Lesson 17 – Rhythm – American English Pronunciation

Imitation

Imitate Grandma as she reads the following story. Pay attention to where she blends the words and to the places where she doesn’t blend the words.

Word blending review

Read these phrases:

an apple
come in
speak English
put on
have you
he’s won
go out
my only
how old
see off
who yelled
she won’t
deep down
great deal
silk purse
dig down
red shirt
rob John
half frozen
wish she

These are not really word blending in any significant way (though they may be spoken together as a word cluster):

I mean (vowel + consonant)
for the (r + consonant)
your lips (r + consonant)
my lips (vowel + consonant)
finding love (ŋ + consonant)
they’re not (r + consonant)
as that (consonant + consonant)
the storm (vowel + consonant)
the rain (vowel + consonant)
shooting hoops (ŋ + consonant)

Homework correction

Here is the dialog from last class with the word blending locations marked. There may be a few extra blending spots marked to account for the semi-vowels /w/ and /j/.

Good‿morning, Susan. Where‿are‿you going?
Hi, Mrs. Jones! I’m going to the store.
I need‿to go, too. Let’s go together.
Sounds good. Are‿you buying food?
Yes. I want‿to get something healthy for my family.
Will you get‿fruit‿or vegetables?
Yes, but‿there’s‿a problem.
My kids don’t‿like‿vegetables, and‿my husband‿doesn’t‿like fruit.
So will you get‿fruit or vegetables?
I think‿I’ll get‿both: apples, bananas, carrots, and‿tomatoes.
You have two kids, don’t‿you?
Yes. Two boys.
I’m sure they‿eat‿a lot, don’t‿they?
That’s for sure. They‿eat‿more than my husband‿does.
How‿often do you have to go shopping?
About‿twice‿a week.
Do you‿usually‿walk to the store?
No,‿I‿usually drive to the store.
Well, here‿we‿are.

Rhythm

As we have been talking about sentence stress you have already seen the importance of rhythm in English.

Rhythm in music

Rhythm is usually a music word. Clap to the beat of four in the following song.

Rhythm in poetry

Still remember Sea Fever? Read it again with a beat of four:

Sea Fever
John Masefield (1874-1967)

I ˈmust go down to the ˈseas again, to the ˈlonely sea and the ˈsky,
And ˈall I ask is a ˈtall ship and a ˈstar to steer her ˈby,
And the ˈwheel’s kick and the ˈwind’s song and the ˈwhite sail’s ˈshaking,
And a ˈgray mist on the ˈsea’s face, and a ˈgray dawn ˈbreaking.

I ˈmust go down to the ˈseas again, for the ˈcall of the running ˈtide
Is a ˈwild call and a ˈclear call that ˈmay not be deˈnied;
And ˈall I ask is a ˈwindy day with the ˈwhite clouds ˈflying,
And the ˈflung spray and the ˈblown spume, and the ˈsea-gulls ˈcrying.

I ˈmust go down to the ˈseas again, to the ˈvagrant gypsy ˈlife,
To the ˈgull’s way and the ˈwhale’s way, where the ˈwind’s like a whetted ˈknife;
And ˈall I ask is a ˈmerry yarn from a ˈlaughing fellow-ˈrover,
And ˈquiet sleep and a ˈsweet dream when the ˈlong trick’s ˈover.

Rhythm in chants and nursery rhymes

Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold,
Pease porridge in the pot, nine days old;
Some like it hot, some like it cold,
Some like it in the pot, nine days old.