Pronunciation

Question

Hello!I know, when speaking, some letters change its sounds(at the end of previous and beginning of next word), omit...Please, explain me with examples how it happens in spoken English.Thanks!

Anne Raven · Accepted Answer

^{_{There are basically two types of linking:}}

^{consonant > vowel}

We link words ending with a consonant sound to words beginning with a vowel sound

When a word ends in a consonant sound, we often move the consonant sound to the beginning of the next word if it starts with a vowel sound.
For example, in the phrase "turn off":

We write it like this:	turn	off
We say it like this:	tur	noff

Remember that it's the sound that matters. In the next example, "have" ends with:

the letter "e" (vowel)
the sound "v" (consonant)

So we link "have" to the next word "a" which begins with a vowel sound:

We write it like this:	Can I have a bit of egg?
We say it like this:	Ca-nI-ha-va-bi-to-fegg?

vowel > vowel

We link words ending with a vowel sound to words beginning with a vowel sound

When one word ends with a vowel sound and the next word begins with a vowel sound, we link the words with a sort of W or Y sound.
If our lips are round at the end of the first word, we insert a W sound:

oo \| o	We write it like this:too oftenwho isso Ido allWe say it like this:tooWoftenwhoWissoWIdoWall

If our lips are wide at the end of the first word, we insert a Y sound:

oo
|
--

We write it like this:Kay isI amthe endshe askedWe say it like this:KayYisIYamtheYendsheYasked

So, that's some of the information I found on the Internet. I think it's really interesting. I hope it can help you.

See ya.

Kooyeen · Answer

uni-hkI know, when speaking, some letters change its sounds(at the end of previous and beginning of next word), omit...
Please, explain me with examples how it happens in spoken English.

There's a lot to say. I don't know what exactly you are interested in, but I will give you a couple of examples for American English.

...not = The final T is only slightly pronounced or not pronounced at all (not released and/or rendered as a glottal stop)
...not enough = The T here is rendered as a tapped T, which is that consonant that sounds like a slight D.
...not your car = The T and the following Y are connected and turn into a CH sound, like in CHEESE. So you get something like "...nocher car"

You can see more here: http://www.americanaccent.com/liaisons.html

Have fun.

CalifJim · Answer

Kooyeen...not enough = The T here is rendered as a tapped T, which is that consonant that sounds like a slight D.

Oops! Kooyeen, not at all would have been a better example! The schwa + N after a t generates unreleased t + syllabic N.

no.tNnuff is how I say it --

-- although your way (nodda-nuff) is OK too. The two are very similar.

Compare: Latin, gluten, rotten, etc.

CJ

Uni-hk · Answer

Thanks!
What about 'is the'? How does it sound?
And 'strengths'?[:^)]
How can I listen that? Have you links, where there is audioclip with text, where I can listen spoken English.

Kooyeen · Answer

Jim, I hadn't thought of that, but I think I have never noticed it. I definitely pronounce words like "mountain" or "sentence" with a glottal stop in the combination "TN" and I don't include a schwa in between, but I have never thought of leaving out a schwa at the beginning of "enough". So I say "nod a nuff".

uni-hkWhat about 'is the'? How does it sound?
And 'strengths'?

I change the way I pronounce both sounds to be able to pronounce them quickly one after the other. In the course on American pronunciation I read, the author said that in those cases TH moves toward S, and S toward TH, so that you can pronounce both of them without moving too much your mouth or tongue. They kind of blend together. I'm sorry that don't seem to be able to explain this better. It takes time though, you need to practice.

Uni-hk · Answer

uni-hkHow can I listen that? Have you links, where there is audioclip with text, where I can listen spoken English.

And what about it?

Kooyeen · Answer

Unfortunately, I don't think I have the material you want, but it depends on what kind of English you are interested in. If you are interested in British English rather than in American English, you can find a lot of free stuff on the BBC site, from exercises to pronunciation lessons.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/

EDIT: on the first page of this website ( http://www.americanaccent.com ) where you can find a lot of things about American English, there's a guy that reads out loud some sentences showing some reductions in fast informal speech. I have to say that some of those reductions sound too extreme to me to be worthy of attention. In other words, I don't think learned should try to remember then and apply them systematically. Anyway, just look around on the net, or look up that course if you are interested in American English (American Accent Training). I tried it, and there are a lot of audio files and important explanations inside.

Good luck.

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^{_{There are basically two types of linking:}}

^{consonant > vowel}

We link words ending with a consonant sound to words beginning with a vowel sound

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