A phonological Study of Elision in Standart English

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A phonological Study of Elision in Standard English AbdAli Nayif Hasan University of Babylon / College of Basic Education


A phonological Study of Elision in Standard English AbdAli Nayif Hasan University of Babylon / College of Basic Education

Genel Yayın Koordinatörü Fatih KİRAZ ELT Dinçer AYDİÇ İletişim E-mail: iletisim@ifyayinlari.com Tel: +90 506 912 17 29

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A phonolog�cal Study of El�s�on �n Standard Engl�sh AbdAl� Nay�f Hasan Un�vers�ty of Babylon / College of Bas�c Educat�on Introduct�on El�s�on can be def�ned as the ''om�ss�on of sounds �n connected speech '' (Crystal, 2003: 158).

In th�s respect , Underh�ll(1998 :61 ) �nd�cates that ''el�s�on �s a natural

result of the speech organs cutt�ng corners �n connected speech ,ma�nly to word boundar�es'' . Thus, el�s�on �s the character�st�c of rap�d connected speech. It �s used for the sake of mak�ng the pronunc�at�on of sounds easy �n connected speech.

It �s

poss�ble to el�de a s�ngle phoneme or a whole syllable as �llustrated �n the follow�ng �nstances: handsome /hands ∂m/ l�brary / la�br ∂ r� /

/ hans∂m/ ( a s�ngle phoneme / d / �s el�ded ) . /la�br� /

( a whole syllable / r∂ / �s el�ded ) .

In Arab�c , the most commonly el�ded sounds are [a ] , [ y ] and [ w ] ( Ateeq ,n.d. : 44 ) .

Somet�mes, el�s�on �n Engl�sh �s s�m�lar to that �n Arab�c as �llustrated

�n the follow�ng examples �n wh�ch / t / �s el�ded �n both of them: mostly / moustl� / ‫�[ ﺍﺳﺘﻄﺎﻉ‬stataa‫؟‬a]

/mousl� / ‫�[ ﺍﺳﻄﺎﻉ‬staa ‫؟‬a ]

On the other hand , sounds such as [y] and[w] can be el�ded �n Arab�c, whereas �n �s �mposs�ble to el�de / j / and / w / wh�ch are known as gl�d�ng Engl�sh �t consonants or sem�-vowels as shown bellow : ‫ [ ﺩﻣﻲ‬damyun ] ‫ﻭﻋﺪ‬

‫[ ﺩﻡ‬damun ]

[wa‫؟‬ada] ‫[ ﻳﻮﻋﺪ‬yaw‫�؟‬du]

‫ [ﻳﻌﺪ‬ya‫�؟‬du ]

( Ib�d ) you / ju: / we /w�: / It can be hypothes�zed that d�fferences are more than s�m�lar�t�es between Engl�sh and Arab�c types of el�s�on .Accord�ngly, the present study a�ms at �nvest�gat�ng such po�nts of s�m�lar�t�es and d�fferences.

.


The research under �nvest�gat�on �s of cons�derable value to those �nterested �n the f�eld of contrast�ve stud�es. Also �t g�ves an �ns�ght about Engl�sh and Arab�c phonology. 2- El�s�on �n Engl�sh Th�s sect�on �s concerned w�th the cond�t�ons that govern the el�s�on of s�ngle phonemes such as consonants and vowels as well as the el�s�on of whole syllables .H�stor�c el�s�on �s also taken �nto cons�derat�on. 2.1 El�s�on of Consonants Th�s sect�on deals w�th the phonemes whose el�s�on pr�mar�ly depends on the�r env�ronment, �.e. the context �n wh�ch the words conta�n�ng such phonemes occur . 2.1.1 El�s�on of / t / and /d / Many l�ngu�sts aff�rm that /t / and /d / are cons�dered the most commonly el�ded phonemes �n Engl�sh. In th�s respect, F�nch (2005: 44-45) po�nts out that such a type of el�s�on �s due to ''casual speech '' as �llustrated �n the follow�ng examples: mostly /moustl� /

/mousl� /

handsome S�m�larly, Coll�ns and Mees (2008: 118) note that such an el�s�on �s �nvolved when chang�ng from ''the �deal form �n connected speech ''. In add�t�on, Underh�ll (1998: 61) states that / t /

and / d / are el�ded when they occur �n a sequence of three

consonants �n connected speech:

next please / nekst pl�:z /

/neks pl�:z /

you and me In the same way, Roach (2000:143) po�nts out that ''�n clusters of three plos�ves or two plos�ves plus a fr�cat�ve, the m�ddle plos�ve may d�sappear ''. Cons�der the follow�ng �nstances �n wh�ch the med�al plos�ve /t / �s el�ded: acts /akts /

/aks /

looked back /lukt bak /

/luk bak /

In add�t�on, Yule (1996: 59 -60) says that /t / and /d / are el�ded �n consonant clusters

espec�ally �n ''coda pos�t�on '', �. e. after the center of the syllable as the

follow�ng �nstances aspects / aspekts /

�llustrate : /aspeks /

fr�endsh�p / t / and /d / are also el�ded when they occur f�nally preceded by /n / and followed by a word beg�nn�ng w�th a consonant as �n : hand that to tom


(Hudson, 2000:210 -212) In th�s respect, Crystal (1989: 164) �nd�cates that /d / �s el�ded when �t occurs between / n /and one or two of the follow�ng consonants such as / s /, /m /, /z /: handsome grandmother /grandm^ hands /handz /

^

/ hanz /

G�mson (1977:297-298) po�nts out that ''the alveolar plos�ves are apt to be el�ded �n rap�d speech when they occur �n the follow�ng sequences followed by a word beg�nn�ng w�th a consonant'': / / -gd / , / -d3 d/

:

last chance kept qu�et / Coll�ns and Mees (2008: 121) say that the sequence / tt / �s reduced to /t/ �n the follow�ng forms: ought to , want to , got to : We ought to v�s�t h�m I want to leave It �s worth not�ng that / t / and / d / are not el�ded when they are 1- followed by a word beg�nn�ng w�th / h / : smoked her�ng / smoukt her� /

( �b�d : 120 ) .

2- followed by a word beg�nn�ng w�th a vowel : hand �t to me Concern�ng th�s po�nt, Coll�ns and Mees (2008:120) note that �n certa�n sequences shown �n the follow�ng example / k / �s el�ded: They asked us However, /t /, �n add�t�on to / k /, may also be el�ded when followed by a consonant: masked gunman / ma:st g^

^

3-preceded by / nt / or /lt / �n wh�ch case they may be replaced by a glottal stop [?]: spent t�me / spent ta�m / or / spen? ta�m / walt D�sney / wo:lt d�zn�/ or / wo:l? d�zn� /

( Ib�d )


2.1.2 El�s�on and Ass�m�lat�on Heffner (1975: 188) aff�rms that ''when two sounds become cont�guous �n the speech measure, one or both of them may, �n the fus�on of the conf�gurat�on, undergo changes wh�ch tend to make each more l�ke �ts ne�ghbor'' . In th�s case, G�mson( 1977 :298 ) �nd�cates that when /and/d3 /: Is that yours? Would you l�ke th�s? / wud3 S�m�larly, Ku�per and Allan (1996: 74) note that el�s�on of a segment may allow an ass�m�lat�on to occur: hand bag / hand bag /

/ han bag /

/ ham bag / .

It can be noted that s�nce /d / �s el�ded, /n / and / d / become adjacent. As a result /n / changes �nto / m / under the �nfluence of / b / so that both of them w�ll become b�lab�al, �. e. hav�ng the same place of art�culat�on. 2.1.3 El�s�on of / t / �n Contracted Forms The phoneme /t / of the negat�ve form �s often el�ded, part�cularly �n d�syllables, before a follow�ng consonant: You mustn't lose �t Wouldn't she come

^m

/

.

(G�mson, 1977:298) El�s�on of / t / may somet�mes occur before a vowel: You mustn't over eat �t. (Ib�d) 2.1.4.El�s�on of / h / In casual speech, the phoneme / h / �s el�ded when �t occurs �n weak forms of funct�on words as �n: I th�nk he w�ll have told her (Hudson, 2000: 210) The example above shows that he �s pronounced / � /, have 2.1.5 El�s�on of Dental Fr�cat�ves certa�n words such as months and clothes:

her


months / m^n€s

/

/ m^ ns /

clothes (Coll�ns and Mees, 2008:121) However, / € / �s not el�ded �n numerals such as f�fth and twelfth. Instead, the preced�ng sound may be el�ded: f�fth / f�f€ /

/ f� € /

twelfth / twelf€

/

/ twel€/

(Ib�d) 2.1.6 El�s�on of / v / G�mson (1977: 143) �nd�cates that the phoneme /v / �n the word of �s el�ded when followed by a consonant: lots of them In the same respect, Crystal (2003: 247) says that a word such as ''of �s prone to el�s�on before consonants'': lots o' people In add�t�on, Coll�ns and Mees (2008: 121) note that the el�s�on of / v / �n of �s three of the webs�tes websa�ts

/

2.1.7 El�s�on of a Whole Syllable Crystal (203:247 )

states that ''a whole syllable may be el�ded, espec�ally when

there �s a separated consonant as �n: l�brary part�cularly S�m�larly, Raj�mwale (2009: 105 -106) �nd�cates that el�s�on may occur �n words such as because and probably �n wh�ch case they can be heard as cause and probly. 2.1.8 H�stor�c El�s�on Ku�per and Allan (1996: 75) state certa�n �nstances �n wh�ch there are s�lent consonants that reflect the earl�er pronunc�at�on and they have no longer been pronounced even �n careful speech: Wr�ght, knee, gnaw, th�stle, fasten, walk, lamb, etc. In th�s respect, Elg�n (1979: 95) states a phonolog�cal rule that/g/ �s el�ded when �t occurs before a word f�nal nasal as �n: s�gn / sa�n / des�gn /d�za�n /. However, / g / �s


pronounced when followed by a suff�x as �n: s�gnature

des�gnat�on /

On the other hand, Fromk�n et al (2003: 310) agree w�th Hudson (2000: 412) to state a rule by means of wh�ch/b/ �n old spell�ng �s om�tted when �t occurs f�nally preceded by a nasal consonant as �n: thumb / € ^ m / , l�mb / l�m / , cl�mb / kla�m / . However, Hudson (Ib�d) notes that the stop consonant /b / �s reta�ned when a suff�x �s added as �n: l�mb /l�m /, l�mber 2.2 El�s�on of Vowels Th�s sect�on �s pr�mar�ly concerned w�th the el�s�on of vowels �n contracted forms and weak syllables. Such types of el�s�on can be �n�t�al or med�al accord�ng to the context �n wh�ch they occur as �llustrated �n the follow�ng po�nts. 2.2.1 El�s�on of In�t�al Vowels

frequently be�ng made by the syllab�c�ty of the cont�nuant '' ) . Cons�der the follow�ng examples: not alone / get another

^

/

/ get n n^

�t may coalesce w�th the preced�ng vowel: try aga�n (Ib�d) Lass (1984:187) states that the process of el�d�ng �n�t�al vowels �s referred to as aphaeres�s. Ku�per and Allan (1996:74) po�nts out that a vowel such as /a / can be el�ded �n the word am when �t occurs �n a contracted form : I am / a� am / syllables �s el�ded as �n: about along

I'm / a�m /


2.2.2 El�s�on of Med�al Vowels asp�rated sounds such as / p /, / t / and / k / as the follow�ng examples �llustrate: h

potato h

today

te�tou ]

de� ] h

canary

�f �t �s followed by l�nk�ng /r / and word �n�t�al vowel '' : after awh�le father and son

^n

/

Lass (1984: 187) names such a phonolog�cal process of vowel el�s�on as syncope (syncopat�on): secretary d�ct�onary Ku�per and Allan (1996: 74) �nd�cate that a vowel sound can be el�ded �n certa�n words such as geography / d3�:ograf� /

/d3ograf� /

/ or / �/ �s el�ded �n the m�ddle of words when the preced�ng vowel �s stressed as �n: v�ctory eas�ly / �:z�l� /

/�:zl� /

f�nally F�nally, Roach (2000: 142) notes that ''a weak vowel + / n /, / l / or / r / becomes a syllab�c consonant '' : ton�ght /tna�t / , pol�ce / pl�:s / , correct / krekt / . 3- El�s�on �n Arab�c In Arab�c, there are two types of el�s�on: regular and �rregular. The former �s assoc�ated w�th the �nternal structure of words. Th�s means that el�s�on �s due to d�ff�culty of pronunc�at�on. The latter does not follow a morpholog�cal rule. It �s referred to as arb�trary. (Ateeq, n.d.: 44) 3.1 Regular El�s�on Th�s type of el�s�on can be �llustrated �n the follow�ng po�nts:



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