Page 45 - DENG401_Advance Communication Skills

Advanced Communication Skills

Notes
Example: interview [innerview]
international [innernational]
advantage [ædvæn’j]
percentage [percen’j]
If the T is at the end of a word, you almost don’t hear it at all.

put, what, lot, set, hot, sit, shot, brought.
That’s quite right, isn’t it?
4. End of a Word [T is Held]

With -tain, -tten and some TN combinations, the T is held. The “held T” is, strictly speaking,
not really a T at all. Remember, [t] and [n] are very close in the mouth. If you have [n]
immediately after [t], you don’t pop the [t]—the tongue is in the [t] position, but your
release the air for the [n] not the [t]. Make sure you don’t put a schwa before the [n]. An
important point to remember is that you need a sharp upward sliding intonation up to the
“held T,” then a quick drop for the N.
Written, certain, forgotten, sentence:

He’s forgotten the carton of satin mittens.
She’s certain that he has written it.
Martin has gotten a kitten.

1.6 Schwa

The schwa is the vowel sound in many lightly pronounced unaccented syllables in words of
more than one syllable. It is sometimes signified by the pronunciation “uh” or symbolized by
an upside-down rotated e.

A schwa sound can be represented by any vowel. In most dialects, for example, the schwa sound
is found in the following words:
The a is schwa in adept.

The e is schwa in synthesis.
The i is schwa in decimal.
The o is schwa in harmony.
The u is schwa in medium.

The y is schwa in syringe.
Authorities vary somewhat in the range of what is considered a schwa sound, but the above
examples are generally accepted.

1.7 Summary

Voiced sounds will make the throat vibrate.
Aspiration refers to a puff of air when a sound is produced.

38 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY