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Tonnio Posted 13 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation
Aspiration
I've read about aspiration of plosive consonants.
The rule seems to be that they are aspirated at the beginning of a syllable (I understand phonetic syllable), when no unstressed vowel follows.
I've listened to native speakers pronouncing the word "opera" and I think that /p/ is aspirated.
However, its phonemic transcription is /'?p.r?/ or /'?p.?r?/, so /p/ is not at the beginning of any syllable, just at the end of /?p/.
If I'm right, why is /p/ aspirated?
The rule seems to be that they are aspirated at the beginning of a syllable (I understand phonetic syllable), when no unstressed vowel follows.
I've listened to native speakers pronouncing the word "opera" and I think that /p/ is aspirated.
However, its phonemic transcription is /'?p.r?/ or /'?p.?r?/, so /p/ is not at the beginning of any syllable, just at the end of /?p/.
If I'm right, why is /p/ aspirated?
Top answer
I've been saying this over and over. I do not aspirate the /p/ in opera, because I don't even pronounce the schwa sound that follows. I do, however, aspirate the /p/ in the word operation.
- I've been saying this over and over.
- I do not aspirate the /p/ in opera, because I don't even pronounce the schwa sound that follows.
- I do, however, aspirate the /p/ in the word operation.
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2 Answers
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I've been saying this over and over. I do not aspirate the /p/ in opera, because I don't even pronounce the schwa sound that follows. I do, however, aspirate the /p/ in the word operation.
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Thanks.
Anyway, according to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5th ed, syllables in operation are this way /??p.?.'re??.(?)n/ for the RP accent, and /???p.?.'re??.(?)n/ for the GA.
So /p/ is again at the end of the syllable /?p/, which is secondary stressed.
So the rule is not valid always?
Anyway, according to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5th ed, syllables in operation are this way /??p.?.'re??.(?)n/ for the RP accent, and /???p.?.'re??.(?)n/ for the GA.
So /p/ is again at the end of the syllable /?p/, which is secondary stressed.
So the rule is not valid always?
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