In
English, words bump into each other. We reduce words when we’re speaking,
contract them, and then mash them together. That’s what connected speech is:
it’s continuous spoken language like you’d hear in a normal conversation. It’s
called connected speech because the words are all connected, with sounds from
one running into the next.
Here
are some common types and examples of connected speech.
1.Catenation or linking
Catenation
happens when a consonant sound at the end of one word gets attached to the
first vowel sound at the beginning of the following word.
Here
are some examples:
i)
“trip over” often sounds like “trip over”
ii)
“hang out” often sounds like “hangout”
2.Intrusion
Intrusion
happens when an extra sound squishes in between two words. The intruding sound
is often a “i”, “w”, or “r”.
For
example, we often say:
i) “he
asked” more like “heyasked”
ii)
“do it” more like “dewit”
3.Elision
Elision
happens when the last sound of a word disappears. This often happens with “t”
and “d” sounds. For example:
i)
“next door” often gets shortened to “next door”
ii)
“most common” often gets shortened to “most common”
4.Assimilation
Assimilation
happens when sounds blend together to make an entirely new sound. Some examples
include:
i)
“don’t you” getting blended into “don-chu”
ii)
“meet you” getting blended into “mee-chu
-Submitted by: Salma Hussain Malinge
*************************************************
The dance of pronunciation
Connected speech is the vibrant tapestry of
real language. Unlike the neat rows of words on a page, connected speech paints
our thoughts with fluidity, weaving sounds together in a dance of
pronunciation. Words blur and morph, endings melt into beginnings, and
syllables vanish like fleeting brushstrokes. "Good morning" becomes a
breezy "gmornin'," consonants tango in "let's go," and
"gonna see you" transforms into a single, mellifluous phrase. This
intricate choreography, far from sloppy, imbues language with rhythm, nuance,
and the very essence of human interaction. Connected speech is the whisper of
secrets, the lilt of laughter, the pulse of emotions woven into the fabric of
our everyday conversations. It's the magic that takes us beyond rote words and into
the heart of meaning, where the speaker's true
essence shines through.
References
BBC Learning English. Pronunciation tips
https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/features/connected.shtml
Quora.com
What is the meaning of connected speech?
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-meaning-of-connected-discourse#:~:text=Connected%20discourse%20
Wikipedia. Connected speech
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connected_speech
-Submitted
by Amalnath PV.