1. English Pronunciation Practice 英语语音技巧突破
Lecture 4 Liaison and Assimilation
连读与同化

2. Liaison(or Sound-linking)
连 音

3. Liaison
In English one word is not separated from another by pausing or hesitating; the end of one word flows straight on to the beginning of the next , e.g.
first of all /'fә:st◡ әv ◡ 'ɔ:l/
some of us /'sΛm◡ әv◡ әs/
The linking of words in connected speech may be divided into the following types:

4. 1.consonant + vowel Examples: put it on /'puti'tɔn/
look at it /'lukәtit/
think of it /'θiŋkәvit /

5. 2.vowel + vowel
a) ending with an unrounded-lip sound, add a /j/ sound.
Examples:
the other /ði◡j◡'Λðә/
he is my uncle. /hi: ◡j◡ iz mai◡j◡ 'Λŋkl/
she ate some./ ʃ i: ◡j◡әt sәm/

6. b) ending with a rounded-lip sound, add a /w/ sound.
Examples: two others /'tu: ◡w◡'Λðәz/
do it /'du: ◡w◡it/
how old /'hau◡w◡'әuld/

7. 3. r-linking
3) When a word ending with “r” or “re” goes before a word beginning with a vowel sound /r/ is usually pronounced as a link.
Examples: for ages /fәr 'eiʤiz/
her own /hә:r 'әun/
share out /'ʃεә r 'aut/
far away /'fa:rә 'wei/

8. However, there are special circumstances in which a final “r” is silent even when the following word begins with a vowel.
a) When there is a /r/ in the same syllable, e.g.
a roar of laughter /ә 'rɔ : әv 'la:ftә/
a rare animal /ә 'rεә 'æniml/
nearer and nearer /'niәrә әn 'niәrә/
b) when a pause is permissible between the two words (even if no pause is actually made) .e.g.
He opened the door and walked in.
/hi: 'әupnd ðә 'dɔ: әnd 'wɔ:kt in/

9. 4) some English people link a final /ә/ or even /a:/ and /ɔ:/ to an initial vowel in the same group by inserting a /r/ sound even if there is no letter r in the spelling. The /r/ sound added in this way is called “intrusive r”. Its existence should be known but not imitated.
Examples:
China and Japan /'ʧainәr әn(d) ʤә'pæn/
drama and music /'dra:mәr әn(d) 'mju:zik/
law and order /'lɔ:r әn(d) 'ɔ:dә/
I saw a man /ai 'sɔ:r ә 'mæn/

10. Assimilation
In connected speech, sounds, under the influence of their neighbors, are replaced by other sounds. Sometimes two neighboring sounds influence each other and are replaced by a third sound which is different from both the original sounds.
This process is called assimilation.

11. 3 types of assimilation Progressive(顺同化) Regressive(逆同化)
Reciprocal, or double(相互同化)

12. Progressive
The assimilated sound is influenced by the preceding sound. For example:
What’s this? /'wɔts 'ðis/

13. Attention !
The strong voiceless consonant of a pair replaces the weak voiced consonant in the closely connected speech, but do not make it a general rule to replace the weak voiced consonant by the strong voiceless in other cases.
A voiceless plosive (爆破音) or fricative (摩擦音) is not assimilated to a voiced plosive or fricative which follows it.

14. Examples： not very /'nɔt 'veri/, not /'nɔd 'veri/
black door /'blæk 'dɔ:/, not /'blæg 'dɔ:/
this boy /'ðis 'bɔi/, not /'ðiz 'bɔi/
if they come /'if ðei 'kΛm/,
not /'iv ðei 'kΛm/

15. Regressive
The preceding sound is influenced by the one following it. For example,:
/z/ news /nju:z/
/s/ newspaper /nju:speipә/

16. Reciprocal or Double
Assimilation the neighboring sounds influence each other. For example:
/t/ /w/ twenty /twenti/

17. The usage of assimilation
Assimilation changing the work of vocal cords(声带). Examples:
/z/→ /s/
is/iz/ It’s easy./its 'i:zi/
has/hæz/ What’s happened?
/'wɔts 'hæpnd/
used/ju:zd/ I used to. /ai 'ju:st tu/

18. 2. Assimilation changing the position of the lips:
Before the bilabial sounds/m,p,b/,/n,t,d/ change to /m,p,b/ respectively. For example:
in /in/ in bed /im 'bed/
ten/ten/ ten minutes /'tem 'minits/
don’t/dәunt/don’t be late./'dәump bi 'leit/
good/gud/ good-bye/gub bai/

19. 3. Assimilation changing the place of articulation:
Before the velar sounds /k,g/, /n,t,d/ change to /ŋ,k,g/
in /iŋ/ in case /iŋ 'keis/
don’t /dәunt/ I don’t care.
/ai 'dәuŋk 'kεә/
good /gud/ good girl
/gug 'gә:l/

20. b) Before /ʃ,j/, /s,z/ change to /ʃ,ʒ / respectively.
this /ðis/ this shape /'ðiʃ'ʃeip/
this year /'ðiʃ'jiә/
has /hæz/ has she come
/'hæʒ ʃi 'kΛm/
where’s yours
/'wεәʒ 'jɔ:z/

21. c) The combinations of sounds /tj/ and /dj/ have changed into /ʧ/and/ʤ /in an unstressed syllable:
education /,eʤukei'ʃn/ not/,edjukei'ʃn/
situation /,siʧuei'ʃn/ not /,sitjuei'ʃn/
I’m glad to meet you.
/aim 'gæld tә mi:ʧu/
Did you like it? /'diʤu 'laik it/