美语发音phrasereductionsandintonation

Session Thirteen

1. Phrase Reductions

2. Intonation Phrase

Hi, and welcome back. Again my name is Paul Gruber and this is the Pronunciation Workshops---Thirteenth Training Session. In this session, we will cover Phrase Reductions and Intonation. Ok, what do I mean by Phrase Reductions, well, in conversational English, words are often broken down or not fully pronunciated. Two and three words are sometimes squeezed together to create easy-to-say phrases. I’ll show you what I mean. Look at this phrase. Going to try. When we reduce the phrase. It becomes Gonna try. All we do is combine the words. I’m gonna try to finish this book. Repeat with me. Gonna try. “Want to eat” becomes “Wanna eat”. Do you wanna eat at 7 O’clock. Repeat with me. Wanna eat “Have to start” becomes “Hafta start”. I really hafta start studing for that text. Repeat. Hafta start. “Has to try” becomes “Hasta try”. He hasta try harder. Repeat. Hasta try. “Got to leave” becomes “Gotta leave”.I really gotta leave in fifteen minutes. Repeat. Gotta leave. “Ought to believe” becomes “oughta believe”.She really oughta believe what he is saying. Repeat. Oughta believe. “Out of bed” becomes “outa bed”.I got outa bed when I heard the alarm clock. Repeat. Outa bed.

“Did you go” becomes “Didja go”. D idja go to the store Repeat. Didja go. “Would he help” becomes “Woody help”. Woody help me move the furniture Repeat. Woody help. “Won’t you play” becomes “Woncha play”. And don’t forget about that correct O sound in the word Won’ t. Woncha play one more s ong on the piano Repeat. Woncha play. “Didn’t you know”becomes “Didincha know”Didincha know that she was coming home tomorrow Repeat. Donincha know “Is he” becomes “Izzy” Izzy the one that called Repeat. Izzy. “What do you want” becomes “whadaya want”. Repeat. Whadaya want. “Give it to me” becomes “Gividame”. Gividame right now. Repeat. Gividame.

Very good. You’ll find the better you’re good at speaking English, the more you’ll be using these phrase reductions. The key is to still be easily understood. Yo u’ll find that almost all of the rules that I have told you, especially the ones having to do with voicing remain the same.

In the last example Gividame. The only big change comes from the Ts being pronounced as Ds and this happens because the Ts fall between two vowel sounds. If you remember an American pronunciation when Ts fall between two vowels, they become voiced and are pronounced as Ds. Now even though you may at times to speak quickly and use these reduced phrases in your conversations, y ou’ll still be easily understood as long as you continue to use the pronunciation rules that I’ve been showing you throughout this program.

Ok, now we’re going to talk about Intonation. English is a very musical language. As we speak our words and phrases go all the way up and then they come all the way down, much like the mus ic does. Now as you can see. I’m trying to give you a good example of intonation. This keeps our speech interesting and it helps to get our message across. Now, listen to this.

Many foreign-borned speakers of English use a flat intonation pattern or in monotonous tone. This can create uninteresting and misunderstood speech. Everything is very flat.

Ok, I hope you ca n see from that example what I’m talking about. Monotonous speech can be very boring and difficult to listen to. Use correct intonation to make people want to listen to you. It’s generally easy to guess what country a speaker is from just by their accent. Each language has its own characteristic rhythm and melody. Some languages use a wide range of tones and change in pitch with the melody going up and coming down. And other languages sound very flat. These characteristics of languages called intonation. Even though they distinguish one language from another, they are rarely taught. Now in American English, words that carry the highest information of value in a sentence are given more emphasis with

increase loudness—a higher pitch and sometimes a longer duration. Listen to my intonation and notice how I slowly step up and then I work my way down again. Listen to the following made-up advertisement for Diane’s Donuts. Listen to how the words in each sentence are stressed.

Have you ever tried one of Diane’s Donuts They are so delicious. I have eaten many different kinds of donuts, from all over the country; however, I have never tasted anything, quite like Donuts made by Diane. I have been told that she uses the finest and freshest ingredients that money can buy. The best flour, the best eggs and the best milk. I am sure, that once you taste these incredible donuts, you will run and tell all of your friends.

Now I recommend that you practise that paragraph again along with me. Do your best and emphasize the important words by increasing your loudness as well as raising your pitch. Ok Very good. Now let’s talk about Asking Questions. Notice how my voice goes up at the end of a question, like this. Are you sleeping And notice how my voice comes down at the end of the sentence. That is not a question. He is not sleeping. Very often if you d on’t use proper intonation when asking a question. The person you’re speaking to won’t understand that you’ve even asked them question to begin with. So rising up at the end of a question is very important. Ok, now let’s talk about Syllable Stress. In words that contain more than one syllable. There’s always one syllable which receives the most stress or giving a higher pitch. Now although there are many exceptions, it is most common that 2 syllable words have stress on the 1st syllable. Let’s go over some examples. Repeat after me.

Sofa

Oven

After

Finger

Station

Second

Enter

Often

Uncle

Carpet

Father

Children

Walking

Jacket

Lucky

Comment

Good. Now here are a few Two-Syllable words that are stressed on the second syllable.

Delete

Decline

Survive

Protect

Adopt

Advance

Below

Resolve

Advice

Acquit

Control

Arrive

Involve

Massage

Disease

Relate

Very good. Now again. Although there are exceptions. Most Three -Syllable words are stressed on the second syllable.

Reduction

Arrangement

Audition

Companion

Detective

Ambitious

Companion

Appliance

Discover

Unlawful

Conclusion

Assemble

Adjustment

Affected

Acceptance

Ferocious

Very good. Practise using syllable stress in these sentences.

The pictures are fantastic.

He needs permission to find a solution.

The party is in honor of his retirement.

Her son exhibited bad behavior on their vacation.

Very good. You know stress and intonation can have a big impact on the meaning you’re trying to get across. Let’s compare some of these sentences.

Joe drinks cheap wine.

Sue only drinks expensive wine.

Don’t forget his birthday.

We would never forget his birthday.

She’s planning to leave tomorrow.

He made plans to leave a month ago.

The Teacher’s meeting is at 9:00.

The students announced that they will never have a meeting.

My telephone isn’t working.

The telephone needs to work by lunchtime.

He’s painting his house blue and green.

Your house would look terrible if it were green.

Very good. Well, I hope you have fun with this session. You may wanna watch this one again and go over it a few more times. Now when you’re speaking to people in English, try to bring more intonation into your conversations, you’ll find that you’ll be better underst ood. Thank you for watching. I’m Paul Gruber for the Pronunciation Workshop and I’ll see you at our next session. Goodbye！