Лекция: Alterations

These changes are based on practically similar mouth articulations which are the result of assimilatory tendencies, usually regressive. They involve changes of the place of articulation of a preceding consonant. They are characteristic of very rapid speech. Though such changes are normal in colloquial speech, native speakers are usually unaware that they are made.

Final alveolar consonants /t, d, n, s, z/ readily assimilate to the place of articulation of the following word-initial consonant. /t, d, n/ are replaced by /p, b, m/ if they precede them (right place /raIp pleIs/, good boy /gVb bOI/, ten boxes /tem bPksIz/); and they are replaced by /k, g, N/ if the alveolar consonants stand before them (white coat /waIk kqVt/, good girl /gVg gE:l/, one cup /wAN kAp/). /s, z/ are replaced by /S, Z/ if they are found before consonants containing a palatal feature (consonants for the articulation of which we use the hard palate, e.g. /S, C, G, j/). For example: this year /DIS jIq/, those shops /DqVZ SPps/, etc.

When alveolar consonants /t, d, n/ are close in clusters which can undergo assimilation, all (or none) of them will be altered (don’t be late /dqVmp bi leIt/).

There is such a process that is called yod coalescence. This is the process which leads or has led to /t, d, s, z/ + /j/ giving /C, G, S, Z/ in a word (nature, mission) or at a word boundary (would you /'wVGV/, do you /GV/). The coalescence is more complete in the case of /t, d/ + /j/ (especially in questions).

Sometimes the strong consonant of a pair replaces the weak consonant in compound words like fivepence /'faIfpqns/ and newspaper /'njHspeIpq/. Notice too that the English donot replace the strong consonant by the weak.

Some of the alterations mentioned here have taken place in the past inside English words, leaving them with a shape which is now normal. For example: handkerchief /'hxNkqCJf/, special /'speSl/, soldier /'sqVlGq/, etc.

 

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