Linking words while speaking

Question

The /t/ and /d/ sound are made when the tip of the tongue touches the roof of the mouth just behind the teeth, and /th/ sound is made by bringing the tip of the tongue between top and bottom teeth... suppose if the sentence has at the... while speaking should we say athe or atde or at the only, because saying at the takes time,
other examples
1)but the
2) thought that they....
3) for the
in simple how to link those words..... please send me any material that help me to link words while speaking
please please please solve this problem.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Good question.

~~t followed by th~~
(but the, thought that, that they)

The glottis closes to stop the flow of air to form the -t.
The the blade of the tongue moves up to touch the upper teeth to form the th-.

~~r followed by th~~
(for the)
The back of the tongue moves back and up in the mouth. The back of the jaw drops down. That's how you get your r.
The tongue moves forward and up to make contact with the upper teeth and the jaw follows along to make the th-.

The Linguist

Rockstar25 · Answer

thanks..
my question is how to link words while speaking example- when we say "come on" we don't say each word separately as "come on" instead we say "com- mon" and " break it" as "brea-kit".
In the same way, i want to know how to link words that end with "t or d" and next word starts with "th"... i know how to do /t/, /d/, and /th/ sounds.

I am finding it little difficult say the sentences which has
example-

1) but the - should we say butde or bu-the or should i have to say but the only

2) I thought that they are........ - should i say each word separately or should i link it any way

3)at the - for example: i was her at the function( should i say each words at, the or should i say athe or atde

4) for the... 5) what the

note- i know how to make t, d, th sounds, i don't find any problem saying "thirty three", or that is the... i am finding problem when the word ends with t or d and next word starts with th..
I think i made my point clear... thank you.

Kooyeen · Answer

It's a difficult question to answer if you don't know any phonetics or phonology. I can only tell you that you have to pronounce both sounds, you can't leave one out.
Hit that ---> Hi-that / Hit-at (wrong)

If you find it difficult, it's because you are trying to pronounce each sound as if it was a separate sound. When you put sounds together, especially if you speak fast, sometimes they are pronounced in a slightly different way. You have to find your way to put them together, a comfortable way to pronounce a kind of t-sound followed by a kind of th-sound, without leaving either of them out.

Rockstar25 · Answer

thanks, i agree with your answer, so what will use people do when you encounter word like like
at that ....
i thought that the
is the any website that answer my question...

CalifJim · Answer

rockstar25 i I want to know how to link words that end with "t or d" and next word starts with "th"

You may be trying to make the same sound (aspirated "t") at the ends of words ("at") as you do at the beginnings of words ("take"). This is not correct.

At the end of a word, the "t" is not aspirated. It is unreleased, and may be accompanied by a glottal stop. Move your tongue to the position where you usually say an initial "t", but don't let the full sound of the "t" come out. There will be a noticeable stop in the air flow as the final "t" gets "caught in your throat". Your tongue is at a position a little above where you need it for the "th". Lower your tongue a little into position for the initial "th" of the next word and proceed.

The case of final d is analogous to the case of the final t except that d is voiced.

CJ

See How to pronounce a 't' in American English for further details on the different kinds of t's.

Raindoctor · Answer

Here is a spoken english phonology books. That lists the kinds of examples you looking for.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/26534726/American-Spoken-Language-in-real-life

In the case 3, you can delete /r/ in spoken english, even in the states, as long as "for" is not an intonational nucleus.

Rockstar25 · Answer

Thanks

Zerox · Answer

You can google 'alveolar instability' or 'anticipatory coarticulation' to find more examples of this phenomenon. In short, for the sake of saving energy and time; and making your life a bit easier, the /t/ in "at the" can be dentalised since the following /th/ sound has to be dental.

Rockstar25 · Answer

Does American and Europeans link the words in same way or differently?

Zerox · Answer

I speak from an RP point of view, but I don't think there's much differences between dialects in this context. These "shortcuts" are done just to preserve the flow of speech.

Linking words while speaking

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