An Investigation of the Phonological Adjustments in English Connected Speeches

Abstract

The phonological adjustments in English connected speeches reflect native speakers (NS) attempts to connect words and syllables smoothly in normal speech. Although these seem to be smooth and somehow natural for native speakers, non-native speakers (NNS) of English have many problems with these suprasegmental features of speech. Learners often try to pronounce each word clearly, thus making their speeches sound unnatural. This study highlights the features and adjustments in connected speeches which include such items as the weak forms of grammatical and some lexical words, intrusion and linking, assimilation, dissimilation, elision and
deletion and epenthesis. Examples were given to curtail L1 speakers’ phonological processes in English.