40 Questions
What is the term used to describe the phenomenon where a sound is influenced by a following sound?
Direction of influence
What is the direction of influence in regressive assimilation?
Right to left
In the example white paper, what sound changes to /p/ before /p/?
/t/
Before which sounds does /t/ change to /p/ in English?
/p, b, m/
What happens to /n/ before /k, g/ in English?
/n/ changes to /ŋ/
In the example good pen, what sound changes to /b/ before /p/?
/d/
What type of assimilation is illustrated in the example ten men?
Regressive assimilation
What is the term used to describe the feature of one sound anticipated in the articulation of the preceding sound?
Leading regressive assimilation
What determines the rhythm of English speech?
Stress as well as weakenings and reductions of vowel and consonant sounds
What kind of words attract stress in English sentences?
Lexical words
What is a characteristic of syllable-timed languages?
They have a small variety of syllable types
What is the term used to describe the rhythm of syllable-timed languages?
Machine-gun rhythm
What is the result of the alternation of stressed and unstressed syllables?
Rhythm
What is a common feature of grammatical words in English sentences?
They do not carry stress
What is a characteristic of stress-timed languages?
The periodic repetition of stressed syllables
What is the definition of rhythm in speech?
The periodic repetition of a particular event during speech
What type of assimilation occurs in the phrase 'in case you need it'?
Place assimilation
What is the term for the two-way exchange of articulation features in assimilation?
Reciprocal assimilation
What type of assimilation involves a change in the place of articulation?
Place assimilation
What is the term for the assimilation that occurs when a fortis/lenis contrast is reduced?
Energy assimilation
What is the connected form of the word 'happen'?
/ˈhӕpm/
What type of assimilation occurs when more than one phoneme is affected by assimilation?
Co-occurrence of assimilation
What is the term for the type of assimilation that involves a change in the manner of articulation?
Manner assimilation
What type of assimilation occurs in the phrase 'Would you?'?
Place assimilation
What is the weak form of the word 'can' in RP English?
/kən/
Which of the following words does not have a strong and weak form in RP English?
none of the above
What is the pronunciation of the weak form of the word 'has' in RP English?
/həz/
Why do we leave gaps between words when we write?
So it is easy for the reader to process the text
What is the weak form of the word 'be' in RP English?
/bɪ/
Which of the following words has a strong form but no weak form in RP English?
none of the above
What is the pronunciation of the weak form of the word 'some' in RP English?
/səm/
What is the weak form of the word 'would' in RP English?
/wʊd/
What is the result of the change from ideal form in connected speech involving the deletion of a phoneme?
Elision
What happens to the /t/ at the end of next in rapid speech?
It is lost before day
What is the technical term for the disappearance of a phoneme?
Zero realization
What happens to the /m/ at the end of prime in rapid speech?
It is lost before minister
What type of speech is elision more likely to occur in?
Colloquial speech
What is the term for the loss of a speech segment?
Elision
What happens to sounds when they occur as part of a cluster of consonants or when identical segments occur in a sequence?
They are left out or elided
What is the nature of elision in connected speech?
Sounds disappear under certain circumstances
Study Notes
Rhythm
- Rhythm is the periodic repetition of an event during speech, determined by stress and weakenings/reductions of vowel and consonant sounds.
- There are two types of speech rhythm: stress-timed and syllable-timed.
- Stress-timed rhythm occurs in languages where the periodic repetition of stressed syllables gives rise to rhythm.
- Syllable-timed rhythm occurs in languages where syllables are repeated periodically, with each syllable taking approximately the same amount of time during speech.
Syllable-Timed Languages
- Syllable-timed languages have two main characteristics: a small variety of syllable types and no reduced vowels.
- These languages have a rhythmic beat that occurs at more or less equal time intervals during each speech event.
- Examples of syllable-timed languages include French, Spanish, Italian, and Yoruba.
Connected Speech Processes
- Connected speech processes involve changes to words and phrases when they are spoken in rapid, natural speech.
- There are three types of assimilation based on the direction of influence: leading, regressive, backward, or anticipatory assimilation; lagging or progressive assimilation; and reciprocal assimilation.
- Assimilation involves the exchange of articulation features between sounds, and can be classified based on the types of influence (place, manner, and energy/voicing).
- Examples of assimilation include:
- Leading, regressive, backward, or anticipatory assimilation: /t/ changes to /p/ before /p/, /b/, or /m/ (e.g., "white paper" becomes /waɪp ˈpepə/).
- Lagging or progressive assimilation: /n/ changes to /m/ after /p/ (e.g., "happen" becomes /ˈhӕpm/).
- Reciprocal assimilation: /n/ changes to /m/ and /j/ changes to /ʤ/ (e.g., "raise your glass" becomes /ˈreɪʒ ʒɔ: ˈglɑ:s/).
Elision
- Elision is the change from ideal form in connected speech that involves the deletion of a phoneme.
- Elision can occur in rapid speech, especially when sounds occur as part of a cluster of consonants or when identical segments occur in a sequence.
- Examples of elision include:
- Word-internal elisions: sounds may be left out or elided, especially in clusters of consonants.
- Weak forms: grammatical words may lose sounds or be reduced in rapid speech.
- Elision at word boundaries: sounds may be lost or elided at or near word boundaries.
This course focuses on rhythm, lexical and grammatical words in English speech, including stress, vowel and consonant sounds, and word types.
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