University of Leeds Todays issues A case study of a phonological process in English t glottalisation as in a bit of water as əˡbıɁəˡwɔɁə We suggest a pedagogy of this feature exploiting it also for the relevant linguistic concepts ID: 682566
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Slide1
BALEAP Webinar
Deak Kirkham
University of LeedsSlide2
Today’s issues
A case study of a phonological process in English: /t/
glottalisation
as in ‘a bit of water’ as [
əˡbıɁəˡwɔɁə
]
We
suggest a pedagogy of this feature, exploiting it also for the relevant linguistic concepts
and
for critical thinkingSlide3
Setting the scene: /t/
glottalisation
in word final position
Word final /t/ is regularly subject to
glottalisation
in
many dialects of English
internationally e.g. ‘fat
cat’
[
fæ
Ɂ
kæ
Ɂ], ‘not hot’ [
nɒ
Ɂ
hɒ
Ɂ]
However
, /t/ is also
glottalised
word medially as in the famous ‘Betty
Botter
bought some butter’ rhyme Slide4
Step 1: intervocalic environments
Consider the columns below. A allows
glottalisation
of /t/
intervocalically; B does not. Why?
A
B
Wa
t
er, daugh
t
er,
grea
t
er, hea
t
er, be
tt
er, nea
t
er, star
t
er, Chi
tt
y-chi
tt
y-bang-bang, hypo
t
enuse, c
ri
t
ic
…
De
t
ain, re
t
ain, pre-
t
ask, re
t
urn, per
t
urb,
‘a
t
ailor’, co-
t
eacher, hyper
t
ension, cri
t
ique … Slide5
Conclusion 1
Intervocalic /t/ not
[Ɂ] at the beginning of a stressed syllable
Or: /t/
[Ɂ
] immediately after a stressed vowel in a two-syllable word
Teaching points: identifying syllables; identifying stressed versus non-stressed syllables; the notion of the inter-vocalic environment;
mis
-match of graphic and phonic realities; the use of inductive (discovery) approachSlide6
Step 2: beyond the intervocalic environment
Again, taking an inductive approach, compare sets A and B below. A again allows /t/
glottalisation
; B not. Why?
A
B
Wan
t
ed, din
t
ed, fain
t
ed, talen
t
ed
pan
t
er
, Tam
O’Shan
t
er
,
ran
t
er
pain
t
ing, ren
t
ing, den
t
ing
Destruc
t
ive, deduc
t
ive
Laugh
t
er, craf
t
ier, crof
t
er
Was
t
er
, tas
t
ier, reques
t
edSlide7
Conclusion 2
When preceded by a nasal, /t/
[Ɂ] as per normal, but not when preceded by a fricative or stop
Teaching points: nasals / fricatives as manners of articulation; a nuance to the context;
further practice in inductive thinking; re-
inforcement
of graphic-phonic mismatchSlide8
Some controlled practice
Pho
t
ograph, pho
t
ographic, pho
t
ographer
Sys
t
emic, sys
t
ematic,
sys
t
ema
t
ici
t
y
Po
t
a
t
o, re
t
or
t
ed
Hospi
t
al, hospi
t
ali
t
y
Pon
t
ifex, pon
t
ificate, pon
t
ifical,
Cri
t
ic, cri
t
icali
t
y, cri
t
ique
Glo
tt
al, glo
tt
alic,
glo
tt
alisation
Posi
t
ive, posi
t
ivi
t
ySlide9
Recap and revision
No /t/ in the onset [= at the beginning] of a stressed syllable can undergo
glottalisation
Any /t/ which meets the above requirements will not
glottalise
if preceded by a stop or fricative
Teaching points: two rules cover all the examples (in this presentation!); pronunciation has rules and the rules are abstract
– like ‘grammar’Slide10
More open practice
Which of the written ‘t-s’ can be pronounced [t]. Which of these can be
glottalised
? Practice the sentences slowly.
I’ve got to get a little bit of water in my bottle
Three unrelated patients requested critical care treatment in the city hospital
The destructive photographer has eaten a potato off the table in the retreat centreSlide11
ELF considerations
The phonology of
glottalisation
mirrors to a large extent the phonology of t-flapping in some US dialects
In certain contexts this can lead to homophony i.e. ‘winter’ and winner’ as [
ˡwıɾ̃ə
]; ‘atomic’ and ‘
adamic
’ as [
əˡɾæmık
]
In
Liverpudlian
English, /t/
[s] in similar environments Slide12
Broader questions
Does this need to be taught (even at all?) – or will students just pick it up as they go along?
Is this simply awareness raising – or does should students be aiming to produce [Ɂ] in the appropriate places?
Should linguistic terminology be used or avoided in teaching such processes?
At what level / for what kinds of class might this be taught?
What other phonological processes could be treated in this manner?
Why such emphasis on ‘grammar’ but so little on ‘pronunciation grammar’ in EAP teaching?
Should teacher training / development look at such issues?
What role for linguistics in language learning / teaching? Slide13
Additional comments
‘Positivity’
and
‘hospitality’
seem OK to some speakers. Is this to do with
ooOoo
stress pattern?
We don’t discuss the related
fricativisation
of /t/
[s] across word boundaries in
Liverpudlian
/ Irish i.e. ‘got to get a bit of water’