CONNECTED SPEECH PHENOMENA

Connected
Speech
Phenomena--Assimilation,
Linking,
and
Weakening:
A Study
of
Christina
Maxwell
Asia University
Even advanced
listening
are

language

comprehension.

linked

together
1990).

may sound

like

listening

to

a native

learners

often

say

in

native

For

but

or

whereas

with

native

for

other
Japanese

speakers.

comprehension.
familiar

It

with

explain

isolation,

but
paper

often

language

at

in

intermediate-level
that
the

native

in

"we do
them

explores

The author

when

that

occur

(L1)

L2 learners

confirm

English

elision,

the

in

when

native

a natural

listening

in

normal

not

Dalton

p.

produce

These
their

and

in
23).

phenomena

speak

speed

obstacles

are

sounds

weakening.

the

listening

(1994,

thus

that

of
sound

first
challenges

for

comprehension.

conducted

a listening

L2 learners
speaker

and

at

in

speakers

usual

speech.

speech

say

possible

L2 learners

speakers

speed

teachers

their

strings"

and

when

may pose

articulate

stay

language

than

improve

connected

linking,

is

speak

connected

I

L2 learners

a dichotomy

not

up

Japanese
the

slower

that

and

native

speak

likely

L2 learner

you

what

It

to

with

when words

the

Second

songs.

Such

also

to

speakers

who aim

connect

assimilation,
changes

is

hearing

Seidlhofer

This

to

English

L2 learners

and

understand

teachers
native

occur

understanding

listen

English-speaking

all

of English.
can

challenges

for

States

difficulty

when they

which

of

United

they

have

classroom,

first

speaker
that

face

difficulties

example,
and

(L2)

changes

present

festival

classroom
movies

Sound
can

(Suenobu,

the

learners

Elision,
L2 Learners

Japanese

spoke

learners
had
at

low

experiment
of

listening

normal

—66—

English.

speed.

on
The

results

comprehension
Explanation

of


assimilation,
the

elision,

results

of

pedagogical

linking,

this

listening

implications

improve

their

and
study.

suggest

listening

weakening
The

that

help
findings

Japanese

comprehension

to
and

L2

through

clarify

learners

could

pronunciation

instruction.
What

are

Sound

When
L2

native

learners

sounds

but

rather

positions

never

be

understanding
amount

of

they

learners,

on

mutually

as

awareness
may

sound

Sound

elision,

cut

(Ladefoged,
speech

is
in

individual

a

which

sounds

to

tend

to

the

may

expect

together.

second

can

be

the

language

grouped
linking.

—67—

into

untrained

of

Second

Weakening,

the

occur

reports
have

as

immense

language

to

in

that

a low

mentioned,
ear

learners
three

an

sense

(1987)

Thus,

to

difficulties

words

students

sound

integrate

make

Temperly

for

have

1988).

to

(EFL)

produces

they

order

festival

and

seem

& Lynch,

words

changes

clear

"our

what

because
in

hand,

like

is

not

speech

Language

linking

difficulties

assimilation,

do

utterances.

a Foreign
of

sounds

(Anderson

exclusive

exclusive

approximations
of

speed,

24).

speech

other

mutually

have

that

normal

unfamiliar

sounds

and

p.

of

not

uttered

knowledge

hear
the

does

explain

listeners

support

messages

that

at

These

a group

articulation

connected

of

English

the
(1994,

Native

not

transitions

for

continuum

changes.

is

Seidlhofer
of

reached"

The

cause

and

English

sounds.

individually

stream

ideal

speak

unfamiliar

a continuum

Dalton

continuous

speakers

speech

between

1993).

all

hear

because

borderlines

of

English

often

occur

words

Changes?

and

(Brown,

first
will
1977).

types:
a

related

speech


phenomenon
as

an

which

important

produces

sound

changes,

will

also

be outlined

subcategory.

Assimilation
In

natural

sounds

more

sounds

in

the

like

c)

native

each

are

sound,
a set

a sound

two

tend

Assimilation

created

b)

of

speakers

other.

utterances

previous

sound,

speech,

by

make

occurs

a)

a sound

influenced

sounds

to

by

influencing

adjacent

when

new

influenced

the

each

by

proceeding
other.

When we speak
at normal
speed,
individual
sound segments
follow
each other
so quickly

that
the tongue
may never
reach
the
'ideal
position'
connected
with a particular
sound.
It will
only approximate
to this
position
before
it
moves on to the position
necessary
for the next
segment.
The exact
position
of the tongue
and other
articulators
during
a segment
therefore
depends
on where the tongue

is
coming
from and where
it is going to:
it depends
on the
neighbouring
sounds.
(Dalton
and Seidlhofer,
1994, p. 28)
Assimilation
and

/h/

or

/n/.

of

the

in
when

English

usually

followed

The past
sounds

by

a syllable

tense

/t/

in

and

occurs

in the

or

English

sounds

consonant

provides

/t/,

/k/,

/d/,

/g/,

/m/,

many assimilations

/d/.

Elision
Elision

is

altogether.

Elision

segments
(Yellop
normal
Elision

or

& Clark,
speech
is

common

consonants

occurs.

1990).
is

single

weakened

Christmas
According

or

must
to

a loss

in

much,

the

and

two

—68—

of

of

in

may disappear.

between
in elision

examples

certain

English

a sound

process

Seidlhofer,

omitted

omission

sound

connections
involved

is

colloquial

articulation

be are

Dalton

or
or

simplification

in English
and

a sound

speech

the

too

speech

which

as

running
If

words

in

defined

in

a common

in

change

is

syllables

either

/d/.

a sound

where
/d/

and

can

occur

two

words;

are

/t/

and

elision
often

elides


when it
as

in

is
the

preceded

by

example

a vowel

there

but

could

be

followed
(1994)

by

a consonant

such

.

Linking
Linking is
sound

in

Linking

order
is

boundary.
you

and

contains

a sound
to

This

can

If

sounds

like

In both

be

the

at

vowels

cases,

two

the

vowel

and

an extra

at

the

utterances

meet

a' word

the

at

.

and

utterance

contains

boundaries

.

we ought

former

utterance

occurs

a

between

+ and me sounds

sound

inserts

phrases

speed,

word

you

sounds

with

latter

meet

a speaker

transition

a natural

and

weyought,

which

exemplified

spoken
sound

in

a smoother

common when

a /y/
where

make

most

me.

sound

change

a /w/

We + ought

like

youwandme .

.

Weakening
Another connected
here

is

weakening.

speech

Weakening

pronunciations.

The word

pronunciations:

(h&v],

first

pronunciation

with

whereas

the

1994).

Articles,

helping

verbs,

strong
that

the

Japanese

or

forms.

strong

forms

example,

thus

[v].

forms

has

others

are

the

strong

form

called

of

pronunciation

example,

changes

depending
has

to

pronounce

—69—

other

relative

not .

also

speakers

weak

elision
words

pointed

out

words
to

and
in

on what

all

,

adverbs

have

from

(1994)

the

(Watanabe

all

differs

same.

three

the

Weakening

expect

various

while

conjunctions

tend

have

this

pronouns,

and

mention

In

is

relative

Watanabe

of English
and

for

stress

pronunciation

learners

which

stressed

weak

it.

words

to

is

prepositions,

follow

refers

and

pronouns,

word's

deserves

[w.r],

the

are

pronunciation

precede

their

others

which

have,

[heev]

The pronunciation

phenomena

in

do the

that

,


The

Study

Subjects
Thesubjects

intermediate

for

level

the

study

Freshman

subjects

reported

studying

subjects

had lived

language

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students

in their

were students

English

classes

English

in a country

for

from two of my
(N=38).

six

years.

where English

native

All
None of the

is the

English-speaking

native

exchange

home.

Method
The subjects
group

were divided

A (N=16),

and the
answer

a native

students
sheet

wrote

with three

sentences.

These

speaker.

English

conditions,

two groups,

A and B.

speaker

dictated

what they

heard.

Group B received

multiple

choices

for

were read

The experiments

regular

into

aloud

by the

took place

and the

sentences

With

10 sentences,

each of the

same native

an
10

English

in a classroom

under

were presented

without

context.
Results
Of the
for

the

10 sentences,

results.

correctly,

I analyzed

Is there

In Group A, none of the

and in Group B 9% of the

a cat

subjects

subjects

in there?
responded

responded

correctly.
Group
Four
dictated
these

A
of the

question
subjects

be explained
complete

blank

subjects

wrote

Is there

did not
that

a cat

completely

many Japanese

in dictation

no answer

if

in there?

at

all
It

misunderstand.
L2 learners
they

a whole.

—70—

will

do not catch

for

the

is possible
Rather,
leave
the

that
it

can

a
message

as


Five
while

of

seven

incorrect

the

remaining

subjects
words

who wrote

calendar,

carrying,

with

car

and

and

these

is

and

Four
Those

of

four

probably
albeit

two
car

responses

sounds.

card.

could

latter

included

not

subjects

from

close

seven

words

such

as

responding

distinguish

transfer
have

containing

These

Those

responses

between

Japanese.

[kard]
In

pronunciations,

where

card

ka-.

subjects

wrote

who heard
the

word

(Table

calendar
calendar

linking

in

their

rather
of

responses.

than

the

native

cat

in

there

speaker

1).

Responses
a cat

in

Dictated

Question,
(N=16)
Response

to
the
there?

Is th....there?
They are....there.
Is there a calendar?
Is there a calendar?
*
Is there carring
there?
...coming
there?
...the
calendar?
There card in there?
*
There are carring
there?
...the
calendar?
There is a car in there?
Is this car in there?
* indicates

Group

response

and

partial

1

Subject
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Note:
Ihrote:

in

wrote

sentences

sounds

is

the

In

negative

subjects

Group
A
Is
there

cat

of

incorrectly

I

or

probably

recognized

Table

complete

complete

card

Japanese,

/1/

car,

[kA] because

ka-do,

wrote

with

subjects

12 subjects

no answer.

B

examined
there?
from

the
for
three

responses
the

to

the

respondents
choices.

in
The

—71—

same

Group

given

question
B.

choices

Is
Group
were:

there

B chose

a
one


A.
B.
C.

Is
Is
Is

there

there
there

a calendar?
a caddin
there?
a cat in there?

As shown

in

Table

2,

two

subjects

subjects

chose

correctly

Table

18 subjects

choice

B,

chose

choice

of

Subjects

Is
Is
Is

C,

there

Is

caddin

to

there
there
there

a calendar?
a caddin there?
a cat in there?

2,
2

with

the

what

limited

a calendar?;

there?;

only

a cat

in

each

Choice

two

there?.

response

to

for

Japanese

L2 learners

the

indicate

speaker

that
speaks

listening

a native

the
at

sound

normal

discussion
in

below
there?

to

the

outlines

sounds

in

B.

Group

which

present

the
some

like

Japanese

choice

changes

for

would

speaker,

speed

comprehension

who

(N=22)

Responded

18

choices,

correct

sound

a

there

Number of Subjects

Even

cat

Is

there

who Responded

Choice

to

Is

A,

2

Number

A.
B.
C.

chose

seem

the

obvious

C, was

not

obvious

Group

B's

occur
great

results

when

seem

a native

challenges

in

Japanese

L2 learner.

The

explanations

of

there

a question

why Is

containing

a In

or

a

/1/

L2 learner.

Discussion
From
that

the

a majority

or

In

in

there?

sound

linking,

Thus,

it

many

as
of

the

the

subjects'

is

A and

respondents
of

possible
played

the

that

Japanese

roles

it

that

can be
there

question

in

the

Is

or

seen

was an

there

/1/

a cat

elision,

respondents'

hence,

carrin,

cat

an /r/

or

and

/1/

in

there

/1/

was

derivation

L2 learners.

explanation
responses

B,

assimilation,

question;
car,

Group

thought

part

dictated

calendar,

the

Group

latter

weakening

One possible
of

of
the

the

of

perceived

of
in

and

perception

to

results

of
is

the

that
—72—

/r/

a sound

change

sounds
occurs

in many
in the


connection
and

of

reappears

/i/.

words

because

an

learners.

In

from
As was

English

the

boundaries.
learners

In
come

the

that

many

than

through

the

be

pronounced

should

students

have

ear,

a vowel
sound

Japanese

L2

in

Japanese,

or

have

because

,have

(Temperly,

it

is

of

written,

Japanese

of

great

negative

a very

expect

replete

with

word

L2 learners,

translation.

many

were

English

way they

false

look

on the

these

emphasized

points
the

notion

to

in

less

through

the

of

backgrounds

Wong (1987)

in

awareness

They

pronunciation

resulting

low

1987).

language-learning

"learned

the

sounds

is

elided

English.

and

grammar

the

distinguish

two

is

vowel

homophones

EFL learners

case

of

cat
it

the

ears

are

the

listening

reading

the

/1/

English

than

in

do not

way that

and

and

phenomena

from

speaking,

sound

and

speech

of

/t/

In

above,

/t/

proceeds

sound

to

The

which

often

noted

in.

sound

/1/

Japanese

connected

and

the

distinguishing

transfer

which

or

L2 learners

difficulty

hear

of

Because

Japanese

cat
the

The combination

produces

of

the

out

eye

rather

that

printed

words

page"

(pp.

48-49).
Pedagogical
The
could
of

the

Implications
results

improve

their

sound

changes

phenomena.
always

The

understand

To remedy

strategies

in

the

listening

findings

classroom.
help

that

Japanese

comprehension

also

from

these

exhibit

can
or

b)

Teaching
learners

if

they

connected

that

native-speaking

instructors

could

suggest

resulting

strategies,
the

study

what

this,

pronunciation
forms

of

our

teach

regularly
listening
expect

—73—

certain

aware

speech
do not

are

listening
use

were

students

instructors

a)

L2 learners

saying.

and

unconnected

and

speech

pronunciation

sounds

and

would


provide

students

would

also

English

be more

tests

TOEIC.

increased
not

However,

present

the

students

of the
if

students

with

the

sections
learners

forms

in

the

is

the

may have
very

classroom.

speech

way Engi,ish

as

immediate

stilted

former

take

speak

learners'

such

to
such

instructors

the
of

The

who plan

latter,

speech

use

situations.

listening

addresses

only;

our

case

connected

benefit

classroom

for

comprehension

using

this

language

with

In the

listening

slowly,

authentic

beneficial

proficiency

TOEFL or

the

with

needs

does

in

not

authentically

communicated.
In

that

teaching

all

learners

American

or

sound

for

of

changes

produced

they

forms,

begin

linking,

chants,

songs,

students

to

to

possibly

awareness

of

the

right

expectations

will

be

students

If

such

for

the

problems

elision,

linking,

of

—74—

native

With
learners
sound
speech.

speech

assimilation,
Jazz

activities

speech.

in normal

expect
and

connected

comprehensibility.

of

to

listening

practice

kind

caused

learn

their

phenomena,

the

students

importance

connected

speech

about
A serious

pronunciation

about
with

to

the

weakening

connected

confronted

of

comprehension

begin

rhythmic

practice

teaching

improve

realize

and
and

the

listening.

the

suggest

a particular

boundaries.

As students

they

elision,

is

not

with

educate
and

I do

speak

by assimilation,

could

comprehension.

to

Rather,

speaking

word

students,

able

to

L2 learners

blurring

weakening,

be

exist

between

challenge

to

accent.

should

relationship

the

should

British

pronunciation

by

pronunciation

allow
an increased
can

patterns

build
they

up


Conclusion
Assimilation,
sounds

elision,

of words,

isolation.

It

native

speakers

lack

the phonetic

connected

is likely
speak

that
"very

phenomena.

author

does

accent

in English.

pronunciation

learners'

awareness
listening

fast"

not

from their

or "too

about

suggest

fast

learners

EFL classroom

of connected

speech

in

that

to understand"

words and their

that

the

who claim

boundaries--

must take

I am suggesting,

in the

alter

pronunciation

many L2 learners

information

teaching

their

and weakening

making words differ

speech

This
preferred

linking,

however,
will

forms

on a

that

heighten

and thus

L2
improve

comprehension.

References
Anderson,
Language
Oxford

A. & Lynch,

and teaching:
University

Avery,

for

Listening.
teacher

In the

education.

series

Oxford:

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Oxford:

Brown, G.

(1988).

A scheme

P. & Ehrlich,

pronunciation.

T.

(1977).

S.

(1992).

Oxford

Teaching

University

Listening

American

English

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to spoken

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London:

Longman.
Dalton,
scheme for
Koike,
Taishiyukan

C. & Seidlhofer,
teacher
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Worth,

experience:

(1990).

J.

P.

Oxford:

Language

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Eigo no hiaringu

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TX: Harcourt

Miyawaki,
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teaching:

University

a

Press .

to sono shidou.

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Ladefoged,
Fort

B.

K.,

J.,

A course
Brace

Strange,

& Fujimura,

The discrimination

in phonetics.

College

Publishers.

W., Verbrugg,
0.

R.,

(1975).

An effect

of In

and /1/

—75—

(3rd ed.).

Linberman,

A. M.,

of linguistic
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speakers
18(5),

of

Japanese

and

English.

Perception

and

Psychophysics,

331-340.
Morley,

practices

(1987).

anchored

Oka,
25(2),

J.

H.

in

Current

perspectives

theory.

(1996).

on pronunciation:

Washington,

Hiaringu

DC: TESOL.

no muzukashisa.

Monthly

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Roach,

practical

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(1991).

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