1. What English words may have strong and weak forms?
2. When are strong and weak forms used? Give examples.
3. Transcribe the following sentences marking stresses and tunes. Read the sentences and comment on the use of strong and weak forms:
1). He told his son to wait for him.
2). What do you generally do in the evening?
3). I can do it as well. Can you write it yourself? Yes, I can.
4). Who are you waiting for?
5). We have an elder brother. He has left for the Urals at present.
Progress Text 2
When you hear one of these words or sounds, say which number it is.
1 2 3 4 5
: u u: :
Polly Paul pull pool Peal
folly fall full fool furl
cod cord could cooed curd
what ward would wooed word
Unit 12
Section 1
Make a careful study of the text below and pick out the terms related to phonetics.
Diphthongs
As it was stated earlier, all English vowels are divided into 3 groups: monophthongs, diphthongs and diphthongoids.
Diphthongs consist of two clearly perceptible elements. The starting point, the nucleus, is strong and distinct. The second element (the glide), to which the organs of speech move smoothly, is much weaker. From the point of view of length, the diphthongs are like long vowels; but the first part of a diphthong is much longer than the second one, which is quite short and rapid.
There are eight diphthongs in English, Depending on the tongue movement they are usually grouped into three types. The first group ends with a glide towards the [∂] vowel in the centre of the mouth, and are called centring diphthongs. The remainder end with a glide towards a higher position in the mouth (in the direction of an [ı] or [u] quality), and are called closing diphthongs.
The diagram below also shows the two types of triphthongs, formed by adding a central glide to the closing diphthongs.
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ending in [∂] ending in [ı] ending in [u]
ı ∂ ε∂ u∂ eı aı ı ∂u au
here air sure they cry toy so how
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+∂ +∂
eı ∂ aı ∂ ı ∂ ı ∂ au∂
player fire royal lower flower
One should remember that the Russian sound system has no diphthongs, but it comprises several sound combinations, which resemble the English diphthongs in some degree (cf. lay , my ; boy ; show oy; how ; peer ; care ; poor ).
When pronouncing the English diphthongs the learner must not confuse them with the abovementioned Russian combinations. To avoid making phonetic mistakes it is recommended to keep to the English articulatory basis.
Section 2
[ eı ]
(the nucleus is front, mid (narrow variant), unrounded)
I. Observe the position of the lips and the tongue for the sound [eı ]. Read the
Words in the columns. Make the glide very smooth. Pay attention to the
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