Input session · Phonology 3 of 3
Five features, five activities, then the full picture: elision, assimilation, intrusive sounds, linking, and weak forms.
Try reading these out loud. They look strange written down, but say them fast and listen for the real sentence hiding inside. Click each one to reveal it.
Here's the same phrase written two ways: how it "should" sound, and how it actually sounds when a sound gets dropped. Read the second version out loud, work out the phrase, then guess the real-world fact.
A dictation computer prints exactly what it hears, and connected speech confuses it. Each sentence on the left has a mistake. Match it to the response on the right that gives you a clue to the real sentence, then say what the computer should have printed.
Each printed sentence has exactly one reply that gives the game away. Match it, and the real sentence appears with the feature that caused the mis-hearing.
Your phrase is waiting in the dark start cell. Say it out loud: which sound joins the two words, /j/, /w/ or /r/? That tells you which way to click. Land on a new cell, say its phrase, and move again. Reach the red finish cell to win.
Click between two words to mark a link (just like drawing a ◡ shape by hand). Read it aloud smoothly, gliding over each link you've marked.
Your marks show in gold. Suggested links, when revealed, show in teal.
Say each sentence at natural speed. Click the word or words you think get "swallowed": weakened, so the listener mainly hears the content words. Then reveal to check.
You've now done one activity for each. Say the examples on each card out loud first, then click the card to reveal what's actually happening and what it's called.
Nothing to print; everything is on screen. Say every example aloud yourself at natural speed before the trainees try it; a page cannot do that part.
| Stage | What you do |
|---|---|
| Lead-in | Six puzzles, said fast until the sentence appears. Reveal each. |
| Elision | Two phrases, the dropped /t/. Then two more from the room (next day, must be). |
| The dictation computer | Ten printed sentences, ten replies. Pairs match; the real sentence and the feature appear on a match. Show all answers at the end. |
| The link maze | Say the phrase in the cell, name the sound, click the way. The route is below if a group gets stuck. |
| Linking | Mark the links in the story text, read it aloud smoothly, then the suggested links. |
| Weak forms | Five sentences; click the swallowed words; reveal. |
| All together | Five cards; say the examples first, then open each. |
Lead-in: I’d like to buy a new pair of shoes; She’s waiting for the weather to clear; Our dog hasn’t eaten his dinner; They’re sure you’ll love it; My brother’s been to Rome twice; Pete knows the right answer. The dictation computer’s ten answers are on the page after each match.
The maze route, from the start cell: Draw a line (/r/) right to We saw a film (/r/) right to Two or three (/w/) up to A queue of people (/w/) up to Hello everybody (/w/) up to Three and a half (/j/) left to Tea or coffee (/j/) left to I agree (/j/) left to Give me a ring (/j/) left to Go ahead (/w/) up to Never again (/r/) right to Score a goal (/r/) right to Finish.
Sources. The lead-in puzzles, the dictation computer sentences, the linking text, the link maze and the elision trivia are made up for this session. The idea of a dictation computer that mishears connected speech follows Mark Hancock, Pronunciation Games (Cambridge University Press, 1995).