Gliding consonants

Theoretical background

Key words

GLIDING CONSONANTS

Unit 6

A bad day

English rhythm practice

Self-check questions

1. What is the difference in pronunciation of /t/ and /l/?

2. Speak on syllabic /l/.

3. What is a triphthong? What diphthongs help to form triphthongs?

4. Why do we call the sound lateral?

5. Do you know the difference between clear /l/ and dark /l/?

6. What is the peculiarity in pronouncing /pl, kl/?

Listen to this poem. Practise reading it.

I overslept and missed my train,

slipped on the sidewalk

in the pouring rain,

sprained my ankle,

skinned my knees,

broke my glasses,

lost my keys,

got stuck in the elevator,

it wouldn’t go,

kicked it twice and stubbed my toe,

bought a pen that didn’t write,

took it back and had a fight,

went home angry,

locked the door,

crawled into bed,

couldn’t take any more.

Lesson	Topic	Hours	References
	Gliding consonants.
	Gliding consonant [j].		O’Connor – p.57-58, Ship or Sheep – Unit 39
	Gliding consonant [w].		O’Connor – p.58-59, Ship or Sheep – Unit 38
	Gliding consonant [r].		O’Connor – p.59-63, Ship or Sheep – Units 48, 49
	Test on gliding consonants		Lab work 7
	Revision
	Colloquium
	Colloquium
	Final phonetic dictation
	Revision

gliding consonants

linking [r]

intrusive [r]

Gliding consonants are consonants with no stop or friction and which consist of a glide (a quick, smooth movement) towards a following vowel. We distinguish three gliding consonants in English: /w, j, r/.

/j/

This consonant represents a rapid glide from the position of the vowel /J/ or /I/ to any other vowel. The lips are generally neutral or spread. Mind that there is no friction in the /j/ -glide. /j/ is usually voiced. When it follows /p, t, k/ it loses its voicing and is made voiceless; this causes some friction to be heard. /j/ never occurs after vowels or in final position.

Phonetically, it is like a vowel, because its articulation is practically the same as that of a front close vowel such as /J/, but is very short. But phonologically /j/ is a consonant: it only occurs before vowels and it cannot form a syllable.

/w/

It is a quick glide from the position of the vowel /H/ or /V/ to any other vowel. The lips are rounded. As well as the sound /j/, /w/ is voiced and it can be found only before vowels. It never stands after vowels or at the end of words. Mind that there is no friction when we pronounce this sound unless it is found after /p, t, k/ where /w/ loses its voicing and becomes slightly fricative.

Phonetically, /w/ is a vowel because it is similar to the vowel /H/, but it is considerably shorter. But phonologically it is still regarded as a consonant because it always stands before vowels and it is never syllabic.

/r/

This is the third of the gliding consonants, but it does not resemble one of the English vowels as /j/ and /w/ do. The soft palate is raised so that no air can escape through the nasal cavity. The tongue has a curved /kE:vd/ shape: the tip points towards the hard palate at the back of the alveolar ridge (but does not touch it), the front of the tongue is low and the back is rather high. The tongue is not very close to the palate as to cause friction, unless this sound is found after /p, t, k/ where /r/ loses its voicing and we hear some friction. The lips are slightly rounded, especially when /r/ is at the beginning of words. When it stands between vowels the lips are not rounded.

/r/ only occurs before vowels, never before consonants. At the end of words /r/ is pronounced only if the immediately following word begins with a vowel (e.g. a teacher - /q 'tJCq/, but a teacher of English - /q 'tJCq r qv 'INglIS/). This is called the linking /r/. It is quite usual to hear /r/ between words when there is no letter ‘ r ’ in spelling (e.g. idea of it - /aI'dIq r qv It/). This is called the intrusive /r/. Many English speakers dislike it and it is better not to use it.

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