Consonant clusters with [r]

Combinations of voiceless consonants with [r]

[tr, pr, kr, str, skr, 0r, fr, 4r, sr]

In the clusters of voiceless consonants with the sonorant [r] complete of partial devoicing of the sonorant takes place – progressive assimilation affecting the work of the vocal cords. The sound [r] is completely or almost completely devoiced when it is preceded by a voiceless plosive consonant [p, t, k] in a stressed syllable: train, pride, cry.

In an unstressed position, at a word boundary or when [p, t, k] are preceded by [s] or some other fricative consonant the devoicing of [r] is partial: waitress, temperature, spread, quite right. A similar (of partial devoicing) both in stressed and unstressed syllables is produced when [r] is immediately preceded by a fricative consonant: friend, Geoffrey, shrewd, three, fruit, that’s right.

Combinations of alveolar and interdental consonants with [r]

[tr, dr, 0r, 8r]

In some of these clusters assimilation affecting the place and the manner of articulation can be observed. Thus under the influence of the post-alveolar [r] the alveolar consonants [t, d] in the clusters [tr, dr] become post-alveolar.

The clusters [tr, dr] are actually characterized by double (reciprocal) assimilation because the the sonorant [r] is modified as well: under the influence of the noise consonants [t, d] it becomes fricative, and after [t], as was mentioned above, it is also devoiced.

In the clusters [0r, 8r] the post-alveolar frictionless sound [r] is often replaced by an alveolar tap, or a flapped variety of [r]: a single brief tap is made by the tip of the tongue on the teethridge. In the cluster [0r], besides, there is partial devoicing of the sonorant [r].

Sound Drills.

1. Practice the following words and phrases observing assimilation in the consonant clusters with [r]

a)

1) Complete devoicing of [r]

rose – prose ray – pray rest – pressed robe – probe rice – price rise – prize reason – prison resident – president

rip – trip rust – trust rot – trot race – trace rye – try rain – train rifle – trifle ravelling – travelling

read – creed rack – crack rush – crush rude – crude rain – crane row – craw rhyme – crime rickety – cricket

! The clusters [br], [gr] are characterized by:

a) close coarticulation of the adjacent consonants;

b) no modifications of the sonant [r].

pretty, prove, Prague, price, prose, proud, present, practise, promise, private, problem, property, probable, president, approach, impression;

treat, trip, trend, tram, truck, trouble, true, trade, try, traffic, trousers, betray, control, attractive, electricity;

creed, crisp, crab, crept, crack, craft, crust, crawl, cross, crew, crooked, cruel, cricket, critical, crocodile, decree

2) Partial devoicing of [r]

refer – prefer

repair – prepare

reserve – preserve

ring – spring red – spread ray – spray rain – sprain rightful – sprightful

ring – string rap – strap raw – straw range – strange robbery – strawberry

ream – scream wrap – scrap ramble – scramble rub – scrub routineer – scrutineer

breach – preach brick – prick brim – prim breast – pressed broad – prod braise – praise bride – pride

greed – creed grim – cream grab – crab gram – cram grew – crew grain – crane graze – craze

rock – frock route – fruit write – fright rame – frame rose – froze rigid – frigid

rill – shrill red – shred rank – shrank rub – shrub rug – shrug rudeness – shrewdness

rash – thrash red – thread rice – thrice raw – throw wrote – throat rilling – thrilling

apron, upright, prevent, predict, prepare, prefer, pretend, pronounce, profession;

petrol, country, central, waitress, contrast, entrance, industry, translate, introduce, tremendous;

secret, concrete, bankrupt, crisscross, secretary, acrobat, cloakroom, cockroach;

spring, spread, sprawl, spray, sprain, spright;

street, string, strict, strap, stress, strength, strong, straw, struggle, strange, strike, stroke, strawberry, straightforward;

scream, screen, script, scratch, scrap, scramble, scrub, screw, scrutinize;

free, friend, frank, frost, fruit, France, frozen, afraid, fried, Friday, fricative, different;

shrill, shrimp, shrank, shred, shrug, shrub, shrewd, mushroom;

three, thrill, thread, through, throw, throat, trice;

a deep river, to jump rope, a sharp razor, ripe raspberries, just round, an interest rate, an urgent request, a light rain, quite reasonable, a thick rope, bank robbery, public relations, sarcastic remarks, a brief review, cough remedy, foolish rhymes, harsh reality, Finnish representatives, the fourth rule, press release, tax relief, to express regret, class reading, horse races