ASPECTS OF CONNECTED

SPEECH
ASPECTS OF CONNECTED SPEECH

1. Rhythm /ˈrɪðəm/
2. Assimilation /əˌsɪməˈleɪʃn/
3. Elision /ɪˈlɪʒn/
4. Linking
 RHYTHM
A strong regular repeated pattern of sounds
or movements
 English speech is relatively rhythmical.
Stress-timed rhythm
/ˈrɪðmɪkl/ theory
The time from each stressed syllable to the
next will tend to be the same.
1. Dogs eat bones.
2. The dogs have eaten the bones.
1. Dogs eat bones.
2. The dogs have eaten the bones.
1. I’m here. - I was here. - I was in here.
2. She’s home. - She’s at home. - But she’s at
home.
3. They work. - They can work. - They were at
work.
4. We’ll see. - We shall see. - And we shall see.

Audio 6 (3.00)- Better English pronunciation

1. Will- willing – willingness
2. Wit – witness – witnesses
3. Drink – drinking – drinking it
4. Meet – meeting- meeting them

Note: The three words in each group take about

the same time to say. The unstressed syllables
after the stress must not be rushed as the one
before the stressed are. (4.34)
 Stress-timed
English rhythm theory
speech is a stressed-time language

The time from each stressed syllable to the

next will tend to be the same.
• Stress-timed language
• Syllable-timed language
 Syllable-timed language

Each syllable receives the same amount of stress

as the others in a word or in a sentence.
• E.g. Bạn đi đâu đấy?
• E.g. How are you going?
• Syllable-timed language: all of the syllables
use the same amount of time to say
• Stress-timed language: syllables lengthen and
reduce according to whether or not they are
stressed.
 Syllable-timed language

• All syllables, whether stressed or unstressed,

tend to occur at regular intervals and the time
between stressed syllables will be shorter or
longer in proportion to the number of
unstressed syllables
• Japanese, Hungarian, Spanish, Vietnamese,
Chinese are examples of syllable-timed
languages.
 Why is it important to learn about
rhythm?
If the wrong words are stressed in a sentence or
if all the words are pronounced with the same
length or loudness, the speech will be difficult to
understand.
 Foot
• A unit of rhythm
• Begins with a stressed syllable and
includes all following unstressed syllables
before another stressed syllable

FOOT
Divide the following utterances into feet
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
A | bird in the | hand is worth | two in the
| bush.
• https://youglish.com/pronounce/A%20%7C%2
0bird%20in%20the%20%7C%20hand%20is%2
0worth%20%7C%20two%20in%20the%20%7C
%20bush.%20/english?
Divide the following utterances into feet

2. Most of them have arrived on the bus.

Most of them have ar| rived on the | bus.
Divide the following utterances into feet
3. Computers consume a considerable
amount of money and time
Com | puters con | sume a con | siderable
a | mount of | money and | time
Divide the following utterances into feet
4. Did you show up in Vienna that
December?
Did you show | up in Vi|enna that
De|cember?
 What we have learnt so far
• Stressed-time language vs. syllable-time
language
• Foot – a unit of rhythm
• English as a rather rhythmical language
“English is RELATIVELY rhythmical.”

• Very rhythmically – styles of public

speech
• Arhythmically- if hesitant or nervous
 One always speaks with some degree
of rhythmicality, but the difference is in
degree
The Queen’s speech
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2klmugg
OElE&t=8s

Vietnamese speaking English

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_tk-
9onYAE&t=3s
Fill in the blanks with suitable words
• In a stressed time language, speakers try to
use the same amount of time to say
something between the ______ syllables.
• If there are three or four unstressed syllable
between the stressed syllables, the unstressed
syllables will be spoken _______so that the
speaker can keep the rhythm.
• If there are no unstressed syllable between
stressed syllable, the stressed syllables are
__________to space them equally.
• In a stressed time language, speakers try to
use the same amount of time to say
something between the stressed syllables.
• If there are three or four unstressed syllable
between the stressed syllables, the unstressed
syllables will be spoken faster so that the
speaker can keep the rhythm.
• If there are no unstressed syllable between
stressed syllable, the stressed syllables are
stretched out to space them equally.
ASPECTS OF CONNECTED SPEECH

1. Rhythm /ˈrɪðəm/
2. Assimilation /əˌsɪməˈleɪʃn/
3. Elision /ɪˈlɪʒn/
4. Linking
ASSIMILIATION
 ASSIMILATION
In linguistics, assimilation is a
common phonological process by which
one sound becomes more like a nearby
sound.
 Examples
Words How do you say these
words?
Good night /gud nait/

White piece (of /waɪtˈpiːs/

paper)
 Examples
Words Do you say? Or do you say?

Good /gud nait/ /gun nait/

night
White /waɪtˈpiːs/ /waɪpˈpiːs/
piece (of
paper)
2.2
https://edpuzzle.com/content
 ASSIMILATION (cont)
 It is more found in rapid, casual speech
and less likely in slow, careful speech.
 It can occur either within a word or
between words.
 The most common case is assimilations
of consonants.
 Assimilation of place
One sound changes the place of its
articulation to become similar to a
neighboring sound.
 Assimilation of place
• Bilabialization of alveolar
• Dentalization of alveolar
• Velarization of alveolar
 Bilabialization of alveolar
Good boy / ɡʊd bɔɪ/  /ɡʊb bɔɪ/
Hard path /ha:d pɑ:ːθ/  /ha:b pɑ:ːθ/

Rule 1: alveolar sound becomes

bilabialized if it stands before a bilabial
sound
(Bilabial sounds: /p/, /b/, /m/)
/d/ stands before bilabial consonant  /b/
 Bilabialization of alveolar
right place / rait pleis/
A. /raib pleis/ B. /raip pleis/ ?
white bird / wait bɜː:d/
A. /waib bɜːd / B. /waip bɜːd/ ?

Rule 2: / t/ stands before bilabial

consonants (/p/, /b/, /m/)  /p/
 Bilabialization of alveolar
Ten men / ten men /
A. / teb men / B. / tem men/

Rule 3: /n/ stands before

bilabial consonant- -> /m/
 Bilabialization of alveolar
• /t/ stands before bilabial consonant  /p/
• /d/ stands before bilabial consonant  /b/
• /n/ stands before bilabial consonant  /m/
 Velarization of alveolar

1. might go / mait ɡəʊ/ 

2. bad cold /bæd kəʊld/ 
3. one cup / wʌn kʌp/ 
 Velarization of alveolar

1. might go / mait ɡəʊ/  /maik ɡəʊ/

2. bad cold /bæd kəʊld/  /bæg kəʊld/
3. one cup / wʌn kʌp/ /wʌŋ kʌp/
 Velarization of alveolar

1. / t/ stands before /k/ and /g/  /k/

E.g. might go / mait ɡəʊ/  /maik ɡəʊ/
2. /d/ stands before /k/ and /g/  /g/
E.g. bad cold /bæd kəʊld/  /bæg kəʊld/
3. /n/ stands before /k/ and /g/  /ŋ/
E.g. one cup / wʌn kʌp/  /wʌŋ kʌp/
 Dentalization of alveolar
Rule: an alveolar stands before dental
consonants /θ/ and /ð/  dentalized (dental
plosive)

get there  / get ̪ ðeə/

tenth  [ten̪θ]
 Assimilation of place

• Bilabialization of alveolars
• Velarization of alveolars
• Dentalization of alveolars
 ASSIMILATION OF MANNER

Assimilation of manner is typical of the most

rapid and casual speech, in which case one
sound changes the manner of its articulation
to become similar in manner to a neighboring
sound.
Assimilation of manner - Rules
 Assimilation of manner - Rules
+ final plosive → fricative when it stands
before a fricative
Ex: good song /gud sͻη/ → /gus sͻη/
+ final plosive → nasal when it stands before
a nasal
Ex: good night /gud nait/ → /gun nait/
that night /ðæt nait/
→ / ðæn nait/
 Note
• It is unlikely that a final fricative or
nasal would become a plosive.
 ASSIMILATION OF MANNER

When a word-initial dental sound is

preceded by a word-final plosive or a nasal
sound, the dental sound becomes identical
in manner to the plosive or nasal sound but
with a dental place of articulation
(dentalization of alveolar sounds).
 Assimilation of voice
• pet + s = pets (pl.N)
/pet/ +/s/  /pets/
• love + s = loves (sing. V)
/lʌv/+ /s/  / lʌvz/
 Assimilation of voice
rob Peter /rͻb pi:tə/ → /rͻp pi:tə/
bad tongue /bæd tʌη/ → …………..
big car /big ka:/ →……………………..
 Assimilation of voice
rob Peter /rͻb pi:tə/ → /rͻp pi:tə/
bad tongue /bæd tʌη/ → /bæt tʌη/
big car /big ka:/ → /bik ka:/

1. If Cf is voiced and Ci is voiceless, the

voiced consonant often has no
voicing.
 Assimilation of voice
2. When Cf is voiceless and Ci is voiced, …?

E.g: sit down /sit daun/

black dog /blæk dͻg/
 Assimilation of voice
2. When Cf is voiceless and Ci is voiced,
there is no assimilation.

E.g: sit down /sit daun/

black dog /blæk dͻg/
 Happens to Result
Assimilation Alveolar Bilabialization
of place consonant Velarization
final Dentalization
Assimilation Plosive Plosive becomes
of manner Nasal fricative/nasal
Dental Dental becomes
plosive/nasal with a
dental place of
articulation
Assimilation Voiced Voiced devoiced
of voicing consonant
 Types of Assimilation
1. Regressive
A phoneme changes to be more like the one
that comes after it.
Ex: good bye /gud bai/ → /gubbai/
have to /hævtu/  /hæftu/
has to  /hæztu/  /hæstu/

2. Progressive
A phoneme changes to be more like the one
that comes before it.
Ex: read this: /ri:d ðis/ → /ri:ddis/
 Assimilation of voice
• pet + s = pets (pl.N)
/pet/ +/s/  /pets/
• love + s = loves (sing. V)
/lʌv/+ /s/  / lʌvz/
61
62
• Regressive assimilation
(Cf is affected by Ci)
• Progressive assimilation
i
C is affected by C f
Coalescence ( a special case)
 Coalescence ( a special case)
• Coalescent assimilation: a sequence of two
sounds coalescences and gives place to a
single new sound different from either of
original sounds.
1. /s/ + /j/ , /ʃ/ → /ʃ/
E.g. nice shoe /naɪs ʃu:/ → /naɪʃ ʃu:/
E.g. this year /ðɪs jɪə /  / ðɪʃ ʃɪə/
2. /z/ + /j/, /ʃ/ / →/Ʒ/
Ex: those years /ðəʊz jɪəz/ → /ðəʊƷ jɪəz/
rose show /rəʊz ʃəʊ/  /rəʊƷ ʃəʊ/
• In case you need it

• Has your letter come?

 /t/ + /j/ = /tʃ/
What you need. /wɒtʃu ni:d/
The ball that you
/ðətʃu: brɔ:t/
brought.
Last year /lɑ:stʃɪə/
 /d/ + /j/ = / dʒ/
Could you help
/kʊdʒu help mi:/
me?
Did you? /dɪdʒu?
 Yod coalescence
/ˌkəʊəˈlesns/

Yod is the name of the smallest letter in

the Hebrew alphabet – it stands for the
vowel /i/ or the semi-vowel /j/. In English
phonetics Yod coalescence is a form of
assimilation – it is a phenomenon which
takes place when /j/ is preceded by
certain consonants most commonly /t/
and /d/.  the most commonly met form
of coalescence
Identify places where coalescence may
occur in the following phrases

1. What you need is a good job!

You told me that you had your
2.
homework done.
3. She didn’t go to France that year.

4. Could you open the window please?

5. You’ve already had yours!

 Exercises
Exercise 1: What is the pronunciation of these words
after assimilation?
1. Should win
A. /∫ubwɪn/ B. /∫udwɪn/ C. /∫utwɪn/ D. /∫upwɪn/
2.Bad gate
A. /bækgeɪt/ B. /bædgeɪt/ C. /bæggeɪt/ D. /bætgeɪt/
3. This shop
A. /ðɪs∫ɔp/ B. /ðɪ∫sɔp/ C. ðɪ∫∫ɔp/ D. /ðɪt∫ɔp/
4. seen Bill
A. /si:bɪl/ B. /si:nbɪl/ C. /si:mbɪl/ D. /si:ɳbɪl/
 Exercises
Exercise 1: What is the pronunciation of these words
after assimilation?
1. Should win
A. /∫ubwɪn/ B. /∫udwɪn/ C. /∫utwɪn/ D. /∫upwɪn/
2.Bad gate
A. /bækgeɪt/ B. /bædgeɪt/ C. /bæggeɪt/ D. /bætgeɪt/
3. This shop
A. /ðɪs∫ɔp/ B. /ðɪ∫sɔp/ C. ðɪ∫∫ɔp/ D. /ðɪt∫ɔp/
4. seen Bill
A. /si:bɪl/ B. /si:nbɪl/ C. /si:mbɪl/ D. /si:ɳbɪl/
 Exercise 2
Find out the rules of assimilation in these
sentences
1.He’s a rather fat boy.
2.He is a very good boy.
3.There are ten men in the class.
4.Can you see that girl over there?
ELISION
Elision is the omission
(disappearance) of certain sounds
in certain contexts.
 The most common case
1. Alveolar consonants /t/ and /d/ are
omitted when ‘sandwiched’ between
two consonants
The next day….
The last car…
Hold the dog!
Send Frank a card.
 Other cases of elision
2. Loss of weak vowel after /p/, /t/,
and /k/:
E.g. potato, tomato, perhaps
3. Weak vowel + /n/,/l/,/r/ = syllabic
/n /,/ l/ or / r /
E.g. tonight, police, correct
 Cases of elision (cont)
4. Avoidance of complex consonant clusters:
“George the Sixth´s throne”
/sɪksθs θrəʊn/
5. Cluster of two plosives + a fricative/
cluster of 3 plosives : the middle plosive
disappears
acts, looked back, scripts
6. Loss of final /v/ in of before consonants:
lots of them, waste of money
Elision is the omission
(disappearance) of certain sounds
in certain contexts.
 Linking/ Liaison
e.g. First of all some of us

fɜːst əv ɔːl sʌm əv əs

 Types of liaison:
1. Consonant + vowel
e.g. take it my name is
half an hour
a place of interest
sit in the open air
pick up an orange

The final consonant of the preceding word is

united to the initial vowel of the next word
in the same sense group.
 Practice
Hold on •Call him
Turn over •Sell it
Tell her I miss her •Take out
Read only •Fade away
Fall off •6-0
Follow up on •MA
Come in
2. –r or –re + vowel (linking r)
When a word ending with the letter “-r”
or “-re” is followed by a word beginning
with a vowel, a sound of /r/ is usually
inserted in the pronunciation (BrE).
E.g.
after all over and over again
 a roar of laughter
a rare animal
He opened the door and walked
in.
However, there are special circumstances in which
a final “r ” is silent even when the following word
begins with a vowel.
1- When there is an /r/ in the same syllable
E.g. a roar of laughter , a rare animal , nearer and
nearer.
2- When a pause is permissible between the two
words (even if no pause is actually made.)
E.g. He opened the door and walked in.
 Types of liaison
3. Vowel + vowel
Saw us
Law and order
Be able
Go away
 Types of liaison
3. Vowel + vowel
Saw us /sɔːr əs/
Law and order /lɔːr ən ˈɔːdə/
Be able / bijeibl/
Go away /ɡəʊwəˈweɪ/
 Intrusive-R
After /-ə/; /ɑː/; /ɔː/

saw us
/sɔː(r) əs/
law and order
/lɔː(r) ən ˈɔːdə/
a spa in France
/spɑː(r) ɪn/
 Intrusive /j/

After /i:/ or /ɪ/

seeing /ˈsi:(j)ɪŋ/
staying / stei(j)ɪŋ/
Be able / bi(j)eibl/
 Intrusive “w”
After high back vowels /u:/, /ʊ/

E.g. doing /ˈdu(w)ɪŋ/

go away /ɡəʊ(w)əˈweɪ/
 Liaison
This phenomena is optional and must be
indicated in transcription by round
brackets.
• saw us
• /sɔː(r) əs/
• law and order
• /lɔː(r) ən ˈɔːdə/
Colloquial Reductions and Liaisons
 Hello,/ my name is Ann .//I’m taking American
Accent Training./There’s a lot to learn/ but I hope to
make it/ as enjoyable as possible.//
I should pick up on the American intonation pattern
pretty easily.// Although the only way to get it/ is to
practice all of the time.// I use the up and down/ or
peaks and valleys intonation more than I used to.//
I’ve been paying attention to pitch too./ It’s like
walking down a staircase./ I’ve been talking to a lot
of Americans lately,/ and they tell me/ that I’m
easier to understand.// Anyway,/ I could go on and
on/ but the important thing is/ to listen well and
sound good.// Well,/ what do you think?/ Do I?
ASPECTS OF CONNECTED SPEECH

1. Rhythm /ˈrɪðəm/
2. Assimilation /əˌsɪməˈleɪʃn/
3. Elision /ɪˈlɪʒn/
4. Linking
ASSIMILATION OF PLACE
• https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/5ec103fe5f58
1f001b205f3f/regressive-assimilation-and-
coalescence

• https://youglish.com/pronounce/decades%20
ahead%20of%20scientific%20projections%20/
english?
• https://youglish.com/pronounce/I%27m%20n
ot%20asking%20what%20you%20gonna%20d
o/english?
99
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EV3DKP
o-4U