Aspects Of Connected Speech Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Aspects Of Connected Speech - Research Paper Example Preceding the conclusion, findings will be accrued in relation to the three particular characters providing the dialogues (Chapter 3), in an attempt to determine whether particular phonetic features and/or phonological rules pertain to each individual accent or whether the same occur across the connected speech of all three people. Hypothesis: it is expected that results will show similar occurrences in terms of pronunciation and phonological rules across all three characters. Apart from the fact that all three actors are of British descent this assertion is made on the basis that all three are portraying a British accent in a British movie, so it is to be expected that similar phonetic and phonological occurrences will be evident. Chapter 1: Simplification Assimilation An important aspect of connected speech is that of assimilation, wherein the articulation of words is altered in accordance with phonetic characteristics in their immediate environment; in other words sounds are influ enced by other immediate sounds and thus assimilated (Davenport & Hannahs, 2005, p.25). It largely depends upon context, with speakers who are speaking slowly and carefully using it less, and speakers who speak rapidly using it more (Roach, 1998, p.123), and is the reason why mechanized speech, where each word is recorded in isolation, does not work (Roach, 1998, p.123). Roach (1998, p.124) states there are two basic types of assimilation, namely progressive and regressive. Progressive assimilation is where the affected word comes after the word that affects it, as in ‘did you’ [did ju]; for example, in connected speech many speakers would assimilate the approximant /j/ with the alveolar /d/ and articulate it as [did?u] or [did] (Tyrode, 2008, p.2)....   An important aspect of connected speech is that of assimilation, wherein the articulation of words is altered in accordance with phonetic characteristics in their immediate environment; in other words, sounds are influenced by other immediate sounds and thus assimilated (Davenport & Hannahs, 2005, p.25).   It largely depends upon context, with speakers who are speaking slowly and carefully using it less, and speakers who speak rapidly using it more (Roach, 1998, p.123), and is the reason why mechanized speech, where each word is recorded in isolation, does not work   (Roach, 1998, p.123).   Roach (1998, p.124) states there are two basic types of assimilation, namely progressive and regressive.   Progressive assimilation is where the affected word comes after the word that affects it, as in ‘did you’ [did ju]; for example, in connected speech many speakers would assimilate the approximant /j/ with the alveolar /d/ and articulate it as [didÆ ·u] or [didÆ ·Ã‡ ] (Tyrode, 2008, p.2).  Regressive assimilation, on the other hand, is where the affected word precedes the word that affects it, as in ‘is she’, where in isolation the word ‘is’ ends with a voiced alveolar fricative /z/ [É ªz] not its voiceless counterpart.   In connected speech, however, the final articulation of ‘is' /z/ assimilates with the voiceless postalveolar fricative /ÊÆ'/ to and becomes devoiced [É ªs ÊÆ'i] (Tyrode, 2008, p.1).