Chapter 3 Liaison If we want to speak English fluently, we must try to avoid pronouncing each word as if it were isolated. We must try to link words together smoothly and naturally. In English one word is not separated from another by pausing or hesitating; the end of one word flows straight on to the beginning of the next, e.g First of all /fa st av y: 1/ Some of us/'sAm. av. as/ The linking of words in connected speech may be divided into the following types 1)when the final sound of the word before is a consonant you must link the final consonant to the initial vowel sound of the next word It will help if you treat the final consonant as if it were transferred to the next word Examples: put it on/puti't n/ look at it/luketit/ think of it/0inkevit/ 2)When the final sound of the word before is a vowel you must link the vowel sound to the initial vowel should of the next word. Here a short and gentle//or/w/is used a) after /i/,/i/ and the diphthongs(XL E)/ei, ai, 5 i, which end in /i, we can use a very gentle /j/as the link Examples: the other /oivjJAoa he is my uncle. /hi:vj. iz maivj. 'Ankl she ate some /Ji: cjOt sam/ However, we do distinguish between "my ears"and"my years, etc. years"/jiaz/ has a longer and stronger/j/than the shorter and gentle link /j/ before"ears b) After /u: /, /u/ and the diphthongs /ou, au/, which end in/u/, we can use a gentle/w/as the link Examples: two others/tu: vWu'AOoz/ how old /'hau.wOuld/ Again we distinguish between"two-eyed"and"too wide": /tu: w.aid/, /tu: waid/ 3)When a word ending with"I"or"re"goes before a word beginning with a vowel sound /r/is usually pronounced as a link
Chapter 3 Liaison If we want to speak English fluently, we must try to avoid pronouncing each word as if it were isolated. We must try to link words together smoothly and naturally. In English one word is not separated from another by pausing or hesitating; the end of one word flows straight on to the beginning of the next, e.g. First of all /'fә:st◡ әv ◡ 'ɔ:l/ Some of us /'sΛm◡ әv◡ әs/ The linking of words in connected speech may be divided into the following types: 1) when the final sound of the word before is a consonant you must link the final consonant to the initial vowel sound of the next word. It will help if you treat the final consonant as if it were transferred to the next words. Examples: put it on /'puti't ɔ n/ look at it /'lukәtit/ think of it /'θiŋkәvit / 2) When the final sound of the word before is a vowel you must link the vowel sound to the initial vowel should of the next word. Here a short and gentle /j/ or /w/ is used. a) after /i:/, /i/ and the diphthongs(双元音) /ei, ai, ɔ i/,which end in /i/,we can use a very gentle /j/ as the link. Examples: the other /ði◡j◡'Λðә/ he is my uncle. /hi: ◡j◡ iz mai◡j◡ 'Λŋkl/ she ate some./ ʃ i: ◡j◡әt sәm/ However, we do distinguish between “my ears” and “my years”, etc. “years”/jiәz/ has a longer and stronger/j/ than the shorter and gentle link /j/ before “ears”. b) After /u:/, /u/ and the diphthongs /әu, au/, which end in /u/, we can use a gentle /w/ as the link. Examples: two others /'tu: ◡w◡'Λðәz/ do it /'du: ◡w◡it/ how old /'hau◡w◡'әuld/ Again we distinguish between “two-eyed” and “too wide”: /'tu: ◡w◡'aid/, /'tu: 'waid/ 3) When a word ending with “r” or “re” goes before a word beginning with a vowel sound /r/ is usually pronounced as a link
Examples: for ages/for'eigiz/ far away /fa ra wei However, there are special circumstances in which a final"I"is silent even when the following word begins with a vowel a)When there is a/r/ in the same syllable, e.g a roar of laughter /ara: av nimal /a'r eg'aenimI/ nearer and nearer /'niere an 'niere/ b)when a pause is permissible between the two words(even if no pause is actually made).e.g He opened the door and walked in /hi: upnd Oa'd: and wo: kt in/ 4)some English people link a final /a/ or even /a: /and 1: to an initial vowel in the same group by inserting a//sound even if there is no letter r in the spelling. The /r/ sound added in this way is called"intrusive r". Its existence should be known but not imitated China and Japan/vainer an(d)da pen/ ama and music/'dra mar an(d)'mju: Zi law and order/'b r an(d)o da/ I saw a man /ai 's r e'maen/
Examples: for ages /fәr 'eiʤiz/ her own /hә:r 'әun/ share out /'ʃεәr 'aut/ far away /'fa:rә 'wei/ However, there are special circumstances in which a final “r” is silent even when the following word begins with a vowel. a) When there is a /r/ in the same syllable, e.g. a roar of laughter /ә 'rɔ : әv 'la:ftә/ a rare animal /ә 'rεә 'æniml/ nearer and nearer /'niәrә әn 'niәrә/ b)when a pause is permissible between the two words (even if no pause is actually made) .e.g. He opened the door and walked in. /hi: 'әupnd ðә 'dɔ: әnd 'wɔ:kt in/ 4) some English people link a final /ә/ or even /a:/ and /ɔ:/ to an initial vowel in the same group by inserting a /r/ sound even if there is no letter r in the spelling. The /r/ sound added in this way is called “intrusive r”. Its existence should be known but not imitated. Examples: China and Japan /'ʧainәr әn(d) ʤә'pæn/ drama and music/'dra:mәr әn(d) 'mju:zik/ law and order/'lɔ:r әn(d) 'ɔ:dә/ I saw a man /ai 'sɔ:r ә 'mæn/
