Elision
Elision is very simply the omission of certain sounds in certain contexts. The most important occurrences of this phenomenon regard:
1) Alveolar consonants /t/ and /d/ when 'sandwiched' between two consonants (CONS – t/d – CONS), e.g.
| The next day | /ðə ˈneks(t) ˈdeɪ/ |
| The last car | /ðə ˈlɑːs(t) ˈkɑː/ |
| Hold the dog! | /ˈhəʊl(d) ðə ˈdɒg/ |
| Send Frank a card | /sen(d) ˈfræŋk ə ˈkɑːd/ |
This can also take place within affricates /ʧ/ and /ʤ/ when preceded by a consonant, e.g. ʃʒ
| lunchtime | /ˈlʌnʧtaɪm/ > /ˈlʌnʃtaɪm/ |
| strange days | /ˈstreɪnʤˈdeɪz/ > /ˈstreɪnʒˈdeɪz/ |
The phoneme /t/ is a fundamental part of the negative particle not, the possibility of it being elided makes the non-native speaker's life more difficult. Consider the negative of can – if followed by a consonant the /t/ may easily disappear and the only difference between the positive and the negative is a different, longer vowel sound in the second:
| I can speak Spanish | /aɪ kən ˈspiːk ˈspænɪʃ/ |
| I can't speak Spanish | /aɪ ˈkɑːn(t) ˈspiːk ˈspænɪʃ/ |
Note that when can't is followed by a vowel, e.g. I can't eat, the /t/ is not elided.
2) A second form involves the omission of the schwa /ə/ before liquids /l/ and /r/, e.g.
| secretary | /ˈsekrətəri/ > /ˈsekrətri/ |
| camera | /ˈkæmərə/ > /ˈkæmrə/ |
| memory | /ˈmeməri/ > /ˈmemri/ |