the_theory_of_phonetics_lectures

7. The vowel [э] can only occur in unstressed position

8 Short vowels are checked, that means that they occur in stressed closed syllables. None of them can appear in an open syllable when under stress. Each stressed syllable with a checked short vowel is closed by a consonant.

English vowels in connected speech when unstressed change their quality or even fall out. This phenomenon is called reduction. Depending on the character of the change reduction may be quantitative and qualitative.

By quantitative reduction we mean different degrees of length of stressed and unstressed vowels. We should mention that there is no purely qualitative reduction, because the change in the quality of the sound is generally accompanied by change in quantity Thus, quantitative-qualitative reduction occurs in reduced forms of form words It may be partial and complete In case of partial reduction sounds are changed to some degree. In case of complete reduction a sound falls out. For example pencil, cotton

Partial reduction occurs in Ukrainian too, while there is no complete reduction in it Vowel reduction is most typical of English, though consonant reduction is more characteristic of the Ukrainian language.

English is a language in which vowels of more or less full formation occur "not only in stressed but also in unstressed position. This peculiarity of English forms a definite system, called the system of unstressed vocalism. The core of the unstressed vocalism in English is formed by the neutral vowel []. which has several allophones. Our next point should be made in connection with defining the phonemic status of the neutral sound [ ].

The neutral vowel [ ] in English has its independent phonemic status which is proved by numerous minimal pairs in which the neutral vowel is opposed to other unstressed vowels temper – tempo, army -armour. Practically any English vowel of full formation in a stressed position may alternate with the neutral vowel.

In the process of speech, that is in the process of transition from the articulation of one sound to the articulation of the neighbouring one, vowels like consonants are subject to contextual effects in which they may partially assimilate features of neighbouring sounds. Vowels may be lengthened, shortened, raised, lowered, fronted, backed, simplified or lost in certain phonological contexts. They may also precipitate (викликати) various changes in the consonants with which they coarticulate. There are the following types of sound- modifications: CC, CV and VC connections.

As a result of the intercourse between consonants and vowels there appear such processes of connected speech as assimilation, accommodation, insertion, vowel reduction and elision.

The elision is a very common process in connected speech, we can occasionally come across sounds being inserted. When a word ends in a vowel and is followed by another word beginning with a vowel, the so-called intrusive "r" is sometimes pronounced between the vowels

The linking V is the most common example of insertion. Other cases of insertion are the appearance of the sonorants:

[w] after the diphthongs [ou]: going, showing, allowing, bowing;

[j] after the diphthongs [ai ei]: dying, buying, neighing, saying

The adaptive modification of a consonant by a neighbouring consonant in the speech chain is known as assimilation. Consonants a-e modified according to the place and manner of articulation and acceding to the work of the vocal cords and the force of exhalation

According to the place of articulation:

- alveolar [t, d, n] become dental under the influence of the interdental [0,o]: at the. breadth, seventh

- alveolar [t, d] become post alveolar under the influence of the post alveolar [r]: tree, dream, alveolar [s z] become palato-alveolar [']: horseshoe, does she:

- alveolar [t d] become affricates under the influence of the mediolingual: did you, could you, congratulate;

- bilabial [m] becomes labio-dental in symphony;

- alveolar [n] becomes palato-alveolar before the affricate [n], velar (задньопіднебінний) before the backlingual [kg] thank, ungrateful.

The voicing value of a consonant may be changed as a result of the assimilation affecting the work of the vocal cords. For example, voiced [z] becomes devoiced under the influence of the voiceless [p] newspaper and vice versa voiceless [s] bесоmes voiced under the influence of voiced [b] gooseberry.

Even English sonorants become partially devoiced when preceded by voiceless consonants [p, t, k, s]: try, queen, place, small, snake, prime, twice.

The term accommodation is used to denote the interchanges of VC or VC types,

- for instance some slight degree of nasalization of vowels preceded or followed by nasal sonorants: never, men

- labialisation of consonants is traced under the influence of the neighbouring back vowels cool, pool, mood, rule, sooth, whose We can also mention the spread lip position of consonants followed or preceded by front vowels [I I ] key-leak. sit-miss.

1. Aspiration is one of the features which are peculiar to VC transition in English. Aspiration means that there is a little puff of breath i.e. a slight [h] soun just after the consonants. It is observed in the pronunciation of the initial [p, t, k] followed by a stressed vowel, and it is stronger if [p, t, k] are followed by a long vowel. Pete - pit. There is no aspiration when [p, t, k] are followed by [s]

2. Palatalization is another peculiar feature of transition in English It is adaptation of dental or velar [n] consonants to the high front vowels [i, i:] or the sound [j] Thus in "key" [k] is slightly palatalized.

3. Labialization - the assimilation of a consonant to the following rounded vowel or the sonant [w]: cool, twenty.

4. Nasal plosion - the combination of a plosive [b, p, d, t, g, k] and a nasal sonant [m, n, n].

5. Lateral plosion [b, p, d, t, g, k] plus [l]. For example: little

6. Loss of plosion - a CC combination in which the first consonant, loses its plosion: a good day, worked, helped

7. Voicing and devoicing are CC and VC articulatory transitions: cry. try twice, queen

8 Dental assimilation - another case of CC transition. [t, m, n] plus [0, o]. F. ex.: tenth