RHYTHM &INTONATION

Rhythm & Intonation

Rhythm What is rhythm? - Assimilation -Elision -Linking Intonation What is intonation? Form and function in intonation

Rhythm
What is rhythm? Utterance of a number of strong stresses or beats corresponding to those parts of utterance to which the speaker wishes to attach particular accentual meaning and on which he expands great articulatory energy; the remaining words or syllables are weakly and rapidly articulated. Forms a rhythmic beat rhythm in speech
(Gimson, 1980:258)

rhythm
Stress-timed rhythm theory ~ rhythm from intervals of stressed syllables. Rhythmic structure made by the occurance of weak and strong syllables used in speech. Regular alteration between stronger and weaker syllables, and adjustment of stress levels to accommodate the intervals. Stress-shift Eg. Bad-tempered ~ a bad tempered teacher compact ~ compact disk

Assimilation
~sounds belonging to one word can cause changes to the sounds of the neighboring words ~ phonemes realized (pronounced) differently as a result of being near some other phoneme belonging to a neighboring word ~ to assimilate itself = assimilation ~varies according to speaking rate and style ~found more in rapid, casual speech ~smts very noticeable, smts very slight ~affects consonants

assimilation
when a word that ends with a single initial consonant meets another word that starts with a single initial consonant, and the end consonant changes to be like the starting consonant in the second word = regressive assimilation when the initial consonant in the second word changes to be like the end consonant in the first word = progressive assimilation

assimilation
Can be identified according to: Assimilation of place, of manner and of voicing in the consonants Assimilation of place where a final consonant (Cf) with alveolar place of articulation is followed by an initial consonant (Ci) with a place of articulation that is NOT alveolar. Examples: that - ends with t ~ that person sounds like dap person light blue ~ laip blue

assimilation
Before a dental consonant, t will change into a dental plosive. E.g. that thing, get those Before a velar consonant, the t will become k ~ that case, bright colour, quite good How about s and z? ~this shoe, those years

assimilation
Assimilation of manner ~ much less noticeable, only found in casual rapid speech ~ are mostly regressive assimilation ~ change of manner is mostly towards easier consonants. ~ smts final plosives can become a fricative or a nasal e.g that side, good night ~but final fricative or nasal cannot become a plosive e.g fun bit Progressive assimilation : when a word-initial follows a plosive or nasal at the end of a preceding word; Ci becomes identical in the manner of Cf but with dental place of articulation

assimilation
Assimilation of voice ~ only regressive assimilation. ~ if Cf is a voiced (lenis) consonant and Ci is voiceless (fortis) ~ the lenis consonant has no voicing Fixed assimilation - progressive assimilation of voiced with the suffixes s and z `pronounced as s if the preceding consonant is voiceless (fortis). `pronounced z if the preceding consonant is voiced (lenis)

Elision
What is elision? weakly accented syllables go through a process of gradation i.e. loss of phoneme or obscuration of vowels (Gimson, 1980:234) - circumstances when a phoneme may be realised as zero = zero realisation = deleted - found typically in rapid and casual speech

Elision
Vowels Loss of weak vowel after p, t, k The aspiration of the plosive takes up the whole of middle portion of the syllable, resulting the elision of the vowels becomes syllabic Simplification of consonant clusters E.g clusters of three plosives or two plosives plus a fricative, the middle plosive may disappear Loss of final v in of before consonants E.g lots of them, waste of money

Linking
~ link words together words are not in isolation Most familiar is use of linking r Examples: here are four eyes Intrusive r Media event, formula A Juncture relationship between one sound and the sounds that immediately precede and follow it. Close juncture? My turn External open juncture? Consider = might rain vs my train keep sticking vs keeps ticking Boundaries of sounds?

Intonation Form and function in intonation

What is intonation? Concerns associated variations of pitch rises and falls of pitch forms a pattern intonation. Pitch of our voices constantly change during speech. 2 main functions A) accentual pitch change to make prominent what the speaker wishes to stress upon signaling via pitch change of primary meaningful words B) non accentual pitch change is to distinguish different type of sentences = question, statements

intonation
Level tone not natural Moving tone falling, rising more common in speech depending on the situation Rise-fall tone = the pitch goes down and rises again Tones give more meanings to our speech

Tutorial activities
Research : what are contractions, give examples and usage. Are contractions elisions? Assimilations of sounds?