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1. Elision. Vowel sounds.
ELISION
This articulatory adjustment can be defined as the omission of vowel and consonant sounds
(Finch & Ortiz Lira, 1982, p. 79). It is likely to occur in rapid and informal speech.
Vowel sounds
a. The vowel sounds that are affected by elision are mainly the weak centralized /ɪ, ʊ,
ə/. There may be elision of a weak vowel sound in present-day English when it is preceded
and followed by consonants in non-prominent syllables. Elision takes place most frequently
when weak vowel sounds are followed by /l, r, n/
Read the words below out loud trying to produce elision. The columns with the stars offer
special difficulty. If you need a model, look the words up in a dictionary and use the sound
files the resource offers:
E.g.: tension /tenʃən/ → /tenʃn/
/-tn/
/-tnC/*
/-dnt/
/-ʃnC/
certain
importance
didn't
conscience
written
potent
student
ancient
pattern
important
prudent
sufficient
* capped C stands for Consonant
/-ʃn/
/-ʒn /
/-kl /
/-fl /
mansion
explosion
classical
peaceful
station
occasion
musical
powerful
nation
division
local
watchful
/-tl /
/-ʃl /
/-zl /
kettle
commercial
nasal
cattle
special
appraisal
little
official
phrasal
/-pl /
Exceptions: elision of vowel sounds does not normally occur in nouns ending in –ful.
Examples: fistful, mouthful
b. There may also be double vowel elision in the same word.
e.g.:
liberal /lɪbərəl/ /lɪbrəl/ /lɪbrl/
2. Elision. Consonant sounds.
Consonant sounds
Elision of consonant sounds can occur inside words and at word boundary.
A. Inside words
a. The alveolar plosives /t, d/ when medial in a cluster of three consonants are generally
elided.
e.g.:
exactly
facts
handsome
handbag
lastly
Westminster
Christmas
(more rarely /t/ in such words as attempts, prompts)
b. The dental fricative /θ/ is generally elided from:
asthma
isthmus
c. The dental fricative /θ/ may sometimes be elided in:
months
twelfths
fifths
d. The velar plosive /k/ can also be elided in asked.
e. When /l/ is dark, it is liable to be elided when preceded by /ɔ:/
e.g.:
always
although
almanac
B. At word boundary
a. Word final alveolars /t, d/ are generally elided when preceded and followed by consonants.
e.g.:
next time
best three
send ten
left school
raised them
gold cup
Picture
b. The glottal fricative /h/ is elided in unaccented, non-initial his, her, himself, herself, have,
has, had.
E.g.: Give him a big bottle of beer.
c. There is a tendency to retain the alveolar plosives /t, d/ before initial /h/.
E.g.:
most hackers
land here
d. There is a tendency to retain the alveolar plosive /t/ in /-lt/, /-nt/ combinations. Why?
Because if we elide the final /t/, the combination turns more difficult to produce and
REMEMBER that these adjustments are produced to ease the articulation of sounds.
E.g.:
don’t they
dealt with
Exceptions:
Disyllabic contracted negative forms:
E.g.:
didn´t say
wasn´t theirs
When /t/ and /d/ are followed by /j/, another type of simplification takes place. It is called
assimilation.
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