1. The initial (начальная) [w,k,g] may be dropped

Write

Know

Gnat

Knit

2. The medial sounds are dropped [t,d] in a cluster of three consonants

Listen – [lisn]

Often – [fn]

Wednesday

3. The final [b] is dropped in the cluster [mb]

Lamb – [lm]

Dump – [dm]

In the present day English the reduction of clusters continuous to take place.

Last time – [lα:stαim]

Mashed potatoes – [mpoteits]

Next day – [neksdei]

Old man – [l mn]

The alveolar sound of the negative form “-nt” is often reduced before a consonant.

You mustn’t do – [msn du:]

The reduction of consonant clusters is also typical in the Russian language.

Сердце

Солнце

Поздно

Чувствовать

Vowel reduction is a historical process of weakening, shortening, disappearance of vowel sounds in unstressed position. In English vowels in unstressed syllables are normally reduced.

The phonetic phenomenon as well as assimilation closely connected with the general development of the language system. Reduction reflects the process of lexical and grammatical changes.

Modifications of vowels in a flow speech are determined by a number of factors such as: the position of the vowel, accentual structure, tempo of speech, rhythm, etc.

The neutral sound represents the reduces form of almost any vowel in the unstressed position.

Combine – [kmbαin] – noun

To combine – [km bαin] – verb

We see the vowel sounds of the two related words are in contrast because of different stress positions, so reduction is realized:

• In unstressed syllables within the words

• In unstressed form words (служебные), auxiliary (вспомогательные) modal verbs, personal and possessive pronouns within intonation groups and phrases.

I can [kən] do it.

Can [kn] you do it?

There are 3 types of reduction:

1. Quantitative reduction – shortening of a vowel sound in an unstressed position. It affects mainly long vowels.

He [hi: - hi -hı] (I know that he will do it)

See [si: - si – sı]

He [hi:] did it!

He [hi] will do it.

2. Qualitative reduction – one vowel in unstressed position turns into another one.

[ – ə]

Vowels in unstressed position (form words and notional words) undergo both quantitative and qualitative.

To [tu: - tu – tə] (I want to tell you)

3. Elision of vowels – in an unstressed position.

I am ready [ai əm redi] – [aim redi]

Remarkable phenomenon, while elision is a very common process in connected speech, we also find sound being inserted (intrusive – навязчивая [r]), which is sometimes pronounced between the vowels.

Asia_and Africa

The idea_of it

In compound words there is no reduction.

Accommodation – is an adaptation of vowels to different adjacent sounds; the modification in the articulation of a vowel under the influence of an adjacent consonant or vice-versa. The accommodated sound doesn’t change its main phonetic features and is pronounced as a variant (allophone) of the same phoneme, but slightly modified under the influence of the neighbouring sound.

3 types of accommodation:

1. When an unrounded variant of the consonant is replaced by its rounded one under the influence of the following vowel “u”.

Too [tu:], [t] is a bit labialized

m [mu:n]

So here we can speak of the labialization of the preceding vowels

[], [u:] – in Russian – больно, поздно, лучше, конь, думать

2. A fully-back variant of a back vowel is replaced by slightly advanced variant under the influence of the preceding [j] sound.

Booty [bu:ti] – beauty [bju”ti]

Moon [mu:n] – music [mju:zik]

3. When a vowel becomes more open under the influence of the dark [] sound.

Pen [pen], net [net]

BUT

Bell [b], tell [t], sell [s]

As a result of the mutual interaction of speech sounds in connected speech there are a number of phonetic processes such as assimilation, elision, vowel reduction and accommodation. And in our speech we should mind today certainly.

Syllable