Articulatory Transitions

In the process of speech, that is in the process of transition from the articulatory

work of one sound to the articulatory work of the neighbouring one, sounds are modified. The adaptation of the articulatory work of the two neighboring sounds may result in assimilation. Assimilation may be not only contact, but also distant when distant sounds are effected. On the phonological level the sounds modified in the process of assimilation are analyzed as positional phonemes.

Present day assimilation can be subdivided into partial and complete. Complete assimilation is similarity of the two sounds, e.g. cupboard [ˈkʌbəd]. In this word the sound [p] is completely assimilated to [b]. Partial assimilation is characterized by partial similarity of one sound to the other. It can be subdivided into a) progressive, b) regressive, c) reciprocal.

Assimilation is progressive when the first of the two sounds affected by assimilation makes the second sound similar to itself, e.g. in desks, pens the sounds [k] and [n] make the plural inflection [s] similar to themselves: voiceless in [desks] and voiced in [penz].

Assimilation is regressive when the assimilated sound precedes the conditioning one, e.g., in the combination in the [n] becomes dental [ð].

Assimilation is reciprocal when both sounds are equally effected by assimilation, e.g., in twice [t] is rounded under the influence of [w] and the latter in its turn becomes partly devoiced under the influence of voiceless [t].

To make the mechanism of articulatory transition clear it should be viewed in detail in terms of the articulatory work of the speech producing mechanism. Each sound pronounced in isolation has three stages in its articulation (fig.l).

During the first stage the organs of speech move to the position which is necessary to pronounce the sound. It is called differently by different authors: initial, on-glide, excursion.

During the second stage the organs of speech are kept for some time in the position necessary to pronounce the sound. This stage is called medial, stop-stage, retention stage, the hold.

During the third stage the organs of speech move away to the neutral position. This stage is called final, off-glide, recursion, release.

There are two ways of merging the sounds: 1) the merging of stages – when the final stage of the first sound merges with the initial stage of the second sound, and 2) interpenetration of stages – when the medial stage of the second sound "penetrates" into the medial stage of the first sound.

The merging of stages usually takes place when sounds of different nature are joined together.

Figure 1 represents graphically three stages of a sound articulation: Al – initial stage, A2 – medial stage, A3 – final stage. Merging of stages in terms mentioned above can be represented graphically (fig.2) where Bl, B2, B3 are the three stages of the following sound, as e.g. in the word law the two sounds [l] and [ɔ:] are joined by way of merging their stages.

Interpenetration of stages takes place when sounds of a similar or identical nature are joined together. In terms mentioned above interpenetration of stages will be represented graphically in the following way:

For example, in the word bottle the sounds [t] and [l] are joined interpenetrating their stages. It happens in the following way: at the moment of the hold of [t], that is, during its medial stage, when the tip of the tongue is pressed against the teeth ridge, the sides of the tongue are lowered, letting the air pass through this narrow air passage, the lateral position is the second, medial stage of the [l] articulation. At this moment the vocal cords vibrate and the air passes through the pharynx and the mouth cavity along the lateral passages producing the dark allophone [l] of the [l] phoneme.

After the hold of [l] is accomplished the final stage of [l] begins, that is, the tongue position and the vocal cords stop to vibrate. Graphically it works like this:

The articulatory peculiarity of the [t] to [l] transition results in the loss of plosion in the [t] production.

This way of the [t] to [l] transition is called lateral plosion.

Articulatory transitions may be different in the English and in the Russian languages, from the point of view of the timing of the work of the power, vibrator, resonator and obstructor mechanisms.