Modification of Sounds in Connected Speech

In connected speech sounds do not function as isolated units, their articulation is affected by their phonetic environment. In other words, speech sounds influence each other in the chain of speech. Modifications of speech sounds that occur due to this influence are called assimilation, accommodationand elision.

Assimilation is the modification of a consonant under the influence of the neighboring consonant. Accommodation is the process of mutual influence of consonants and vowels. Elision is a complete reduction of sounds, both vowels and consonants.

These processes are generally accounted for by two factors. The first isthe economy of pronouncing efforts on the part of the speaker, whose aim is to convey information effectively within the shortest possible time. The second is purely physiological: it is the degree of mobility of particular organs of speech. Under the influence of these factors segments undergo certain changes and all sorts of simplifications take place. It should be mentioned that these phonetic modifications do not affect the meaning of utterances and do not create barriers in communication, since they are perceived by the listener as normal allophonic realizations. However, foreign learners of English should be aware ofphonetic adjustments in connected speech, because ignoring them may lead to a strong accent.

Modification of Consonants

In modern English consonants undergo various qualitative changes in the chain of speech. The most common type of such changes is assimilation. Assimilation takes place when a consonant is adjusted in order to becomemore like a neighboring sound. Assimilation occurs both within a word and at word boundaries. Assimilation can affect the place of articulation, manner of articulation, work of the vocal cords and force of articulation, lip position.

Changes in the place of articulation.

1. The alveolar allophones [t], [d], [n], [l] are replaced by dental variants when followed by the interdental [θ], [ð] (incomplete regressive assimilation): eighth, at the, breadth, on the, all that.

2. The alveolar [t], [d] become post-alveolar under the influence of the post-alveolar [r] (incomplete regressive assimilation): tree, true, dry, the thirdroom.

3. [s], [z] turn into [ʃ] before [ʃ] (complete regressive assimilation): horse shoe [ꞌhɔ:ʃʃu•], this shop [ðɪsꞌʃɒp].

4. Nasal sonorants [n], [m] are influenced by the following consonant: bilabial [m] and alveolar [n] become labio-dental when followed by labio-dental [f], [v]: triumph, infant, comfort, symphony. [n] becomes palate-alveolar before the affricate [tʃ], pinch; in thank it assimilates to the velar [k] and becomes velar.

Changes in the manner of articulation.

1. Loss ofplosion. In the sequence oftwo plosive consonants the first losesits plosion (incomplete regressive assimilation): glad to see you,great trouble, an old clock, big cat.

2. Nasal plosion. When a plosive is followed by nasal sonorants [m], [n], at the release stage the soft palate is lowered and the air escapes throughthe nasal cavity with a slight plosion (incomplete regressive assimilation): sudden, not now, at night, let me see.

3. Lateral plosion. In the sequence ofa plosive immediately followed by the lateral sonorant [l] the release is made with lowering of the sides of the tongue and the air escapes along the sides of the tongue with lateral plosion: settle, table, at last (incomplete regressive assimilation).

Changes in the work ofthe vocal cords.

This type of assimilation affects the work of the vocal cords andforce ofarticulation.

1. English sonorants [m], [n], [r], [w], [l] are partially devoiced when preceded byfortis voiceless consonants [p], [t], [k], [s] (incomplete progressive assimilation): smart, tray, quick, twins, play, pride. This type of assimilation is common in English, but very rare in Russian.

2. Fortis voiceless/lenis voiced type regressive assimilation can be observed in such words as newspaper (news [z] + paper), gooseberry (goose [s] + berry). At word boundaries voiced lenis fricatives are commonly assimilated to the initial voiceless fortis consonant of the following word: she'sfive, have to do it, does Pete like it? It should be noted that only fricatives are affected by this type of assimilation, while plosives [b], [d], [g] remainvoiced in similar context:big size, goodfellow.

3. Contracted forms of the verbs “is” and “has” may retain voice or bedevoiced depending on the preceding consonant (incomplete progressive assimilation): that's [s] right; Tom's [z] gone; Jack's [s] done it.

Assimilative voicing and devoicing can also be observed in the pronunciationof the possessive suffix ‘s or s’, the plural suffix of nouns (e)s and the third person singular Present Simple of verbs: girl's, beds, reads,Pete's, desks, writes.

Changes in the lip position.

When followed by the bilabial sonorant [w] consonants change their lipposition: they become labialized: twinkle, quite, swan.

There are also adjustment processes that are a result of the consonant vowelinteraction. They are generally described as accommodation or consonant vowel coarticulation. Here are some most common types of accommodation.

Consonants tend to be labialized when followed by a rounded (labialized) vowel: cool, pot, rude.

Vowels are slightly nasalized under the influence ofthe preceding or followingsonorants [m] and [n]: and, nice, men, morning.

Alveolar plosive [t] in the intervocalic position before unstressed vowels isreplaced by a voiced tap: pretty, better.

It should be noted that the allophonic realizations ofphonemes can bedescribed as obligatory for all the members of the language community regardless of the style of speech. It is obvious that the extent to which coarticulation and simplification processes are displayed in connected speech depends on the style and tempo ofspeech. In formal speech the articulation is more careful and precise. In informal casual discourse (fast colloquial speech) these processes are more marked.

Modifications of Vowels

The phonetic process that affects English vowels in connected speech is called reduction. By vowel reduction we mean shortening or weakening of the sound, or, in other words, shortening in length that is usually accompanied by a change in quality. Vowel reduction in unstressed syllables is very common both in English and in Russian.

In connected speech vowels can be exposed either to quantitative and qualitative reduction or both. These changes of vowels are determined by a number of factors, such as the position of a vowel in a word and in an utterance, accentual structure, rhythm, tempo of speech.

Quantitative reduction, or shortening, of vowel length takes place in the following cases:

1. The length of vowel depends on the immediate phonetic environment (positional length). Vowels are the longest in the final position, they are shorter before a voiced consonant and the shortest in a syllable closed by a voiceless consonant:knee - need - neat.

2. Long vowels in form words are shortened in unstressed positions: At last he [i•] has come.

Modifications in quality occur in unstressed positions. The most common form of vowel reduction is reduction to schwa [ə]. In its production the tongue is the closest to the neutral position, the lips are unrounded and it is the shortest of all vowels. The pronunciation ofschwa instead of some other vowel saves articulatory effort and time.

Man [mæn] -sportsman ['spɔ:tsmən], conduct ['kɒndəkt] – conduct [kənꞌdʌkt]. You can easily do it [ju• kən i:zɪlɪ̖dʊɪt].

Schwa is considered to be the most frequent sound in English. Itis obviously the result of the rhythmic pattern in which stressed syllables alternate with unstressed ones. Unstressed syllables are given only a short duration and the vowel in them is reduced.

3. Vowels are slightly nasalized when preceded or followed by a nasal consonantlike in man, no, then, mean.

We would like to conclude by saying that certain interrelation which we observe between the full form of a vowel and its reduced forms is conditioned by the tempo, rhythm and style of speech.