Connected Speech Processes Flashcards
What are the connected speech processes?
- Elision and Liason
- Vowel reduction
- Coarticulation
- Assimilation
- Coalescence
What is elision?
The complete omission or deletion of sounds or syllables.
Why can elision occur?
Due to historical changes (eg. “christmas”- /t/ not produced.
Give an example of elision across two words?
Next day- when said normally the /t/ is elided.
What are the two elision rules?
1) /t/ and /d/ must be preceded and followed by a consonant to be elided.
2) /t/ and /d/ must be preceded by a consonant with the same voicing.
What is Liason?
Linking sounds (adding extra sounds) between abutting word-final and word initial vowels.
What sounds are involved in liason?
Vowels
When saying “beer and wine” in an English accent what type of speech process occurs?
Liason- A liking /r/- in this accent it wouldn’t usually be said but it is in this instance due to context.
What type of speech process is involved when you say “India and China with an English accent?
Liason- intrusive /r/- but it is added in with an English accent.
What is vowel reduction?
Changes in the quality of the vowel. The idea that the unstressed vowel is weaker than the stressed vowel.
What is meant by strong and weak forms of vowels?
- /a/ becomes a schwa in “read a book”
- “o” in “of” becomes a schwa in “most of all”
What does the symbol /t/ represent?
All allophone variations of the sound /t/.
If /t/ represents all allophonic variations then what are all the other symbols for variations of /t/ called?
Allophones
What causes allophones to be different?
Context
Why does coarticulation occur?
Because we plan our speech- all about the anticipation of sounds.
Why do we anticipate sounds?
Connected speech is rapid and highly coordinated (tongue tip has 8 closures per second).
What anticipate?
Because connected speech is rapid, highly coordinated movements.
What does inertia and mass refer to?
The greater the mass, the greater the inertia, the greater the delay-> basically means the bigger it is, the slower it is.
What does inertia and mass lead to?
Coproduction and coarticulation- articulators overlap
What allophonic variations come under the heading coarticulation?
Nasalisation Retraction Labialisation Palatalisation Velarisation Devoicing
In the word [mat] the /a/ is nasalised. In the word [klos] the /s/ is labialised. What are these examples of and why do they occur?
They are examples of coarticulation and theyoccur due to a delay of the velum and lips moving.
In the word [kom] the /o/ is nasalised. In the word [ki] the /k/ is palatalised. What are these examples of and why do they occur?
They are examples of anticipation and coarticulation and they occur due to the velum moving in preparation and the tongue moving forward in preparation for the next sound.
What is coarticulation?
- When a sound can be produced in many different forms (eg. labialised).
- One sounds influences another next to it.
- Usually obligatory.
What is direction 1 of coarticulation?
- A sound becomes like a following sound.
- Anticipatory (think of word [ant]- /a/ becomes nasalised)
- right to left
- regressive
What is direction 2 of coarticulation?
- A sound becomes like a previous sound.
- Preservative
- Left to right
- Progressive
What is assimilation?
- Two successive segments become more like one another. Phonemes changing to other phonemes.
When is assimilation common or uncommon?
Slow speech- uncommon
Fast speech- common
But optional
What is direction 1 for assimilation?
A sound becomes like the following sound.
- Occurs across words
- Anticipatory, right to left, regressive
- Eg. “Is she” /z/ becomes a “j” sound.
Give examples of assimilation and state what changes?
Place of articulation: - rat bag - good pot - this shop Manner of articulation: - good morning Voicing: - with thanks - has seen
What is direction 2 of assimilation?
A sound becomes like the previous sound
- preservative, left to right, progressive
What is partial assimilation?
When a segment isn’t completely changed.
- Eg. Have to= /haf tu/
- Eg. In those- no “th” sound and /n/ becomes dental.
What is coalescence?
Sounds that combine to create another sound.
Eg. “did you”= “j” sound.
