Stages of the complete articulation of a speech

Stages of the complete articulation of a speech sound 1. The on-glide stage 2. The hold stage 3. The off-glide stage

Assimilation a process of alteration of speech sounds as a result of which one of the sounds becomes fully or partially similar to the adjoining sound

Progressive assimilation suffix -s pens /penz/ sandwich - /ˈsænwɪʤ/ desks /desks/

Regressive assimilation width in them alveolar d and n become dental before the interdental θ

Reciprocal (double) assimilation two adjacent sounds influence each other twice /t/ is rounded under the influence of /w/ is partly devoiced under the influence of the voiceless /t/

Complete assimilation – two adjoining sounds become alike or merge into one cupboard less shy /ˈkʌbəd/ /ˈleʃʃaɪ/

Incomplete assimilation – the likeness of the adjoining sounds is partial as the assimilated sound retains its major articulatory features

Historical assimilation ort + yard → orchard /ˈɔ: tjəd/ → /ˈɔ: ʧəd/ /sj/ → /ʃ/ /zj/ → /ʒ/ /ˈpresjə/ → /ˈpreʃə/ /ˈmezjə/ → /ˈmeʒə/

Living assimilation let you out /ˌletjuˈaʊt/ → /ˌleʧuˈaʊt/ ten minutes /ˈtenˈmɪnɪts/ → /ˈtemˈmɪnɪts/ ten girls /ˈtenˈɡɜ: lz/ → /ˈteŋˈɡɜ: lz/

Modification of the place of obstruction and the active organ of speech • The alveolar allophones of [t, d, n, l, s, z] are replaced by the dental variants when immediately followed by the interdental /ð, θ/

Modification of the place of obstruction and the active organ of speech • The post-alveolar [t, d] are herd before the post-alveolar [r]

Modification of the place of obstruction and the active organ of speech • The bilabial nasal [m] or the alveolar nasal [n] become labio -dental under the influence of immediately following labiodental fricatives [f, v]

Changes in the work of the vocal cords Progressive voicing/devoicing is common in English but is very rare in Russian Regressive voicing/devoicing In English is found only in a few cases of historical assimilation

Progressive voicing/devoicing The sonorants [m, n, l, w, r, j] are partially devoiced when preceded by voiceless consonants [s, p, t, k, f, θ, ʃ] [m] - small [n] - sneer [l] - slow, place, climb, fly [j] - stupid, tune, pure, few

Progressive voicing/devoicing • Contracted forms of the verbs "is" and "has“ • the possessive suffix -'s or -s’ • the plural suffix (e)s of nouns and of the third person singular present indefinite of verbs • the suffix -ed of regular verbs

Regressive voicing/devoicing cases of historical assimilation within a compound word when the semantic independence of the first component is lost five pence [ˈfaɪfpens], five [faɪv] gooseberry ['ɡu: zbəri], goose [ɡu: s]

Regressive voicing/devoicing in closely connected pairs of words I have to [aɪ ˈhæftu] I used to [aɪ ˈju: sttu] with thanks [wɪθˈθæŋks]

Regressive voicing/devoicing • final voiced plosives are not fully devoiced under the influence of the immediately following voiceless consonants good chap ['ɡʊd 'ʧæp] • word final voiceless consonants are not voiced under the influence of the immediately following voiced consonants white dress ['waɪt 'dres]

Changes in the Lip Position Consonants followed by the sonorant [w] become lip-rounded in anticipation of [w] twinkle, quite, swan

Changes in the Position of the Soft Palate This type of assimilation is not typical of English. Sometimes [d] changes into [n] under the influence of the preceding [n] handsome ['hændsəm > 'hænnsəm > 'hænsm]

Changes in the Manner of the Release of Plosive Consonants • Incomplete plosion bookcase went down • Nasal plosion submarine escape noisily • Lateral plosion candle

Accommodation (Adaptation) a consonant is modified under the influence of an adjacent vowel or viceversa • slight degree of nasalization of vowels preceded or followed by nasal sonorants (never, man); • positional length of vowels (knee – need – neat) • labialization in English (no lip protrusion) and Russian involves the lip rounding (Paul – Пол, tool – Тула, pull – пуля, cool – куль)

ELISION one of the neighbouring sounds is not realized in rapid or careless speech Historical Elision The reduction of some consonant clusters was established long ago write, know soften, fasten lamb, comb

ELISION Contemporary Elision Сases of recent formation of the elided forms typical only of rapid colloquial speech mashed potatoes ['mæʃ pə'teɪtəʊz] next day ['neks 'deɪ] strict teacher ['strɪk 'ti: ʧə] Tell him he is wanted [ˈtel ɪm ɪz ˈwɒntɪd]

Vowel Reduction Qualitative Quantitative [mæn - ˈspɔ: tsmən] [ˈfɔ: ˌkɑ‧st - ˌfɔ‧ˈkɑ: st]