uni-hk  +  652532 Fri, 23 Jan 09 12:18 PM Hello! I know, when speaking, some letters change its sounds(at the end of previous and beginning of next word), omit... Please, explain me with examples how it happens in spoken English. Thanks! uni-hk Joined on Wed, Jan 14 2009 Russian Federation New Member 49 Speaking, Chat, Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Friendships, Languages

	Anne Raven  +  652759 Fri, 23 Jan 09 05:17 PM There are basically two types of linking:consonant > vowel We link words ending with a consonant sound to words beginning with a vowel sound When a word ends in a consonant sound, we often move the consonant sound to the beginning of the next word if it starts with a vowel sound. For example, in the phrase "turn off": We write it like this: turn off We say it like this: tur noff Remember that it's the sound that matters. In the next example, "have" ends with: the letter "e" (vowel) the sound "v" (consonant) So we link "have" to the next word "a" which begins with a vowel sound: We write it like this: Can I have a bit of egg? We say it like this: Ca-nI-ha-va-bi-to-fegg? vowel > vowel We link words ending with a vowel sound to words beginning with a vowel sound When one word ends with a vowel sound and the next word begins with a vowel sound, we link the words with a sort of W or Y sound. If our lips are round at the end of the first word, we insert a W sound: oo | o We write it like this: too often who is so I do all We say it like this: tooWoften whoWis soWI doWall If our lips are wide at the end of the first word, we insert a Y sound: oo | -- We write it like this: Kay is I am the end she asked We say it like this: KayYis IYam theYend sheYasked So, that's some of the information I found on the Internet. I think it's really interesting. I hope it can help you. See ya. Anne Raven Joined on Thu, Jan 22 2009 Brazil New Member 05 "Every man’s life is a fairytale written by God’s fingers." -Hans Christian Anderson Vowels, Consonants, Online

	Kooyeen  +  652784 Fri, 23 Jan 09 05:44 PM uni-hk “I know, when speaking, some letters change its sounds(at the end of previous and beginning of next word), omit... Please, explain me with examples how it happens in spoken English.” There's a lot to say. I don't know what exactly you are interested in, but I will give you a couple of examples for American English. ...not = The final T is only slightly pronounced or not pronounced at all (not released and/or rendered as a glottal stop) ...not enough = The T here is rendered as a tapped T, which is that consonant that sounds like a slight D. ...not your car = The T and the following Y are connected and turn into a CH sound, like in CHEESE. So you get something like "...nocher car" You can see more here: http://www.americanaccent.com/liaisons.html Have fun. Kooyeen Joined on Thu, Dec 22 2005 Italy Senior Member 4,969 Parental Advisory / Explicit Posts Consonants, American English, Glottals, Speaking, Chat, Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Friendships, United States, American, Languages

	CalifJim  +  653054 Sat, 24 Jan 09 07:55 AM Kooyeen “...not enough = The T here is rendered as a tapped T, which is that consonant that sounds like a slight D.” Oops!  Kooyeen, not at all would have been a better example!  The schwa + N after a t generates unreleased t + syllabic N. no.tNnuff  is how I say it -- -- although your way (nodda-nuff) is OK too.  The two are very similar. Compare:  Latin, gluten, rotten, etc.  CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,389 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche Consonants

	uni-hk  +  653060 Sat, 24 Jan 09 08:24 AM Thanks! What about 'is the'? How does it sound? And 'strengths'? How can I listen that?  Have you links, where there is audioclip with text, where I can listen spoken English. uni-hk Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Languages

	Kooyeen  +  653194 Sat, 24 Jan 09 07:19 PM Jim, I hadn't thought of that, but I think I have never noticed it. I definitely pronounce words like "mountain" or "sentence" with a glottal stop in the combination "TN" and I don't include a schwa in between, but I have never thought of leaving out a schwa at the beginning of "enough". So I say "nod a nuff". uni-hk “What about 'is the'? How does it sound? And 'strengths'?” I change the way I pronounce both sounds to be able to pronounce them quickly one after the other. In the course on American pronunciation I read, the author said that in those cases TH moves toward S, and S toward TH, so that you can pronounce both of them without moving too much your mouth or tongue. They kind of blend together. I'm sorry that don't seem to be able to explain this better. It takes time though, you need to practice. Kooyeen Pronunciation, Glottals, Speaking, Countries, United States, American, Sentences, Apologies

	Kooyeen  +  653862 Sun, 25 Jan 09 10:00 PM Unfortunately, I don't think I have the material you want, but it depends on what kind of English you are interested in. If you are interested in British English rather than in American English, you can find a lot of free stuff on the BBC site, from exercises to pronunciation lessons. http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/ EDIT: on the first page of this website ( http://www.americanaccent.com ) where you can find a lot of things about American English, there's a guy that reads out loud some sentences showing some reductions in fast informal speech. I have to say that some of those reductions sound too extreme to me to be worthy of attention. In other words, I don't think learned should try to remember then and apply them systematically. Anyway, just look around on the net, or look up that course if you are interested in American English (American Accent Training). I tried it, and there are a lot of audio files and important explanations inside. Good luck. Kooyeen Accents, American Accents, American English, Pronunciation, British English, Speaking, Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain, United States, American, Speeches, Sentences, Languages, Training