American Accent Training 笔记 05

Chapter 2 Word Connection

Liaisons the connections between words ,which allow us to speak in sound group rather than in individual words

It is the sound that is important ,not the spelling

Words are connected in four main situations:

1 consonant/vowel

2 consonant/consonant

3 vowel/vowel

4 T D S or Z+Y

Liaison rule 1:consonant /vowel

Words are connected when a words ends in a consonant sound and the next word stars with a vowel sound, including the semivowels W Y and R

What the difference between a vowel and a consonant?

In pronunciation ,a consonant touches at some point in the mouth .

A vowel ,on the other hand ,doesn’t touch anywhere.

Liaison rule 2 consonant/consonant:

Words are connected when a word ends in a consonant sound and the next word stars a consonant that is in a  similar position.

The sound of TH is a special case.

When the TH combination connects with certain sounds, the two sounds blend together form a composite .

Liaison rule 3:vowel /vowel

When a word ending in a vowel sound is next to one beginning in a vowel sound ,they are connected with a glide between the two vowels A glide is either a slight [y] sound or slight [w] sound.

Add a (y) glide after an [e] sound ,and a (w) glide after an [u] sound.

Liaison rule 4:T D S or Z+Y

When the letter or sound of T D S T or Z is followed by a word that starts with Y ,or its sound ,both sounds are connected .

These letters and sounds connect not only with Y ,but they do so as well with the initial unwritten [y]

These letters and sounds connect not only with Y ,but they do so as well with the initial unwritten [y]

Additional liaison practice

Use these techniques on texts of your own and in conversation

1 take some written material and mark the intonation ,then the word groups, and finally the liaisons

2 practice saying it out loud

3 record yourself and listen back

Colloquial reductions and liaisons