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 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, 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 the that , The Study Subjects Thesubjects intermediate for level the study Freshman subjects reported studying subjects had lived language or had sponsored 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 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 Subject 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, 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, 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 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 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 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: Press Oxford: Brown, G (1988) A scheme P & Ehrlich, pronunciation T (1977) S (1992) Oxford Teaching University Listening American English Press to spoken language London: Longman Dalton, scheme for Koike, Taishiyukan C & Seidlhofer, teacher I Worth, experience: (1990) J P Oxford: Language Oxford Eigo no hiaringu (1993) TX: Harcourt Miyawaki, Jenkins, education (1994) teaching: University a Press to sono shidou Press Ladefoged, Fort B K., J., A course Brace Strange, & Fujimura, The discrimination in phonetics College Publishers W., Verbrugg, R., (1975) An effect of In and /1/ —75— (3rd ed.) Linberman, A M., of linguistic by native 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 Gengo, 52-59 Roach, practical P (1991) course English (2nd ed.) phonetics and phonology: Cambridge: Cambridge a University Press Sheldon, and /1/ by production A & Strange, Japanese can learners precede 3(3), Suenobu, M (1990) International Takefuta, The acquisition English: evidence perception Applied of that In speech 243-261 From Co., Y (1982) of speech Psycholinguistics, Shubun W error to intelligibility Tokyo: Ltd (1984) Hiaringu no Koudou Kagaku Tokyo: Kenkyusha Temperly, consonant M.S clusters pronunciation: Wong, and K Taishiyukan and J Linking Morley and (Ed.), deletion in Current anchored in theory Eigo no rizumu final perspectives (pp on 59-82) DC: TESOL Watanabe, rhythm In practices Washington, Tokyo: (1987) R (1994) intonashion no shido Press (1987) intonation Yellop, C & Clark, phonology Oxford: Teaching pronunciation Englewood J Cliffs: (1990) Blackwell Prentice An introduction Publishers —76— Focus Ltd on English Hall to phonetics [...]... Sheldon, and /1/ by production A & Strange, Japanese can learners precede 3(3), Suenobu, M (1990) International Takefuta, The acquisition English: evidence perception Applied of that In speech 243-261 From Co., Y (1982) of speech Psycholinguistics, Shubun W error to intelligibility Tokyo: Ltd (1984) Hiaringu no Koudou Kagaku Tokyo: Kenkyusha Temperly, consonant M.S clusters pronunciation: Wong, and K Taishiyukan