IJELLH (International Journal of English Language, Literature in Humanities) Vol.

7, Issue 6, June 2019 1344

Dr. R.C. Reddy K

English & Soft Skills Trainer

Psychotherapist

Associate Member of APCPA & ELTA

Faculty in School Education Dept. of AP

India

rcreddyeng@gmail.com

Pedogogical Directions of Authentic Pronunciation For Better English Communication

Abstract

Many eloquent speakers today at this fast-paced world assimilate sounds in the words

without thinking for an excellent rapid delivery of communication in English. So, the

students are found demented to understand the speech of the speakers’ output. This study

ponders over such issues of underlying in assimilation and involves in the process of

churning out the pragmatic rules to put at ease for the students. It also exposes the linguistic

tools and figure out the directions for effective pronunciation during the communication.

This paper suggests that if the students know the directions of assimilated sounds, the

relevant production of sounds are also articulated effectively. So, the study of assimilated

sounds has tended to concentrate on the observable aspects of the pronunciation. Most of the

students have trouble in interpreting the utterances of the native speakers whose delivery is a

precise version of sound. This paper highlights the importance of assimilated pronunciation

rather than relying on the sounds of written form. The focus is on the effective

pronunciation with inter connected sounds in natural conversation.

IJELLH (International Journal of English Language, Literature in Humanities) Vol. 7, Issue 6, June 2019 1345

Key words: Assimilated words, connected speech, communication, pronunciation,

unaccustomed language,

Introduction

Best English speakers speak not only efficient speech but fast and accurate

pronunciation with assimilated words of sounds. News in English is not understood to many

English speaking students due to no prior knowledge of pronunciation of the assimilated

words. So, Pronunciation occupies the vital position in the communicative proficiency.

But, According to Celce- Murcia words “ Pronunciation has come to be regarded as of the

limited importance in a communicatively- oriented curriculum. Most of the efforts were

directed to teaching supra-segmental features of the language, rhythm, stress, and intonation,

because they have the greatest impact on the comprehensibility of the learners’ English. “The

acquisition of pronunciation involves in subtle distinctions which relate to the sounds of

different levels of articulation, interaction and cognitive process. The pronunciation usually

refers to contextual variability of speech sounds which is said to be caused by the influence of

another sound. This paper is designed under the premise that phonological features are best

presented with host of examples that situate phonology within an overall communicative-

centered context.. It also extended to the learners that they encounter the problems in

pronunciation which is in consonance with the modern communicative approaches. This

paper also focuses on the evolution of awareness of the pronunciation with the pragmatic

rules including the concepts of elisions, reductions, intrusions, assimilated contractions, etc.

These are also beneficial for the students who take part in the tests of listening sections like

TOEFL, IElTS, IELTA, ESL, etc. Most of the people are unaware of the sound of natural

conversation. They may pose the obstacle in improving their speaking ability unless

authentically communicated and activated prior knowledge with the directions.

 IJELLH (International Journal of English Language, Literature in Humanities) Vol. 7, Issue 6, June 2019 1346

Indications for Better Utterance

The students need confidence to utter a sound concretely after assimilating the

connected words. So, the thorough consideration and attention of the indications assist them

to have an authentic listening of the words and deliver it properly and fluently. Many

students are unaware of this subject where one word affects the other word and produces the

other sound by adding, deleting, etc., in varied ways. The following deciphers how the

sounds together proclaim the correct pronunciation in variations. The learning and

understanding of sounds make the students speak automatically and naturally with ease.

 The students usually spell the words without the rules. When the end of a word is a consonant

sound and is followed by the same consonant of the next word, they have to say the sound

only once not twice. They should delete one consonant sound. For instances. At the temple,

// ət ðə templ// big grape, // bigreip// good day, // gudei// best time, // bestaim //

bad dog, // bædɒg // night train, // naitrein// still lake, // stileik //. Here, the double

sound ‘t’, in at the temple, ‘ g.’ in big grape, ‘d’ in good day, deleting ‘t’ in best time, etc.,

Usually, many students express the dual sounds which results out the vague to hear.

 When the words ends in a consonant sound and follows the next word with a vowel sound,

the ending consonant word becomes the beginning of the vowel sound. Examples : Turn off

tur noff //Tɜn ɒf// , Drop it….. dro pit , // drɒ pit// put on, //pu tɒn // job

interview, //dzɒ bintɜːrvju:// take it //te: kit//.. etc. If the students vocalize as per the

direction mentioned, the communication represents worthy

The words below given have to be uttered by transforming the words by deleting

some sounds. They are to be voiced as , Give me as ‘ gimme,’ //gimmi// Let me as ‘

lemme’ //lemmi// (usta) // ʌʃtə // for Used to, hasta //hʌʃtə // for Has to , Have to as

hatta, //hʌtə // got to as gotta //gɒtə // . The word ‘ have’ should also be deleted for

effective pronunciation by exerting the rule uttering as ‘ a ‘ // ə // Examples for it are as :

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The words “ should have “ is enunciated as ‘ shoulda,’’ // ʃudə // Would have as ‘’

woulda’’ // wudə // , Could have as ‘’ coulda ‘’ // kudə // , Must have as ‘’ musta ‘’ //

mʌsə // May have is also spoken as ‘’ may a ‘’ // mei ə // and might have as ‘’ mighta

‘’ // maitə //. This sort of expression makes the students’ communication pleasant as of

native speakers’ voice.

 The communication looks aureate when the helping verbs are distressed while delivering in a

sentence.. Those are Can as //kən // and Cant // kənt// in a short vowel sound. // ə //

 The smooth-spoken communication crops out coherently superficial when the two sounds

merge together and produce another sound. “ The exemplifications are “ What are you as ‘’

watya’’/ wətʃjə // , Do you as ‘’dya ‘’ // djeə:// and did you as

” didya “ // didzu// , could you as ‘’/ / kudzu // wont you as // wəuntʃu // should

you as “ sudzu ‘’ // ʃudzu// . Here the pronunciation of the sounds ‘ you ‘ are converted as

//dz // in all cases.

 The switch over of the verb phrase reductions are transposed and nicely uttered as “ wanna ‘’

// wənə // to the phrase “ want to “ , Going to as ‘’ gonna ‘’ // gɒnə // , and ught to is as ‘’

oughta ‘’ // ɒtə //. This transfiguration of pronunciation elevates the communication to

great heights of enthralling as a native speaker which in turn motivates the students to brush

up their diction.

 To get fluid and fluent sounding English communication, one sound should change under the

influence of a following sound as in the words ‘Ten men’ is disclosed as “ temmen ‘’ //

temen // and the word ‘ Unpersonal ‘ as “ umpersonal “ // ʌmpərsɜnəl stressing the

consonant “n “ as ‘m ‘
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Assimilation For Accurate Articulation

It is unfurl notice that English isn’t pronounced straightforward as of the alphabetical

written word. Communication in English is a constant stream of sounds with no borderlines

but connected ones. Many alternated sounds occur in longer utterances during conversation

and communication. Students should incline to assimilate the sounds to yield prime

pronunciation in their communication. But it is misfortunate to mark out that the college

guys and gals feel worry to understand the native speakers’ voice as the native speakers do

not use the segments of words as discrete and independent, they use the modification of

sounds with assimilation which modulates well as formal and magnified. Seidlhofer

explains that “We do not articulate sounds in isolation, connect them up in strings for the

accurate speaking. “The following directions assist the students to monitor the output of

pronunciation with conscious choice so as to avoid imprecision in articulation.

 Certain care is to be attended during assimilation because when the sound ‘ t’ and ‘ p’ , is

connected, the sound ‘ b ‘ occurs as in the phrase “ that pen ‘’ as ‘’thabpen, ‘’ // ðəb pen

// and that boy ‘’ as // ðəbɔɪ //

 Many a time, we listen the students pronounce the sound ‘ d’ in all the words like ‘ bad pen

or bad men, blood pressure, blood bank, bad pain, ground plan, head boy, mud bath, grand

master, etc. But, when B and p assimilates, the sound ‘ d ‘ becomes ‘ b’ as in bad pen ‘’

bab pen ‘’ // bæb pen// bad men // // bæb men // , blood pressure, // blʌb prezɜ // .

This type of expression composes the communicators’ speech in a pleasing and admirable

way to listen to it. The native speakers construct these type of sounds which moulds the non

natives feel fatigue to understand.

 The most fascinating is that the sound ‘ n ‘ becomes ‘ m ‘ when follows the sound of ‘ p ‘ as

in the following words ‘’ In pairs’ as “ impairs “ //impeiz// . In water as “ imwater “ //

imwɒtə // In mood as “ immood “ //immu:d // and in bright as

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” imbright ‘’ // imbraɪt //.etc. Despite the effort make to utter the sound ‘ n’, it produces the

sound as ‘m ‘ only.

 When the sound ‘ t ‘ follows the sound of k/g, it becomes ‘ k ‘as in the word ‘ that case

forms as // ðəkeis //, and that game as // ðəgeim //.

 The sound ‘ g’ emerges out in the place of ‘d’ if it follows the sounds of k/g as in the

words ‘ red car ‘ as “ rekka “ // regkə // and “ red glove” as // reglau //

 ‘se’ is pronounced as ‘z’ before the words ‘ish // ʃ //. The words are “ rose show “ as //

rəuzəu // //, these sheep as // ði:zi:p //.

 The words like bath seat, birth certificate, earth science , etc., are uttered as ‘s’ for ‘th’’ by

changing ‘th’ //ð // as //s// Birth certificate will be sounded as “ bus certificate “ // b

ʌʃsɜtifikeit // bath seat as // bɒsi:t // and earth science as // ɜːsains //

 Most of the students do not understand the accent of foreign speakers as they add some

sounds for the words for ‘n’ as ‘’ngk’’ // ŋk // before ‘ k ‘ or ‘ g ‘ in the words like ‘ tin

can // tiŋkən // , open court // əupəŋkəurt // town clerk // taʊŋklɜk // //

golden gate, // gəuldəŋkeit // etc. If the students are aware of these indications, they

accomplish the excellent accent with worthy-framed pronunciation.

 An interesting sound ‘ g’ emerges when d follows k or g // k// or // g// . The words like

bad girl becomes as ‘ bag girl. // bægɜl // hard copy , // hɒkɒpi // cold cream //

kɒgkri:m // good cook // gugkuk // / second class // sekəŋkla:s // closed game //

kləusgeim // hard cash // hɒgkæʃ // red carpet. // rekɒpit // second cousin // sekəŋ

kʌzin // etc.

 When a voiced consonant preceded by d, d should be better elided. The negative contraction

‘ nt’ is also often elided as in the words like . Blind man….. blin man // blainmən //,

gold cup // gəulkʌp // Arrived late ---- arrive late // əraiv leit // I cant go //

aikɒngəu // I can go // aikən gəu //. Here the difference is just long and short vowel.
 IJELLH (International Journal of English Language, Literature in Humanities) Vol. 7, Issue 6, June 2019 1350

Deleting of ‘t’ in ‘nt ‘ and pronounced with ‘ long vowel // ɒ // whereas for ‘ I can go “,

short vowel // ə // is used. These are same in all negative and positive sentences. Isn’t

it is generated as , ‘ izn it ‘ // izəntit / /. The phrase “ should not allow “ is

assembled as “ shudn allow ‘ as in phonetic transcription // ʃudən əlau //.

 The pronunciation of the words ‘ for and ‘ and ‘ if pronounced in isolation during the reading

of a sentence, it gives vague sound. Here ‘r and ‘d’ should be elided ( deleted ) in the flow of

sentence as in the words “ for the job “ and “ jack and jill “ Here, the sound ‘ r’ in ‘for ‘

and ‘d’ in “ and “ should be deleted for better and accurate pronunciation. In phonetic

transcription, it is as // // fə ðə dzɒb // and // dzæ kən dzil // .

 When some words come together , they create complexity, so, one or more consonants should

be elided for effectiveness of speech. In the words “ Last week , next day, kept running, the

sound or word ‘t ‘ is to be deleted while pronouncing as // lɒswi:k // , neksdei // and //

kepgəuiŋ // and in the words Stopped walking, raised bill, the sound ‘d ‘ becomes ‘ t ‘ as

“ stopt walking “ // stɒpt wa:kiŋ. // reist bil //. When the words ended with the sounds as “

ked, sed, shed, ghed, ped, the word or sound ‘d ‘ becomes ‘t ‘. Missed call is uttered as ‘

mist call ‘’ // mist kɒl //

 Deleting the ‘ h’ sound for the function words also like him, her, here, his had, have and he

causes the best and fast speech during communication. This is clearly shown in the sentence

“ I had known her ‘, Here ‘ h ‘ in had and ‘ r ‘ in “ her “ are to be elided for accurate

pronunciation during communication. The sounds are as // aid nəun hə // , Call him works

as // kɒlim // . Him becomes im, her becomes “ ha “ and have becomes “ v “ only. For

instance is “ I have done it. // aiv dənit // .

 D and r is almost drops its final sound provided it is not followed by a vowel sound and i are

often difficult to articulate so is elided.. The words are “ In Thousands,” ‘d’ is elided, “ In

texts “ “t” is deleted as // teks //

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 When the set of vowels a, e, I, o, u, follows the sound ‘r ‘, it is to be deleted as in the words

summer, father, mother, better ‘ r‘ should not be uttered unless the vowel sound is followed.

// sʌmə // , // fɒðə // mʌðə // betə //.

 When the word has spelling with double alphabet, the sound should not be stressed. Most of

the time, the students stress the words as there will be double consonant or alphabet as in the

words like rubber, dinner, cutter, etc. It should be pronounced as // r ʌb ə // // dinə //

//kʌtə // etc.

 When the same alphabet or sound ends in a first word and follows next in another word, the

two words should be pronounced mixing both as one sound. For example in the words like ‘

at ten, this shop, red dog, bus shop , etc. // əten // redɒg // bʌʃɒp //

Conclusion

This paper concludes itself to many learning strategies and alerts about the possible

discrepancies in interpretation of the features of pronunciation, assists to rectify it and put

into ease to use. It also intends to serve to understand the different modes of pronunciation,

transcribing it in clear way with appropriate, adaptable and constructive instances. It also

exposes the path of the progress from recognition to production of pronunciation and the

learners can internalize the information and then demonstrate their abilities in communication

effectively. The pragmatic rules of assimilation may also be used as a tool for analyzing in a

systematic way of the phenomenon of pronunciation. These rules are valuable to the yearn

that they give a glimpse into the complexities of natural speech process. Students certainly

multiply themselves of their bliss in listening and understanding of non native speakers’

English and communicate in English hilariously.

IJELLH (International Journal of English Language, Literature in Humanities) Vol. 7, Issue 6, June 2019 1352

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Hume, Elizabeth & Keith Johnson :The Role of speech perception in Phonology.