Gradation

ENGLISH PHONETICS and PHONOLOGY I

IFDyT 9-001 Gral. José de San Martín Professor: Gonzalez, Adriana

GRADATION

It is a process in which the strong and weak form of CERTAIN WORDS is

used, according to CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES or CONTEXTS.

WHAT IS GRADATION?

Where are you from?

ɒ

I’m from London.

ə

Are they from Italy?

ɑː

ə

Yes, they are.

As we can see, some words have two pronunciations...

a WEAK form

• from / frəm /

• are / ə /

and a STRONG form

from / frɒm /

are / ɑː /

the WEAK FORM is the USUAL pronunciation

Which words DO NOT undergo the process of GRADATION?

* NOUNS; * VERBS; * ADJECTIVES; * ADVERBS

Which words have WEAK and STRONG FORMS?

* PREPOSITIONS; * VERB TO BE; * THERE BE; * AUXILIARY VERBS; * MODAL VERBS; * PRONOUNS; * POSSESSIVE * ADJECTIVES; * POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS; * CONJUCTIONS; * ARTICLES;

ARTICLES WEAK FORM STRONG FORM

the /Də/ OR /DI/ /Di:/

a /ə/ /eI/

an /ən/ /æn/

CONJUCTIONS WEAK FORM STRONG FORM

and /ənd/ OR /n/

OR /n/

/n/ OR

/nd/

but /bət/ /bt/

or /ə/ /:/

DETERMINER WEAK FORM STRONG FORM

some /səm/ OR /sm/ /sm/

PRONOUN

that /Dət/ /Dæt/

who /h/ /h:/

there /D/ /De/

than

/Dn/ OR /Dn/

PREPOSITIONS WEAK FORM STRONG FORM

from /frəm/ OR /frm/ /frɒm/

to /tə/ OR /t/ /tuː/

at /ət/ /æt/

in /ɪn/ /ɪn/

on /ɒn/ /ɒn/

of /v/ OR /f/ /ɒv/ OR /ɒf/

AUX. VERBS WEAK FORM STRONG FORM

am /əm/ OR /m/ /æm/

are /ə/ /ɑː/

have /həv/ OR /əv/ /hæv/

had /həd/ OR /əd/ /hæd/

does /dəz/ /dʌz/

do /də/ OR /d/ /du:/

MODAL VERBS WEAK FORM STRONG FORM

can

/kən/ OR /kn/

/kæn/

will /wɪl/ /wɪl/

would /wəd/ /wʊd/

shall /ʃəl/ OR /ʃl/

/ʃæl/

must /məst/ /mʌst/

Whenever a MODAL VERB (can, could, must, would, will, should) is followed by “BE”… it will always be

used in the STRONG FORM!!

ARTICLES WEAK FORM STRONG FROM

a /ə/ /eɪ/

an /Ən/ /æn/

the /ðə/ OR /DI/ /ðiː/

PRONOUNS WEAK FORM STRONG FORM

I /aI/ /aI/

he /hI/ OR /I/ /hi:/

she /SI/ /Si:/

you /j/ /j:/

we /wI/ /wi:/

VERB TO BE WEAK FORM STRONG FORM

am /əm/ OR /m/ /æm/

is /Iz/ OR /z/ /iz/

are /ə/ /ɑː/

was /wəz/ /wz/

were /wə/ /w:/

Here are some examples…

Yes, I am?

You aren’t listening.

Do you like English coffee?

No, I don’t.

Do you think this is the actor?

A: Is that the boy you like? B: Yes, he is.

I can’t speak German

but my friend can.

I do like your hat!

I didn’t crash my car!

I crashed hers!