Connected SpeechSpeech is a continuous stream of sounds. This means that when we speak naturally, we do not pronounce a word, make a pause, then say the next word in the sentence, pause again, and so on.In rapid speech, when one word is linked with the next, sounds come together. And when sounds come together in speech, they are influenced by one another. As a result, some sounds are lost, some sounds are added, some sounds take on different characteristics, and some are spoken almost simultaneously.Learning about these adjustments is not only important to help learners of English to improve their oral production, but it is also crucial in helping them to improve their listening comprehension-------Linking-----Linking can be defined as the connecting of the final sound of one word or syllable to the initial sound of the next. When words are properly linked, there is a smooth transition from one word to the next. Linking occurs in different phonological contexts.Let us see the most common of these contexts.Linking consonants to vowels.

When a word ends in a consonant sound and is followed by a word beginning with a vowel sound, the consonant is often produced as if belonged to both syllables or as if belonged to the next word.

like_itput_on

call_upmove_out

run_overback_off

talk_aboutleave_early

Linking consonants to consonants.

When a word ends in a stop consonant (-/p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/) and is followed by a word that begins with a consonant, the stop consonant is not released.

stop_talkingcat_food

duck_feet bad_boy

cab_driverbig_shoes

Linking identical consonants.

When a word ends in a consonant sound and is followed by a word that begins with the same consonant sound, the two consonants are normally pronounced as one long consonant.

black_catbig_girl

bad_daywent_to

keep_promisesMiss_Susan

feel_lonely

Linking vowels to vowels.

When a word that ends in a tense vowel (-/iy/, /ey/, /uw/, /ow/) is followed by a word that begins with a vowel, the words are usually linked by the semi-vowel ending the tense vowel.

iy + Vey + Vuw + Vow + V

be_on timepay_upblue_angelgrow_up

he_isnt herelay_it hereflew_inrow_over

see_its doneway_up northstew_itblow_out

Linking vowels to semivowels.

When a word ends with a tense vowel (-/iy/, /ey/, /uw/, /ow/) and the next word begins with the same semi-vowel that ends the tense vowel, these will be linked like identical consonants.

iy + yey + yuw + wow + w

be_yourselfpay_yourselfdo_we?blow_wind

free_unionstay_unitedwho_wouldntgo_west

see_Esmeraldassay_yesblue_watershow_window

STOP TO READPeople do not speak in separate words, they speak in logical connected groups of words. These groups are often called thought groups. A thought group can be defined as a portion of a sentence separated from the rest by a pause or pauses. In the examples below, the thought groups are separated by a diagonal line:Please call / if you have to cancel.

Whatever you do, / do well.

Experts say / that what you name your child / can make a huge difference.

Practice 1 Listen to the sentences below and identify the places where the process of linking occurs.1. She has a lot of friends.

2. What time is it?

3. This is my uncle, John.

4. We live in a big house with a big garden.

5. He left home at eight and got to work at nine.

6. We havent talked to each other in ages.

7. English is spoken all over the world.

8. I had a really bad day yesterday.

Practice 2Listen to the sentences in Practice 1 again and repeat. Listening and repeating is important practice for language learning. Go back to the sentences in Practice 1 and identify the types of linking which occur:Type 1 = linking consonants to vowelsType 2 = linking a stop consonant to a consonantType 3 = linking identical consonantsType 4 = linking vowels to vowels.For example, in has a in sentence 1 we link the final consonant of has to the following vowel sound (type 1).RECOMMENDED: Search for the lyrics and the audio of the song When I need you by Leo Sayer. Read the lyrics while listening to the song and identify occurrences of linking. Listen to it as many times as necessary.Supplementary ReadingClick on the links below to read more about linking in English. http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/linking.htmhttp://www.pronuncian.com/lessons.aspx?Lesson=7 http://www.pronuncian.com/lessons.aspx?Lesson=50 http://www.pronuncian.com/lessons.aspx?Lesson=54 http://www.pronuncian.com/lessons.aspx?Lesson=55 References:CELCE-MURCIA et al. Teaching Pronunciation: a Reference for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996.GRANT, L. Well Said. Boston: Heinle & Heinle, 2001.

LETS MAKE A COMPARISSON BETWEEN LINKING IN SPANISH LANGUAGEEnlace or encadenamiento is the phenomenon in Spanish whereby each word seems to run into the next, as if there are no boundaries between them. In fact, this is exactly the case: there are no phonetic boundaries in Spanish, and words do run together, in three different ways.1.Vowel + vowel

a)When a word ending with a vowel is followed by a word beginning with the same vowel, the two vowels are combined into a single, slightly elongated sound.

la escuela abre la puerta a las sietela escue la bre la puer ta la sie te

b)When a word ending with a vowel is followed by a word beginning with a different vowel, the two vowels diphthong into a single syllable.

tengo una idea interesanteten gou nai deain te re san te

2.Consonant + consonant

When a word ending with a consonant is followed by a word beginning with the same consonant, the two consonants are combined into a single, slightly elongated sound.

los seores son nerviososlo se o re so ner vio sos

3.Consonant + vowel

When a word ending in a consonant is followed by a word that begins with a vowel, the consonant sound at the end of the first word is transfered to the beginning of the second word.

un actor es un artistau nac to re su nar ti sta

Notes:When the second word begins with an H, the word acts as if the H doesn't exist, so the rules above still apply.Basically, the Spanish language doesn't like to have syllables begin with vowels or end in consonants, so whenever possible the final consonant is tacked onto the word that follows it. The end result of enlace is that most syllables begin with a consonant sound and end with a vowel sound. This also increases the musicality of the language.

Deletion of consonantsIn connected speech, final consonant clusters are often simplified. This simplification depends on the following sound and on the nature of the cluster. If the following word begins with a vowel, then the final consonant of the cluster will be linked to that following vowel and, therefore, cannot be deleted as the examples below show.ClusterExamplePronunciation

ndhand outhand out

stlast offerlast offer

stnext upnext up

ftleft outleft out

If the following word begins with a consonant, the final consonant is usually unreleased and can even be deleted as the examples below show.ClusterExamplePronunciation

ndband shellban shell

ftleft fieldlef field

stpast presidentpas president

stnext monthnex month

Consonants are also deleted in words that have suffixes or are compounds:ClusterExamplePronunciation

ndkindnesskinness

ftsoftnesssofness

stpostmanposman

sttextbooktexbook

Clusters created by the addition of grammatical endings, however, are not usually simplified:ClusterExamplePronunciation

ndcanned peachescannd peaches

ftlaughed hardlaughd hard

stmissed chancesmissd chances

sttaxed metaxd me

Professor Norman Mosquera Castro

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