each other. For example:

/t/ /w/ twenty /twenti/

The usage of assimilation

1. Assimilation changing the work of vocal cords(声带 ). Examples:

/z/→ /s/

is/iz/ It’s easy./its 'i:zi/

has/hæz/ What’s happened?

/'wɔts 'hæpnd/

used/ju:zd/ I used to. /ai 'ju:st tu/

2. Assimilation changing the position of the lips:

Before the bilabial sounds/m,p,b/,/n,t,d/ change to /m,p,b/ respectively. For example:

in /in/ in bed /im 'bed/

ten/ten/ ten minutes /'tem 'minits/

don’t/dәunt/don’t be late./'dәump bi 'leit/

good/gud/ good-bye/gub bai/

3. Assimilation changing the place of articulation:

a) Before the velar sounds /k,g/, /n,t,d/ change to /ŋ,k,g/

in /iŋ/ in case /iŋ 'keis/ don’t /dәunt/ I don’t care. /ai 'dәuŋk 'kεә/ good /gud/ good girl /gug 'gә:l/

b) Before /ʃ,j/, /s,z/ change to /ʃ,ʒ / respectively.

this /ðis/ this shape /'ðiʃ'ʃeip/

this year /'ðiʃ'jiә/

has /hæz/ has she come

/'hæʒ ʃi 'kΛm/

where’s yours

/'wεәʒ 'j :ɔ z/

c) The combinations of sounds /tj/ and /dj/ have changed into /ʧ/and/ʤ /in an unstressed syllable:

education /,eʤukei'ʃn/ not/,edjukei'ʃn/

situation /,siʧuei'ʃn/ not /,sitjuei'ʃn/

I’m glad to meet you.

/aim 'gæld tә mi:ʧu/

Did you like it? /'diʤu 'laik it/