Strong and Weak Pronunciation: Phonetics Quiz and Flashcards

Study Notes

Strong forms are the fully articulated, phonetically complete versions of words used when a word receives stress or emphasis in a sentence.
In strong forms, vowels are pronounced with their full length and clarity.
Example: The word "have" in its strong form /hæv/ would be pronounced fully and clearly in a sentence like "I have a book."
Weak forms are reduced, unstressed, or simplified versions of words that occur when the word is not emphasized in a sentence.
Weak forms often involve the reduction or deletion of vowel sounds, resulting in a less distinct pronunciation.
Example: The word "have" in its weak form /həv/ would be pronounced with a reduced vowel sound, almost like "huhv," in a sentence like "I have been there before."

Linking is a phonological process that creates smooth transitions between words in connected speech by linking consonant and vowel sounds.
Linking helps to create smooth transitions between words and maintain the flow of speech, especially in connected speech or fluent speech production.

Consonant-to-vowel linking occurs when the final consonant sound of one word is directly followed by the initial vowel sound of the next word, with no interruption in airflow.
Example: In the phrase “Book on accounting,” the final consonant sound of “book” is linked to the initial vowel sound of “on.”

Consonant-to-consonant linking occurs when the final consonant sound of one word is linked to the initial consonant sound of the following word, creating a seamless connection between the two words.
Example: In the phrase "next time," the final /k/ sound in "next" is linked to the initial /t/ sound in "time," resulting in a linked pronunciation like "nekstime."

Vowel-to-vowel linking occurs when the final vowel sound of one word is connected to the initial vowel sound of the following word, often resulting in the elision of a word boundary and the creation of a glide or diphthong.
Example: In the phrase "free apple," the final /i/ sound in "free" is linked to the initial /æ/ sound in "apple," resulting in a linked pronunciation like "freeapple."

Linking is a natural feature of connected speech in many languages and contributes to the fluidity and coherence of spoken language.
Linking allows speakers to produce speech more efficiently and facilitates smoother communication in everyday conversations.