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

1. The syllabic structure of English

2. Principal theories of syllable formation and division

3. Functional characteristics of syllables

To be hyphenated

Expiration – выдох

Expiratory – выдыхательный

Utterance – высказывание

Boundary – граница

Boarder line – на границе

To coincide – совпадать

Approach – подход

Properties – свойства

Peak – вершина

Prominence – выделение

Inherent – врожденный

Sonorant – сонорный согласный

'Sonorous – звонкий

To decrease – уменьшать

The syllable is not a simple concept. It’s a complicated phenomenon, because no phoneticians have succeeded so far in giving an exhaustive explanation of what the syllable is. The problem of the syllable is still an open question in Phonetics.

The syllable as a unit is difficult to define. The difficulties seem to arise from the way different linguists treat (трактуют) this phenomenon. There exist many points of view:

1. Some linguists consider the syllable to be a purely articulatory unit which lacks functional value. This point of view is defended on the grounds (на том основании) that the boundaries of the syllable denote always coincide with those of the morphemes.

2. But the majority - treat it as the smallest pronounceable unit which can be reveal (раскрывать) some linguistic functions.

3. The syllable is one or more speech sounds forming a single uninterrupted unit of utterance which may be a word or a subdivision of a word. It can be a part of a grammatical form. (lat-er)

Normally the syllable can be analyzed from the acoustic and the auditory, articulatory and functional points of view. It can be treated in terms of its graphic representation. Acoustically and auditory is characterized by the force of utterance (accent), pitch of the voice, sonority and length. From the auditory point of view it’s the smallest unit of perception. The articulatory energy which constitutes the syllables results from the combined action of the power, vibration, resonator and obstructer mechanisms.

Phonologically it’s regarded and defined in terms of its functional properties. In English the syllable can be phones by a “V”, by a “V” and a “C”, also by “CS”. There is a differentiation of types of syllabic structures. The peak (crest) of the syllable is formed by a “V” or a “S” (sonorant). The “C” which precede the peak and follow it are called slopes.

Russian types:

1. V-type (fully open)

2. CVC -type (fully closed)

3. CV-type ((initially covered)

4. VC-type (finally covered)

Vowels [, e, , a, , ] & [ei, ai, a, , i] constitute the peak prominence (teacher, city) [, I, ] occur as a rule in unaccented syllable.

[] never begins the syllable

[w] never terminates the syllable

[w, r, j] – the sonorant’s function as consonants because they occur only before vowels (with, yes, write…)

The patterns of syllables formed by “S” with a preceding consonant (CS-types) are similar to VC-type. Actually syllable forming sonorant in the combination of the CS-type are terminal [m,n,l]

People \Able \Taken \Written \Eagle \Fortune \Often \Listen \Season

Russian terminal “S” do not form syllables with consonants which precede them. However, in special cases they may become syllabic. (for the purpose of rhythm in poetry)

Во-пить, рубль, вихрь

The structure of the Russian syllable is characterized by more complex and numerous initial (начальные) clusters. No similar combination in English.