ENGLISH PHONETICS ENGLISH PHONETICS AND PHONOLOGYAND PHONOLOGY

SEGMENTAL FEATURES SEGMENTAL FEATURES OF SPEECHOF SPEECH

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTIONThe various sounds identified in the The various sounds identified in the

previous sessions do not exist in previous sessions do not exist in isolation.isolation.

These sounds are stringed together These sounds are stringed together to form words and words are put to form words and words are put together in connected speech.together in connected speech.

The segmental features of speech The segmental features of speech most dominant in Englishmost dominant in English- assimilation- assimilation- elision- elision- linking- linking

ASSIMILATIONASSIMILATION

It is a regular process in spoken or It is a regular process in spoken or connected speech in which a particular connected speech in which a particular sound or phoneme changes to become sound or phoneme changes to become more like an adjacent sound.more like an adjacent sound.

There are two types of assimilation:There are two types of assimilation:- progressive assimilation- the sound - progressive assimilation- the sound changes to match a preceding phoneme changes to match a preceding phoneme or sound that comes before it.or sound that comes before it.- regressive assimilation- the sound - regressive assimilation- the sound changes to match a following phonemechanges to match a following phoneme

Place Assimilation- Bilabialisation of Alveolar SoundsPlace Assimilation- Bilabialisation of Alveolar Sounds- In PA-phoneme changes to match the place of In PA-phoneme changes to match the place of

articulation of a previous/following sound.articulation of a previous/following sound.- In spoken English, the alveolar stop [t] changes to In spoken English, the alveolar stop [t] changes to

[p] in the following utterances[p] in the following utterances The change of [t] to a [p] is an instance of place The change of [t] to a [p] is an instance of place

assimilation in which the alveolar stop sound assimilation in which the alveolar stop sound becomes a bilabial stop that follows or a regressive becomes a bilabial stop that follows or a regressive assimilationassimilation

- A similar process of regressive PA- changes of the A similar process of regressive PA- changes of the [d] to a [b] sound before [m], [b] or [p] in bad pain, [d] to a [b] sound before [m], [b] or [p] in bad pain, bood bank, good morning-[d] assimilates into [p]bood bank, good morning-[d] assimilates into [p]

- How about- How about- iron man, question mark, action plan, iron man, question mark, action plan, green pot, brown bag and fan beltgreen pot, brown bag and fan belt

PA- Velarisation of Alveolar SoundsPA- Velarisation of Alveolar Sounds- The alveolar stop [t] changing to a velar The alveolar stop [t] changing to a velar

stop [k] to match a velar sound such as [k] stop [k] to match a velar sound such as [k] or [g] following it.or [g] following it.

- Credit card, smart card, great cook, let goCredit card, smart card, great cook, let go- The change is an instance of PA in which The change is an instance of PA in which

the alveolar stop sound becomes a velar the alveolar stop sound becomes a velar stop in anticipation of a velar sound that stop in anticipation of a velar sound that follows- example of regressive assimilationfollows- example of regressive assimilation

- Another example is the change of [d] to Another example is the change of [d] to [g] sound before [k] and [g][g] sound before [k] and [g]

- Check out these words good cook, ground Check out these words good cook, ground control, hard copy, red guitar,control, hard copy, red guitar,

- How about these words human How about these words human capital,golden gate, tin can, town clerk.capital,golden gate, tin can, town clerk.

PA- Palatalisation of Alveolar SoundsPA- Palatalisation of Alveolar Sounds- In connected speech, the sound fricatives In connected speech, the sound fricatives

[s] and [z] is palatalised as [[s] and [z] is palatalised as [before before the palatal sounds [the palatal sounds [

- The alveolar fricative [s] precedes palatal The alveolar fricative [s] precedes palatal

fricative [fricative [] or a palatal approximant [j].] or a palatal approximant [j].- The change of [s] to a [The change of [s] to a [is an instance of is an instance of

PA in which the alveolar fricative sound PA in which the alveolar fricative sound becomes more like a palatal fricative in becomes more like a palatal fricative in anticipation of the palatal sound that anticipation of the palatal sound that follows- eg of RAfollows- eg of RA

- Check out these words: cheese shop, Check out these words: cheese shop, these sheep, wise young manthese sheep, wise young man

Voicing AssimilationVoicing Assimilation- A phoneme changes to match the A phoneme changes to match the

phonation of a previous or following phonation of a previous or following sound.sound.

- Can be observed in the pronunciation Can be observed in the pronunciation of a plural morpheme and the past of a plural morpheme and the past tense morpheme- sometimes referred tense morpheme- sometimes referred to as morphophonemic rule.to as morphophonemic rule.

- You deduce the rule from these You deduce the rule from these examplesexamples

Cats, dogs, bees, washed, missed, Cats, dogs, bees, washed, missed, sipped, pulled, robbed, livedsipped, pulled, robbed, lived

EllisionEllision- In connected speech, it is common for In connected speech, it is common for

sound segments to be deleted or omitted.sound segments to be deleted or omitted.- It can occur within the word or across word It can occur within the word or across word

boundary.boundary.- This segmental feature of speech is This segmental feature of speech is

commonly observable in words unstressed commonly observable in words unstressed syllables which are omitted in rapid speech.syllables which are omitted in rapid speech.

- Camera [kCamera [kmrmr] medicine [m] medicine [mdsin] memory, dsin] memory, cup of coffee, pen and papercup of coffee, pen and paper

- In some cased non ellision of a phoneme In some cased non ellision of a phoneme might sound odd and is indicative of a non might sound odd and is indicative of a non proficient speaker, eg chocolate, vegetableproficient speaker, eg chocolate, vegetable

LinkingLinking- In rapid speech, sound segments of a In rapid speech, sound segments of a

word are seldom discrete or clearly word are seldom discrete or clearly separated from the sound of other separated from the sound of other words.words.

- They become linked or connected.They become linked or connected.- In English, the linking [r] is prominent In English, the linking [r] is prominent

especially before a vowel.especially before a vowel.- ‘‘Four apes’ [fFour apes’ [f:reips]:reips]- Formula A, media eventFormula A, media event- In each instance the [r] sound is inserted In each instance the [r] sound is inserted

between the juncture of two words.between the juncture of two words.