ELISION

Elision is the eliding (= omission, deletion) of a sound that would otherwise be present. It is particularly characteristic of rapid or casual speech. It is not random, but follows certain rules, which differ from one language to another.

Some types of possible elision can occur within words in isolation. In English they include

· the elision of the middle part of nch and ng. For example, lunch /lΛnt∫/ is pronounced /lΛnt∫/or, alternatively, [lΛn∫]; strange /stre nd / is /stre nd / or [stre n ].

· the elision of the middle part of mps, mpt, nts, [ŋks], [ŋkt]. For example, jumped / d Λmpt / is pronounced / d Λmpt / or, alternatively, [ d Λmt ]; lynx / l nks /is / l nks / or [ l ŋs ].

Other types of possible elision apply in compound words and in connected speech. They include the elision of t and d at the end of a word, before a consonant at the beginning of the next word. Then

· t may be elided in ft, st, and less commonly in pt, kt, ‘ch’, stl

· d may be elided in ld, nd, and less commonly in bd, gd

The contracted negative n't / ənt / is a special case. Its t may be elided in connected speech, no matter what kind of sound follows. Thus when didn't / 'd dənt / is followed by another word or phrase, it is sometimes pronounced / 'd dən /.

The consonant h is often elided in unstressed syllables, and especially in weak forms of function words. Thus him is / h m /in isolation, or if stressed, but often [ m ] when unstressed in a phrase such as tell him.

The vowel / ə / is subject to elision as follows.

· often (though not always) when it is followed by a nasal or liquid and then a weak vowel. There are two stages: first, the / ə / combines with the nasal or liquid, making the latter syllabic; then, the nasal or liquid may become non-syllabic, in which case all trace of the / ə / has disappeared.

· sometimes, in casual speech, in the first syllable of a word in which the second syllable is stressed and begins with a r or l. The first syllable then undergoes compression. Thus terrific / tə'r f k /sometimes becomes [ 'tr f k], or collide / kə’la d /becomes [ kla d ].

A pronunciation that originated through elision may become the only possibility for some speakers. Some people have [ 'kæmrə ]as the only pronunciation for camera, or [ pli:s ]as the only form for police. For many people it would feel very artificial to pronounce a t in postman [ 'pзυs mən ] // [ 'poυs mən ].