Section 1
Make a careful study of the text below and pick out the terms related to phonetics.
Modification of Vowels in Connected Speech. Reduction
It is known that both vowels and consonants are very seldom said in isolation. They combine into words, and words combine into phrases and sentences. Isolated phonemes retain all their qualities. But in connected speech they are modified and undergo some changes. Certain segments have a tendency to run together; extra segments may be added to ensure smoothness of speech; some segments adopt a less clearly defined phonetic form; and some completely disappear.
In English – as well as in Russian – vowels in unstressed syllables are usually reduced, i.e. lose certain qualities in some degree. However, the laws of reduction in these languages are not the same. In the Russian language the farther the unstressed syllable is away from the stressed one, the weaker it is: e.g. молоко [мълΛкÓ]. In English the reduced form of almost any vowel or diphthong in the unstressed position is represented by [ə], [ı] or [u]. The vowels a, o, u are usually reduced to [ ә ], e, i, y – to [ı ].
Reduction is a historical process of weakening, shortening or disappearance of vowel sounds in unstressed position.
Here are the examples, which show how the shift of stress may result in reducing unstressed vowels.
combine [`kɔmbaın] – combine [kəm`baın]
project [`prɔdӡəkt] – project [[prə`dӡekt]
Three different types of reduction may be noticed in English:
1) quantitative (shortening of the vowel length): [hi:] – [hi. ] - [hi],
2) qualitative (weakening of a vowel): but [bət], should [∫əd], can [kən],
3) zero (= elision) (disappearance of a vowel sound):
I’m [aım], he’s [hız], shan’t [∫α:nt], can [kn].
Non-reduced unstressed sounds are often retained in: 1) compound words
(e.g. blackboard, airport); 2) borrowings from French and other languages (e.g. architect, kolkhoz, photograph); 3) the words with final unstressed “o”, which is never reduced (e.g. sambo [`sæmbəu], solo [`səuləu], radio [`reıdıəu]);
The following recommendations may be given to Russian learners, as far as reduction is concerned:
- make reduced vowels very weak,
- never concentrate on their pronunciation;
- look up unknown words in the dictionary to find out the correct pronunciation.
Section 2
[ з:]
(central, mid (narrow variant), unrounded, long)
I. Observe the position of the lips and the tongue for the sound [з:]. Read the
words in the columns. Pay attention to the positional length of [з:].
sir serve surf [ - з: ]four - fir
fir firm first torn - turn
her heard hurt warm - worm
burr bird burst ward - word
blurr term learn walk - work
purr purred pert board - bird
err earn irk short - shirt
II. Read the sentences. Follow the tonetic marks.
1. Certainly, sir. Да, сэр.
2. I’ve overheard the word. Я нечаянно услышал это слово.
3. I’ll turn in early. Я рано лягу спать.
4. A worm will turn. Самый смирный возмутиться.
5. Repeat the verse word for word. Повторите стихотворение дословно.
6. The work will serve no purpose. Это бесполезная работа.
7. My girl has her bursts of work. У моей дочери бывают приливы
энергии.
8. Birdie’s the observed of all observes. Бэрди – центр внимания.
9. Ernest is determined to learn German. Эрнест хочет заняться немецким
языком.
10. Under the circumstances Dirk При сложившихся обстоятельствах
preferred to earn his living. Дирк предпочел сам зарабатывать
себе на жизнь.
III. Match the following English idioms, proverbs and sayings with their Russian
equivalents. Make up situations to illustrate their usage.
1. First come first served. a. замолвить словечко
2. It’s an early bird that catches the worm. b. Кто рано встает, тому бог дает.
3. The workman is known by his work. c. Услуга за услугу
4. put in a (good) word d. тут же, экспромтом
5. on the spur of the moment e. Первому гостю – первое место.
6. One good term deserves another. f. войти в курс дела
7. to learn the ropes g. мчаться во весь опор / гнать
машину
8. burn the earth h. дело мастера боится
IV. Observe the correct pronunciation of the rhythmic groups and the vowel [з:].
The 'nurse told nursery tales. | 'Nightly the 'nurse told nursery tales. | 'Nightly the 'nurse told 'nursery tales about gnomes. | 'Nightly the 'nurse told 'nursery tales about 'gnomes to the `twins. ||
V. Pronounce the tongue twister in the quickest possible way. Observe the correct
articulation of [з:].
An earl gave Pearl a fur and a circlet of pearls for her thirty-first birthday.
Section 3
I. Test. Tick the words you recognize in the sentences you hear.
1. a) bed; b) bud; c) bird
2. a) Ben’s; b) buns; c) burns
3. a) ward; b) word
4. a) walk; b) work
5. a) short; b) shirt
6. a) or; b) er
II. Listen to the dialogue and learn it by heart.
The Worst Nurse
Sir Herbert: Nurse!
Colonel Burton: Nurse! I’m thirsty!
Sir Herbert: Nurse! My head hurts!
Colonel Burton: NURSE!
Sir Herbert: Curse these nurses!
Colonel Burton: Nurse Sherman always wears such dirty shirts.
Sir Herbert: And such short skirts.
Colonel Burton: She never arrives at work early.
Sir Herbert: She and … er … Nurse Turner weren’t at work on Thursday,
were they?
Colonel Burton: No, they weren’t.
Sir Herbert: Nurse Sherman is the worst nurse in the ward, isn’t she?
Colonel Burton: No, she isn’t. She’s the worst nurse in the world!
