Review questions and tasks.

1. How are sounds pronounced in isolation and in connected speech?

2. What stages may be observed in the articulation of an isolated sound?

Characterize them.

3. Analyze the work of the speech organs during the articulation of the sounds [p],

[s], [n], [r], [w], [i:].

4. Name two principal ways of linking adjacent sounds and describe them.

5. Describe the articulation of the sounds in block type in the following words:

that time [ðæt'taım]; arm [α:m]; on [ n]; hidden ['hıdn].

Name the type of junction.

6. Do different languages have the same rules of joining the sounds?

UNIT 3

Section 1

Make a careful study of the text below and pick out the terms related to phonetics.

Assimilation (I)

Adjacent sounds often assimilate, i.e. influence each other so that they become more alike.

Assimilation is the alteration of a speech sound to make it more similar to neighbouring sounds. It may take place within a word and also at word boundaries. Assimilation exists in every language, but its laws and forms depend on the articulatory tendencies typical of every language and specific phonetic structures.

Types of assimilation can be distinguished according to

I. the degree of completeness; II. the direction; III. the degree of stability.

I. Assimilation may be complete and incomplete. It is complete when two adjoining sounds become alike or merge into one in fluent speech:

e.g. cupboard ['kÙpb¶d 'kÙb¶d], less shy [les '∫aı le∫'∫aı]

*Complete assimilation is also found in Russian (отдать, без сил, сжать, голос женщины).

Assimilation is called incomplete when the likeness of the adjoining sounds is partial. For example, the sonorants [w, l, r] are partially devoiced when preceded by the voiceless fortis [p, t, k, s, f, θ]: sweet [swi:t], place [pleıs], try [traı].

II. Assimilation may be of three types, as far as its direction is concerned.

In progressive assimilation, a sound is influenced by the sound, which precedes it:

e.g. grandmother ['grændmÙð¶ 'grænmÙð¶]

sandwich ['sændwıd 'sæŋwıd ] (complete assimilation)

twice [t°waıs ] (incomplete assimilation)

In regressive assimilation, a sound is influenced by the sound, which follows it:

e.g. ten minutes ['ten 'mınıts] ['tem'mınıts] (complete assimilation)

width [wıdθ] (incomplete assimilation: the alveolar [d] becomes

dental before the interdental [θ, ð] )

Reciprocal (double) assimilation means complex mutual influence of the adjacent sounds: e.g. tree [tri:]– the sonorant [r] is partly devoiced under the influence of the

voiceless [t]; the alveolar [t] becomes post-alveolar before [r].

sweater ['s°wet¶] – [w] becomes partially devoiced and [s] becomes

slightly rounded as a result of mutual influence.

III. According to the degree of stability historical assimilation may be manifested

(= changes which have taken place within words over a period of time).

e.g. orchard (ort + yard) [ :tj¶d > :t∫¶d]

Assimilatory phenomena in modern English may be obligatory (these are special allophonic variants, which are to be used by all speakers, for example, dental allophones of alveolar consonants before interdental [θ,ð]) and non-obligatorywhich are characteristic of fluent or careless speech:

e.g. ten girls [teŋ'gз:lz], ten minutes [tem'mınıts]).

Section 2 [ t ]

(occlusive, plosive, forelingual, apical, alveolar, strong/fortis, voiceless)

[ d ]

(occlusive, plosive, forelingual, apical, alveolar, weak/lenis, voiced)

I. Observe the position of the tongue for the sounds [ t ] and [ d ]. Observe the

necessary degree of aspiration for [t], loss of plosion, nasal / lateral plosions, and

correct pronunciation of combinations [tð], [dð], [tr], [dr], [tw], [dw].

tea still said hot pan good girl red dress

task step bad knocked down thousand pounds that time

tame stand add let go cold climate mad dog

town star paid post-card add two what time

tin steam road light-blue not Charles good day

top story could eight pounds not Jane not true

button little at the tree twin

cotton bottle not this true twice

couldn’t cattle not that attract twelve

hidden at last read the text control twenty

utmost fiddle told the truth dream dwarf

oatmeal cradle could think draw could wait

II. Read the sentences. Follow the tonetic marks.

1. Get it right. Поймите меня правильно.

2. Cut it short. Kopoче.

3. Try to put it right. Попытайся починить это.

4. Don’t take it to heart. Не принимай это близко к сердцу.

5. You are telling pretty tall stories. Ты рассказываешь небылицы.

6. Toby still treats the matter lightly. Тоби все еще относится к этому

беспечно.

7. Better the foot slip than the tongue trip Лучше оступиться, чем оговориться.

8. I’d be delighted. Буду очень рад (счастлив).

9. Good riddance. Скатертью дорога.

10. Dad’s a good driver. Папа хорошо водит машину.

11. Beyond the shadow of a doubt. Несомненно.

12. Dumb dogs are dangerous. В тихом омуте черти водятся.

13. Dave is in a decidedly good mood. Дайв явно в хорошем настроении.

III. Match the following English idioms, proverbs and sayings with their Russian

equivalents. Make up situations to illustrate their usage.

1. second wind a. второе дыхание

2. the good old days b. хандрить

3. over my dead body c. крохи, кот наплакал

4. in the doldrums d. доброе старое время

5. dribs and drabs e. на голову выше, лучше

6. head and shoulders above f. старо

7. cold idea g. через мой труп

8. to give the devil his due. h. отдавать должное врагу

9. to tell tales out of school i. говорить начистоту, по-деловому

10. take on trust j. не торопиться, выжидать

11. talk turkey k. задеть чувства

12. take one’s time l. суть дела

13. tread on smb’s toes m. принимать на веру

14. on the tip of one’s tongue n. на языке

15. the root of the matter o. принять как нечто само собой

разумеющееся

16. the straight tip p. выносить сор из избы, сплетничать

17. take for granted q. надежный совет

IV. Pronounce the tongue twisters in the quickest possible way. Observe the correct articulation of [ tw ], [ d ], [ fr ] and [ br ].

1.Twelve twins twirled twelve twigs.

2. Fred fed Ted bread, and Ted fed Fred bread.

Section 3

Listen to the dialogue and learn it by heart.

In a Department Store

Pretty girl: I want to buy a hat / coat / skirt / shirt.

Assistant: Hats / Coats are upstairs on the next / first floor.

Fat man: Where can I get a hot meal?

Assistant: The restaurant / cafeteria is on the thirteenth floor.

Little girl: I want to buy some bootlaces / light bulbs / bottles of fruit juice.

Assistant: They’ re on the next counter on your left, dear.

Tall lady: I want some tins of tomato paste / steak.

Assistant: Try the supermarket in the basement.

Gentleman: Could you tell me where the travel agency / lavatory is?

Assistant: It’s right next to the cafeteria / restaurant on the thirteenth floor.

Student: I want to buy a football / cricket bat / tennis racquet.

Assistant: Take the lift to the sports department. It’s on the top / fourteenth

floor.

Little boy: Could you tell me where the telephone is?

Assistant: It’s on the twelfth floor opposite the photographer’s.

Twins: Could you tell us the time, please?

Assistant: Yes. It’s exactly twenty-two minutes to ten.