ASPECTS OF

CONNE C T ED S PE E C H
(CONT.)
ASSIMILATION AND ELISION
 MEMBERS

Nguyễn Hương Giang Hoàng Thị Thanh Bình Nguyễn Thị Hải Hà Nhữ Tuyết Anh
 ASSIMILATION

TABLE 01 1.
2.
Definition
Kinds of assimilation across word boundaries

OF  In terms of the direction of change

 In terms of the way in which phonemes change
CONTEN
TS ELISION

02 1.
2.
Definition
Rules of elision
 I.
ASSIMILATIO
N
 1. Definition

● The process takes place when one sound adapts itself to become similar to

neighboring sound in one or more aspects.

● The influence of one phoneme upon another neighbouring phoneme, so that

they become more alike.

 1. Definition

● Mostly happens in consonants

● May occur across morpheme boundaries or word boundaries Example:

Light blue /laɪt bluː/ /laɪp bluː/
That man /ðæt mæn/ /ðæp mæn/
 Diagram with two words are combined
------- | ------
Word boundary

: First word ends with a single final consonant

: Second word starts with a single initial consonant
 2. Kinds of assimilation across word
boundaries

2.1. In terms of the direction of change

2.2. In terms of the way in which phonemes change

2.1. In terms of the direction of change

● Regressive :
( the phoneme that comes first is affected by the one
that comes after it. )
E.g: Right place /raɪt pleis/  /raɪp pleis/
Five pence /faiv pəns/  /faif pəns/
2.1. In terms of the direction of change

( the phoneme that follows is affected by the one that

comes before it. )
E.g: Get them: /get ðəm/  /get təm/
2.2. In terms of the way in which phonemes change

2.2.1. Assimilation of place of articulation

2.2.2. Assimilation of manner of articulation

2.2.3. Assimilation of voice

2.2.1. Assimilation of place of articulation
a) Alveolar /t, d, n/ + bilabial /m/, /b/, /p/, /w/  bilabial
 /t/ becomes /p/ before bilabials
E.g:
right place /raɪt pleɪs/  /raɪp pleɪs/
sweet potato / swiːt pəˈteɪtəʊ/  / swiːp pəˈteɪtəʊ/
pocket money /ˈpɒkɪt ˈmʌni/  /ˈpɒkɪp ˈmʌni/
2.2.1. Assimilation of place of articulation
a) Alveolar /t, d, n/ + bilabial /m/, /b/, /p/, /w/  bilabial
 /d/ becomes /b/ before bilabials
E.g:
goodbye /ɡʊd baɪ/  /ɡʊb baɪ/
good morning /ɡʊd ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/  /ɡʊb ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/
blood pressure /blʌd 'preʃər/  /blʌb 'preʃər/
2.2.1. Assimilation of place of articulation
a) Alveolar /t, d, n/ + bilabial /m/, /b/, /p/, /w/  bilabial
 /n/ becomes /m/ before bilabials
E.g:
gone past /ɡɒn pɑːst/  /ɡɒm pɑːst/
green belt /ɡriːn belt/  /ɡriːm belt/
pen pal /pen pæl/  /pem pæl/
2.2.1. Assimilation of place of articulation

b) Alveolar /t, d, n/ + velar /k, g/  velar

 /t/ becomes /k/ before /k/ or /g/
E.g.:
credit card /ˈkredɪt kɑːrd/  [/kredɪk kɑːrd/
cut glass /kʌt glæs/  /kʌk glæs/
2.2.1. Assimilation of place of articulation

b) Alveolar /t, d, n/ + velar /k, g/  velar

 /d/ becomes /g/ before /k/ or /g/
E.g.:
bad girl /bæd gɜːrl/  /bæg gɜːrl/
hard copy /hɑːrd ˈkɒpi/  /hɑːrg ˈkɒpi/
2.2.1. Assimilation of place of articulation

b) Alveolar /t, d, n/ + velar /k, g/  velar

 /n/ becomes /ŋ/ before /k/ or /g/
E.g.:
one girl /wʌn gɜːrl/  /wʌŋ gɜːrl/
human capital /ˈhjuːmən ˈkæpɪtl/  /ˈhjuːməŋ ˈkæpɪtl/
golden goose /ˈɡəʊldən guːs/  /ˈɡəʊldəŋ guːs/
c. Alveolar + dental -> Dentalized
/t/,/d/ + /θ/,/ð/

Bad thing Get there

/bæd θɪŋ/ /get ðeə/

[bæd θɪŋ] [get ðeə]

 d. Alveolar + palato-alveolar/ palatal -> Palato-alveolar

/s/ becomes /ʃ/ before /ʃ/ or /j/

• Dress shop /dres ʃɒp/ [dreʃ ʃɒp]

• Miss you /mɪs juː/ [mɪʃ ʃuː]

/z/ becomes /ʒ/ before /ʃ/ or /j/

• Those years /ðəʊz jɪər/ [ðəʊʒ jɪər]

• These years /ðiːz jɪə/ [ðiʒ jɪə]

e. Alveolar stops /t, d/ + /j/= /tʃ/ or /dʒ/

/t/ becomes /tʃ/ before /j/

● Hate you /heɪt juː/ [heɪtʃuː]

● Hit you /hɪt juː/ [hɪtʃuː]

/d/ becomes /dʒ/ before /j/

● Need you /niːd juː/ [niːdʒuː]

● Would you /wʊd juː/ [wʊdʒuː]

f. /θ/ changes to /s/ before /s/

/θ/ + /s/ = /s/

● Both sectors /bəʊθˈsektərs/ [bəʊs sektərs]

● Bath soak /bɑːθ səʊk/ [bəʊθ səʊk]

 Assimilation of
02
Manner of
Articulation
a. Plosive + Fricative = ?
b. Plosive + Nasal=?
 a. Plosive + Fricative -> Fricative
/t,d/ + /s,z/

Original
Rules Examples Assimilation
transription

/t/+/s/-> /s/ ThaT Side /ðæt saɪd/ [ðæs saɪd]

/t/+/z/->/z/ thaT Zoo /ðæt zuː/ [ðæz zuː]

/d/+/s/->/s/ gooD Song /ɡʊd sɒŋ/ [ɡʊs sɒŋ]

/d/+/z/->/z/ baD Zone /bæd zəʊn/ [bæz zəʊn]

 b. Plosive + nasal -> nasal
/t,d/ + /n/

/t/+/n/-> /n/
That noon /ðæt nuːn/ [ðæn nuːn]

/d/+/n/-> /n/
Good night /ɡʊd naɪt/ [ɡʊn naɪt]
Note: /ð/ follows a plosive or nasal at the end of a preceding word
 It becomes the plosive or nasal sound but with dentalization.

● In the  /ɪn ðə/ [ɪnnə]

● Get them  /ɡet ðəm/ [ɡet təm]  

● Read these  /riːd ðiːz/   [riːd diːz]

 Assimilation

03 of Voice
 Assimilation of voice

● Found only in REGRESSIVE assimilation of voice

● (voiced) + (voiceless)  (voiceless)
E.g.: has to /hæz tu/  [hæs tu]
used to /ju:zd tu/  [ju:st tu]
● (voiceless) + (voiced)  (voiced)
but assimilation of voice never happens
 Should be avoided
 02
E L I S I ON
02.
ELISIO
N Definition
Rules of
elision
 Definition
Elision is the disappearance of
sounds in speech. This is done to
make the language easier to say,
and faster.
 RULES OF ELISION

ELISION OF ELISION OF
VOWELS CONSONANTS
 ELISION OF VOWELS

Loss of weak vowel /ə/ after ‘/p/, /t/, /k/’

• potato /pəˈteitəʊ/ → [phteitəʊ]
• tomato /təˈmɑːtəʊ/ → [thmɑːtəʊ]
• canary /kəˈneri/ → /khneri/

 ̩ /l/,
Weak vowel /ə/ + /r/, /l/, /n/ → /r/,  ̩ /n/
 ̩
 ̩
• correct /kəˈrekt/ → /kˈrekt/
 ̩
• polite /pəˈlaɪt/ → /pˈlaɪt/
 ̩
• tonight /təˈnaɪt/ → /tˈnaɪt/
 ELISION OF CONSONANTS
Avoidance of complex consonant clusters
1. Stop + (stop) + stop
• looked back /lʊkt bæk/ → [lʊk bæk]
• kept talking /kept tɔːkɪŋ/ → [kep tɔːkɪŋ]

2. Stop + (stop) + fricative

• acts /ækts/ → [æks]
• scripts /skrɪpts/ → [skrɪps]

3. Fricative + (stop) + fricative

• desks /desks/ → [des]
• guests /ɡests/ → [ɡes]
 ELISION OF CONSONANTS

4. /-st/ + stop, nasal, fricative → /-s/

• last time /lɑːst taɪm/ → [lɑːs taɪm]
• investment /ɪnˈvestmənt/ → [ɪnˈvesmənt]
• first thing /fɜːrst θɪŋ/ → [fɜːrs θɪŋ]

5. /-ft/ + stop, nasal, fricative → /-f/

• left door /left dɔːr/ → [lef dɔːr]
• soft music /sɒft ˈmjuːzɪk/ → [sɒf ˈmjuːzɪk]
• left hand /left hænd/ → [lef hænd]
 ELISION OF CONSONANTS
6. /-nd/ + lenis stop, nasal → /-n/
• kind nurse /kaɪnd nɜːrs/ → [kaɪn nɜːrs]
• blind man /blaɪnd mæn/ → [blaɪn mæn]
• canned bacon /kænd ˈbeɪkən/ → [kæn ˈbeɪkən]

7. /-md/ + lenis stop, nasal → /-m/

• skimmed milk /skɪmd mɪlk/ → [skɪm mɪlk]
• it seemed good /ɪt siːmd ɡʊd/ → /ɪt siːm ɡʊd/

8. /-nt/ + nasal, fricative → /-n/

• lent me /lent mi/ → [len mi]
• spent money /spent ˈmʌni/ → [spen ˈmʌni]
• penthouse /ˈpenthaʊs/ → [ˈpenhaʊs]
 ELISION OF VOWELS

Loss of final ‘v’ in “of” before consonants

• Lots of money /lɔts əv ðəm/ → /lɔts ə ðəm/
• Waste of money /weɪst əv mʌn.i/ → /weɪst ə mʌn.i/
• One of my favorite song /wʌn əv maɪ ˈfeɪvərɪt sɒŋz/
→ / wʌn ə maɪ ˈfeɪvərɪt sɒŋz /
 ELISION OF VOWELS
Some contractions of grammatical words

Spelt Pronounced

After
HAD, WOULD After vowels
consonants
‘d
/d/ /əd/

Example: I would like to go for a walk. /aɪ d/

The next bus stop would be there. /stɒp əd/
 ELISION OF VOWELS
Some contractions of grammatical words

Spelt Pronounced

After
WILL After vowels
consonants
‘ll
/l/ /l/

Example: I will do it carefully. /aɪ l/

Boys will be boys. /bɔɪz l/
 ELISION OF VOWELS
Some contractions of grammatical words

Spelt Pronounced

After lortis After lenis After

IS, HAS consonants consonants s, z, ∫, t∫, ʒ, dʒ
‘s
/s/ /z/ “is” → /iz/ “has” → /əz/

Example: It’s a good book. /ɪts/

Bob’s a cat. /bɒb z/
 ELISION OF VOWELS
Some contractions of grammatical words

Spelt Pronounced

After
HAVE After vowels
consonants
‘ve
/v/ /əv/

Example: They’ve gone to Hanoi. /ðeɪ v/

There’ve been some changes in this neighborhood. /ðer əv/
 ELISION OF VOWELS
Some contractions of grammatical words

Spelt Pronounced

After
NOT After vowels
consonants
n’t
/nt/ /nt/

There are also vowel changes associated with n’t

Eg: “can” /kæn/ – “can’t” /kɑ:nt/,
“do” /du:/- “don’t” /dəʊnt/,
“shall” /∫æl/ - “shan’t” /∫ɑ:nt/
 ELISION OF VOWELS
Some contractions of grammatical words

Spelt Pronounced

After
ARE After vowels
consonants
‘re
/ə/ /ər/

Example: “you” /ju:/ - “you’re” /jʊə/ or /jɔ:/,

“we” /wi:/ - “we’re” /wɪə/,
“they” /ðeɪ/- “they’re” /ðeə/
 CONCLUSION
ASSIMILATION
- Definition
- Kinds of assimilation across word boundaries

ELISION
- Definition
- Rules of elision
MINI
GAME
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
 CHRISTMAS
Tree Decoration
 RULES
1. Play in 2 teams to decorate the Christmas tree.
2. Say “BINGO” to get the chance to answer. If
the answer is correct, your team has chance to
decorate the Christmas tree.
3. Team has more decoration will win.
 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Question 1: What is the assimilation process
of /t/?
Cut through /kʌt  θruː/ => [kʌt  θruː]

/t/ is dentalized before /θ/

 Question 2: What is the assimilation of manner of
articulation in this situation?
gooD News /ɡʊd njuːz/ => [ɡʊn njuːz]

A. Plosive + Fricative = Fricative

B. Plosive + Nasal = Nasal
C. Plosive + Affricative =
Affricative
Question 3: How many kind of assimilation
across word boundaries in terms of the
direction change are there?

A. Four

B. Three

C. Two
Question 4: The final sound /v/ in ‘of’ could
be lost when it comes before ________

A. Fortis consonants

B. Vowels

C. Consonants
 Question 5: The assimilation is called _____ if
the phoneme that follows is affected by the one
that comes before it.

A. elision

B. regressive

C. progressive
 Question 6: /s/ preceding /ʃ/ in the phrase
‘nice shell’ becomes___________

A. ʒ

B. dʒ

C. ʃ
Question 7: Assimilation of voice only take
place in ______

A. progressive
B. regressive

C. vowels
 Question 8: Based on rules of elision, the
last two words of ‘George the Sixth’s
throne’ could be pronounced_____

A. [sɪksθrəʊn] C. [sɪksθrəʊn]

B. [sɪkθrəʊn] D. A and C
 Question 9: How many kind of assimilation
across word boundaries in terms of the
direction change are there?

A. Two
And Merry Christmas for Jones family!
B. Three

C. Four
Question 10: One of the elision is that /r/, /l/,
/n/ become ______ consonants when they
come before /ə/.

A.Fortis
B. Syllabic

C. Lenis
Question 11: when ‘is’ with contracted form
is ‘s come after /s/, /z/, /∫/, /t∫/, /ʒ/, /dʒ/, it will
be pronounced_____

A. /z/
B. /iz/

C. /s/
 Question 12: ____ is the disappearance of
sounds in speech, which makes the language
easier to say and faster.

A. Liaison

B. Assimilation

C. Elision
THANK
YOU!