Файл: Advanced_English_Pronunciation_in_Use.pdf

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C3

As we speak, we group words into units depending on meaning and emphasis. Listen and notice how this speaker divides up what he is saying:

// I can rememher as children// we were rather naughty// once// we stuck a picture// of an elephant// on the back of Dad's coat// before he went out// of course he couldn't see it// so he didn't know why everyone was laughing at himJ/ until he got to work// and took it off//

In this book we call these speech units and mark them with 11.

Although there are no rules about how we divide speech into units, some words are more likely to go together than others in order to help make sense of the message. For example:

// until he got to/I work and took it off// or: // until he got to work and took// it off//

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C6

Sometimes the division of speech into units can make a difference in meaning:

(i) // we were rather naughty// once// we stuck a picture// of an elephant//. . .

(ii) // we were rather naughty once// we stuck a picture// of an elephant//. . .

In (i), 'once' goes with 'we stuck a picture of an elephant' and shows that the speaker is giving an example of the many times they were naughty. In (ii), 'once' goes with 'we were naughty' and suggests that we were naughty only one time.

(iii)// before he went out// of course he couldn't see it//

(iv)// before he went out of course// he couldn't see it//

In (iii), 'of course' goes with 'he couldn't see it' and means that it is obvious that he couldn't see it. In (iv), 'of course' goes with 'before he went out' and means that it is obvious that we stuck it on his coat before he went out.

When we want to emphasise words in order to draw particular attention to them, we can put them into very short speech units:

//we were rather naughty// or for emphasis: // we were rather// naughty//

//on the back of Dad's coat// or for emphasis: // on the back// of Dad's// coat//

Within speech units, words are usually linked smoothly together, without pauses between them (see also Unit 26):

// I can rel1lel1lber as children//

/r/

// of course he couldn 't see it//

/j/

// until he got to work//

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C8

Now check your answers in the Key. Then read the extracts aloud. Put short breaks between speech units and link the words within speech units smoothly together without pauses.

Each of these extracts consists of three speech units. Put 11 in two of the four spaces to show where you expect the speech unit boundaries to be.

Now listen and check your answers. Then read the extracts aloud. Put short breaks between speech units and link the words within speech units smoothly together without pauses.

The prominent syllable in a word is usually the one shown in a dictionary as having main stress (see Unit 10).

syllable in 'Liverpool' has main stress and so is prominent

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C12

Words are made prominent in order to emphasise them because they carry important or interesting information:

in them. Each prominent word is emphasised because it carries important information. The last prominent word in a speech unit is where the main falling or rising tone in the speech unit starts (see also Unit 39):

A:How much further is the station ?

B:II ONLy about a MILE 5111

A:Why did you buy such an old car?

B:II THAT'S all I can affORD at the moment II

Here is part of a conversation with speech units and prominent words marked. Listen and notice these in the recording:

A:II It's NICK'S BIRTHday coming upll ISn't itll WHAT are you doing for THATII

B:II well I'd LIKEII to have a PARtyl1 outSIDE11 but we DON'T have a very big GARden11

so that LIMitsl1 HOW many people I can in VITEII

A:II MY garden's pretty big/I WHY don't you use THATII

B:II Are you SUREII that would be alRIGHTII that would be GREATII

A: II NO problem at ALUI

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C15

Now read the extracts aloud, making sure that you emphasise each prominent word and that you link words within speech units smoothly together without pauses.

Some of the speech units in these extracts have one prominent word and others have two. First, underline the words that you think are likely to be prominent.

1// we've had wonderful weather// for the last two weeks// but Adam and Emma// have been up in Scotland// where they've had heavy rain// and even flooding// in the western parts of the country//

2// I was thinking of buying// a second-hand carl/ from this garage// but because I don't know anything about cars// I paid for the AN/ to inspect it// and they found all kinds of things wrong// so of course// I didn't buy it//

Now listen and check your predictions.

There are many ways of saying these extracts, so if your predictions are different from those on the recording this doesn't necessarily mean they are wrong.

Fol low up: If you made a recording for the activity at the end of Unit 32 and marked speech unit boundaries, listen to the recording again and try to underline all the prominent words.