Silvia C.

Barreiro Bilbao
VARIACIONES FONÉTICO-FONOLÓGICAS…
PEC_2016_KEY

KEY TO PEC_2016: GA ACCENT

1. Phonological transcription of a written text

“This is *truly a cele*bration -- a cele*bration of the *contributions
*women make in *every *aspect of *life: *in the *home, *on the *job, *in
their co*mmunity, *as *mothers, *wives, *sisters, *daughters, *learners,
*workers, *citizens *and *leaders. It is *also a *coming to*gether,
*much the *way *women *come to*gether *every day in *every country.
We *come to*gether in *fields and *factories; in *village markets and
*supermarkets; in *living rooms and *board rooms. Whether it *is while
*playing with our *children in the *park or *washing *clothes in a *river,
or *taking a *break at the *office water *cooler, we *come to*gether
and *talk about our *aspirations and con*cerns. And *time and a*gain,
our *talk *turns to our *children and our *families.”

| ðɪs ɪs ˈtruli ə sɛləˈbreɪʃn̩ | ə sɛləˈbreɪʃn̩ əv ðə ˈkɑntrɪbjuʃn̩z

| ˈwɪmɪm meɪk ɪn ˈɛvri ˈæspɛkt əv ˈlaɪf | ˈɪn ðə ˈhoʊm | ˈɑn
ðə ˈʤɑb | ˈɪn ðɚ kəˈmjunəti | ˈæz ˈmʌðɚz | ˈwaɪvz | ˈsɪstɚz |
ˈdɔtɚz | ˈlɝnɚz | ˈwɝkɚz | ˈsɪtɪzn̩z | ˈænd ˈlidɚz | ɪt ɪz ˈɔlsoʊ
ə ˈkʌmɪŋ təˈgɛðɚ | ˈmʌʧ ðə ˈweɪ ˈwɪmɪŋ ˈkʌm təˈgɛðɚ | ˈɛvri
deɪ | ɪn ˈɛvri kʌntri | wi ˈkʌm təˈgɛðɚ | ɪn ˈfildz ənd
ˈfæktriz | ɪn ˈvɪlɪʤ mɑrkəts ənd ˈsupɚ mɑrkəts | ɪn ˈlɪvɪŋ
rumz ənb ˈbɔrd rumz | ʍɛðɚ ɪt ˈɪz ʍaɪl ˈpleɪɪŋ wɪð ɑʊr
ˈʧɪldrən ɪn ðə ˈpɑrk | ɚ ˈwɑʃɪŋ ˈkloʊðz ɪn ə ˈrɪvɚ | ɚ ˈteɪkɪŋ
ə ˈbreɪk ət ðə ˈɑfɪs wɑtɚ ˈkulɚ | wi ˈkʌm təˈgɛðɚ | ənd ˈtɔk
əbaʊt ɑr ˈæspɪreɪʃn̩z əng kənˈsɝnz | ənd ˈtaɪm ənd əˈgeɪn |
ɑʊr ˈtɔk ˈtɝns tu ɑʊr ˈʧɪldrən ənd ɑʊr ˈfæmliz |

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 Silvia C. Barreiro Bilbao
VARIACIONES FONÉTICO-FONOLÓGICAS…
PEC_2016_KEY
Comments to transcription

General Comment: Remember that tonality (the division of the text into
intonation units) is speaker-dependent: Therefore, there is no a single
possible correct answer…

1st INTONATION UNIT: This is truly a celebration

- Assimilation of voicing: The voiced /z/ in the word is becomes
voiceless (/s/) before the voiceless sound in the subsequent
word truly with which forms a close-knit group.
- Elisions: /ə/ in the word celebration, which makes syllabic the
following /n/.

2nd INTONATION UNIT: a celebration of the contributions

- Elisions: /ə/ in the words celebration and contributions, which
makes syllabic the following /n/.
- Stress shift: The primary stress of the word contribution has
been moved to the first syllable (and the secondary stress to
the third syllable). The speaker changes the stress pattern
deliberately.

3rd INTONATION UNIT: women make in every aspect of life

- It is possible to have two intonation units if there is an
intonational break after make:
| ˈwɪmɪm meɪk | ɪn ˈɛvri ˈæspɛkt əv ˈlaɪf |

- Assimilation of place: The alveolar /n/ in the word women

becomes bilabial (/m/) before the bilabial sound in the
subsequent word make.

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 Silvia C. Barreiro Bilbao
VARIACIONES FONÉTICO-FONOLÓGICAS…
PEC_2016_KEY
4th INTONATION UNIT: in the home
- The speaker stresses the word in deliberately
- There is a possible progressive assimilation: The dental
fricative /ð/ of the word the can become nasal but keeping its
dental place of articulation: … in the... (/ɪn ðə/ becomes /ɪn
nə/ [ɪn n̪ə]). (optional)

5th INTONATION UNIT: on the job

- The speaker stresses the word on deliberately
- There is a possible progressive assimilation: The dental
fricative /ð/ of the word the can become nasal but keeping its
dental place of articulation: … on the... (/ɑn ðə/ becomes /ɑn
nə/ [ɑn n̪ə]). (optional)

6th INTONATION UNIT: in their community

- The speaker stresses the word in deliberately
- There is a possible progressive assimilation: The dental
fricative /ð/ of the word their can become nasal but keeping its
dental place of articulation: … in their... (/ɪn ðɚ/ becomes /ɪn
nɚ/ [ɪn n̪ɚ]). (optional)
- The word their has a weak form in GA.

7th INTONATION UNIT: as mothers

- The speaker stresses the word as deliberately

13th INTONATION UNIT: citizens

- Elisions: /ə/ in the word citizens, which makes syllabic the
following /n/.

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 Silvia C. Barreiro Bilbao
VARIACIONES FONÉTICO-FONOLÓGICAS…
PEC_2016_KEY
14th INTONATION UNIT: and leaders
- The speaker places a stress on the word and deliberately. The
pronunciation of the final /d/ is slightly more formal. Both
pronunciations are correct: /ˈænd/ or /ˈæn/

15th INTONATION UNIT: It is also a coming together

- The word also can also be pronounced /ˈɑlsoʊ/ in GA.

16th INTONATION UNIT: much the way women come together

- It is possible to have two intonation units if there are
intonational breaks after way:
| ˈmʌʧ ðə ˈweɪ | ˈwɪmɪŋ ˈkʌm təˈgɛðɚ |

- Assimilation of place: The alveolar /n/ in the word women

becomes velar (/ŋ/) before the velar sound in the subsequent
word come.

20th INTONATION UNIT: in fields and factories

- The pronunciation of the final /d/ in the word and is slightly
more formal. Both pronunciations are correct /ənd/ or /ən/.
- It is possible to have two intonation units if there is an
intonational break after fields. In that case, the word and could
be pronounced in strong form as it is as the beginning of its
intonation unit:
| ɪn ˈfildz | ænd ˈfæktriz |

21st INTONATION UNIT: in village markets and supermarkets

- The pronunciation of the final /d/ in the word and is slightly
more formal. Both pronunciations are correct /ənd/ or /ən/.

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 Silvia C. Barreiro Bilbao
VARIACIONES FONÉTICO-FONOLÓGICAS…
PEC_2016_KEY
- It is possible to have two intonation units if there is an
intonational break after markets. In that case, the word and
could be pronounced in strong form as it is as the beginning of
its intonation unit:
| ɪn ˈvɪlɪʤ mɑrkəts | ænd ˈsupɚ mɑrkəts |

- The words market and supermarket in GA tend to have a schwa

in the final syllable instead of /ɪ/.

22nd INTONATION UNIT: in living rooms and board rooms

- The pronunciation of the final /d/ in the word and is slightly
more formal. Both pronunciations are correct /ənd/ or /ən/.
- It is possible to have two intonation units if there is an
intonational break after rooms. In that case, the word and could
be pronounced in strong form (/ænd/ or /æn/) as it is as the
beginning of its intonation unit.
| ɪn ˈlɪvɪŋ rumz | ænd ˈbɔrd rumz |

- Elision: It is possible to elide the final /d/ of the word board as it

occurs in coda position and it is preceded by a consonant of the
same voicing, and followed by another consonant (except /h/)
in the subsequent word room.
- Assimilation of place: The alveolar plosive /d/ in the word and
becomes bilabial (/b/) before the bilabial sound in the
subsequent word board. If the final /d/ is elided, there is
another kind of assimilation, the alveolar nasal /n/ in the word
an(d) becomes bilabial (/m/) before the bilabial sound in the
subsequent word board.

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 Silvia C. Barreiro Bilbao
VARIACIONES FONÉTICO-FONOLÓGICAS…
PEC_2016_KEY
23rd INTONATION UNIT: Whether it is while playing with our children
in the park
- It is possible to have two intonation units if there are
intonational breaks after children:
| ʍɛðɚ ɪt ˈɪz ʍaɪl ˈpleɪɪŋ wɪð ɑʊr ˈʧɪldrən | ɪn ðə ˈpɑrk |

- The word our can have different pronunciations. Some

speakers use /ɑʊr/ (with the elision of the schwa) as the strong
form, and /ɑr/ as the weak form. Others use only one or only
the other. Both pronunciations are correct.
- No syllabic n in the word children, as the syllabic nasal would
be preceded by another consonant, in this case, by three
consonants /ˈʧɪldrn̩/*.
- There is a possible progressive assimilation: The dental
fricative /ð/ of the word the can become nasal but keeping its
dental place of articulation: … in the... (/ɪn ðə/ becomes /ɪn
nə/ [ɪn n̪ə]). (optional)

24th INTONATION UNIT: or washing clothes in a river

- It is possible to have two intonation units if there is an
intonational break after clothes:
| ɚ ˈwɑʃɪŋ ˈkloʊðz | ɪn ə ˈrɪvɚ |

- The word clothes can be pronounced /kloʊz/ in GA, according

to JC Wells.
- The word or can be pronounced in a strong form /ɔr/ as it is at
the beginning of the intonation unit. In British English this word
normally has no weak forms.

25th INTONATION UNIT: or taking a break at the office water cooler

- It is possible to have two intonation units if there is an

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 Silvia C. Barreiro Bilbao
VARIACIONES FONÉTICO-FONOLÓGICAS…
PEC_2016_KEY
intonational break after break. In that case, the word at could be
pronounced in strong form /æt/ is it is as the beginning of its
intonation unit:
| ɚ ˈteɪkɪŋ ə ˈbreɪk | æt ðə ˈɑfɪs wɑtɚ ˈkulɚ |

- The word or can be pronounced in a strong form /ɔr/ as it is at

the beginning of the intonation unit. In British English this word
normally has no weak forms.
- The word office tends to be pronounced /ˈɑfɪs/, although the
pronunciation /ˈɔfɪs/ is also correct.

27th INTONATION UNIT: and talk about our aspirations and

concerns
- It is possible to have two intonation units if there is an
intonational break after aspirations. In that case, the word and
could be pronounced in strong form (/æng/ or or /æŋ/) as it is
as the beginning of its intonation unit (and concerns):
| ənd ˈtɔk əbaʊt ɑr ˈæspɪreɪʃn̩z | æng kənˈsɝnz |

- The first word and can be pronounced in a strong form as it is at

the beginning of the intonation unit. The pronunciation of the
final /d/ is slightly more formal. Both pronunciations are correct:
/ˈænd/ or /ˈæn/.
- There is an assimilation of place: The final alveolar sound /d/ in
the second word and becomes velar /g/ before the velar sound
in the subsequent word concerns. If /d/ is elided, there will be
another kind of assimilation of place: The alveolar nasal an(d)
will become velar (/ŋ/) before the velar sound in the subsequent
word concerns | æŋ kənˈsɝnz |.

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 Silvia C. Barreiro Bilbao
VARIACIONES FONÉTICO-FONOLÓGICAS…
PEC_2016_KEY
- Elisions: /ə/ in the word aspirations, which makes syllabic the
following consonant n.
- In the word concerns, we will not recommend the elision of the
schwa in the first unstressed syllable, as it is not fully
acceptable by native speakers.

28th INTONATION UNIT: and time and again

- The first word and can be pronounced in a strong form as it is at
the beginning of the intonation unit. The pronunciation of the
final /d/ is slightly more formal. Both pronunciations are correct:
/ˈænd/ or /ˈæn/.
- The second word and is pronounced in weak form, with or
without the final sound /d/. The pronunciation of the final /d/ is
slightly more formal. Both pronunciations are correct: /ˈənd/ or
/ˈən/.

29th INTONATION UNIT: our talk turns to our children and our
families
- It is possible to have two intonation units if there is an
intonational break after children. In the first case, the word and
could be pronounced in strong form (/ænd / or or /æn/) as it is
as the beginning of its intonation unit (and our families):
| ɑʊr ˈtɔk ˈtɝns tu ɑʊr ˈʧɪldrən | ænd ɑʊr ˈfæmɪliz |

- Assimilation of voicing: The voiced /z/ in the word turns

becomes voiceless (/s/) before the voiceless sound in the
subsequent word to with which forms a close-knit group.
- The word our can have different pronunciations. Some
speakers use /ɑʊr/ (with the elision of the schwa) as the strong
form, and /ɑr/ as the weak form. Others use only one or only
the other. Both pronunciations are correct.

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 Silvia C. Barreiro Bilbao
VARIACIONES FONÉTICO-FONOLÓGICAS…
PEC_2016_KEY
2. Illustration of pronunciation features

Key: Open answer. These are my five illustrative instances:

a) She tends to place emphatic stresses on many content and

functional words in her speech to catch the audience’s attention:
in, on, day (in every day), water (in …office water cooler), for
example.
b) She makes unexpected intonation breaks to catch the audience’s
attention, as after the word women (in *much the *way *women
*come to*gether, 16th intonation unit); After the word is (in Whether
it is while playing with our children in the park, 23rd intonation unit);
Or after the word turns (our talk turns to our children and our
families, 29th intonation unit), for instance.
c) She pronounces T-tapping and voicing in words like daughters or
community, for example.
d) She pronounces /r/ as an approximant with a great retroflexion [ɻ]
in words like learners, markets, for instance.
e) She does not produce /ʍ/ (but /w/ as in RP) in wh-words as in
Whether or while.

***