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Universidade Federal da ParabaCCHLADLEM
Fontica e Fonologia da Lngua Inglesa II
Prof. Jos Ribamar de Castro
Caio Antnio de Medeiros Nbrega
SEMINAR: ELISION
DEFINITION:
Elision is defined as the disappearance of a sound. [Kelly,
Jones]
Example: kindness - / / => elision of the d
Elision occurs when a sound which would be present in a word
spoken in isolation is
omitted in connected speech. [Underhill].
HISTORICAL ELISION/CONTEXTUAL ELISION[Jones]
Historical elisions: a sound which existed in an earlier form of
a word was omitted in a
later form.
Loss of all r-sounds finally and before consonants in Southern
English.(fifteenth century); arm / /, horse / /, church / /.
Loss of l-sound in some words; walk / /, half / /. Loss of
p-sound in some words; cupboard / / Loss of d-sound in some words;
kindness / /, windmill
/ /.
Contextual elisions: they are frequent in English, especially in
rapid speaking. The
following are examples of contextual elisions made in ordinary
speech:
blind man / /, a good deal / /
take care / /, last time / /.
SOME RULES OF ELISION (Contextual elisions) [Kelly, Gimson]
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1. The most common elisions in English are /t/and /d/, when they
appear within aconsonant cluster.
We arrived the next day. ( /t/ elided between /ks/ and /d/ )
We bought a lovely carved statuette. ( /d/ elided between /v/
and /st/ )
2. Complex consonant clusters are simplified.She acts like she
owns the place. ( / / can be simplified to / / )
Teachers use authentic texts to teach from. ( /teksts/ can
simplified to /teks/ )
George the Sixths throne ( / / can be simplified to / / )
3. / / can disappear in unstressed syllablesIll love you
forever. ( / / can disappear in the first syllable of forever)
I think we should call the police.
Are you coming tonight?
Thats an interesting idea.
Lets go to the university.
Have we got any vegetables?
4. /v/ can disappear in of, before consonants.My birthdays on
the eleventh ofNovember.
Its a complete waste oftime.
Thats the least ofmy worries!
5. /l/ can elided when preceded by / /.
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always / /, already / /, although / /.
6. Whole syllables may also be elided in rapid speech.library /
/, February / /, literary / /,
meteorological / /.
WHY IS ELISION USED
[Kelly]
[] the reason is an economy of effort, and in some instances the
difficulty of putting
certain consonant sounds together while maintaining a regular
speech rhythm and
speed.
[Underhill]
[] elision is a natural result of the speech organs cutting
corners in connected
speech, mainly at word boundaries. [] speakers who do not elide
may sound over-
meticulous and rather crisp in their articulation. It may also
be more difficult for them to
use intonation and rhythm patterns with fluency.
REFERENCES
GIMSON, A. C.Introduction to the Pronunciation of English.
KELLY, G. Teaching pronunciation.
JONES, D. Outline of English Phonetics.
UNDERHILL, A. Sound Foundations: English Pronunciation.
