Modifications of English consonants in connected speech

In everyday use sounds are not used in isolation as separate units. Language is performed in connected sequences of larger units, in words, phrases, sentences. There are some differences between the pronunciation of a sound or a word in isolation and in connected speech. These changes are mostly regular and predictable. These modifications are observed both within words and at word boundaries. As a result there appear such processes of connected speech as assimilation, accommodation, elision and vowel reduction.

· The adaptive modification of a consonant by a neighboring consonant in the speech chain is known as assimilation. For example, alveolar [t] following by interdental [θ] becomes dental (eight). Assimilation may be regressive and progressive. Assimilation takes place when a sound changes its character in order to become more like a neighboring sound. In this case nearly always the place of articulation changes:

® The dental [t], [d] followed by the interdental [θ], [ð] (partial regressive assimilation – tree, dry)

® The post-alveolar [s], [z] before [ʃ], [ᵹ] (does she [dʌʃʃi:]) – complete regressive assimilation

® The affricative [t+j], [d+j] combinations (incomplete regressive assimilation) – did you [didᵹu:]. The manner of articulation is also changed as a result of assimilation

® Loss of plosion. In the sequence of 2 plosive consonant. The former loses its plosion: glad to see you – partial regressive assimilation

® Nasal plosion. In the sequence of a plosive followed by a nasal sonorant (at night, not now, let me see) – partial regressive assimilation

® Lateral plosion. In the sequence of a plosive followed by the lateral sonorants [l] (settle, at last, table) – partial regressive assimilation

A voicing value of a consonant may also change through assimilation. Voiced lenis sounds become voiceless fortis when followed by another voiceless sound: newspaper [΄nju:s,peipə].

Assimilation may be progressive:

ü Wha t’s your name? – it is assimilated to the voiceless fortis [t]

ü Sonorant [m, n, r, l, j, w] are partially devoiced after voiceless [p, t, k, s] – smart, tray – partial progressive assimilation

· Accommodation is used to denote the interchanges of “vowel+consonant”. Here some slight nasalization of vowels preceded or followed by nasal sonorants (never, men) or labialization of consonants preceding the vowels: rule [ru:l], wool [wul].

Lip position may be affected by accommodation. Spreading of lip position appear when consonants are followed or preceded by front vowels [i:], [i] (tea – beat, sit – miss). The position of the soft palate is also involved in accommodation. When the soft palate is lowered slight nasalization may occur before [m], [n] (and, come in, morning)

· Elision is complete loss of sounds, both vowels and consonants. It is minimal in slow careful speech and maximal in rapid relaxed colloquial speech. These phenomena manifest the economy of pronunciation effects of a speaker. So long as the meaning can be recognized, the listener is satisfied. He’s lots of toys.

· Vowel reduction may be qualitative and quantitative weakening of vowels n unstressed positions.

Board [bͻ:d]®blackboard [nearly to [ə] – qualitative: reduction to the neutral sound, quantitative: shortening of the vowel length.

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