16. What is elision? Give several contexts which make elision possible.
Elision is the omission of one or more sounds (such as a vowel, a consonant, or a whole syllable) in a word or phrase, producing a result that is easier for the speaker to pronounce.
Elision is normally unintentional, but it may be deliberate. The result may be impressionistically described as "slurred" or "muted."
Vowels:
Initial /ə/ is often elided, particularly when:
- followed by a continuant and preceded by a word final consonant e.g. not alone /nɒtl 'ləun/, get another /getn'nʌðə/
- an appropriate vowel precedes, words initial /ə/ may coalesce with the preceding vowel: try again /tra: `gen/
- when final /ə/ occurs with linking r and word initial vowel: father and son /fɑ:dren sʌn/
Consonants:
loss of /h/ in pronominal weak forms
Alveolar plosives are apt to be elided in rapid speech in the sequence continuant consonant + /t/ or /d/( -st, -ft, -nd etc) followed by a word with initial consonant, e.g. next day, raced back, last chance.
Similar to above, word final clusters of plosive or affricate + /t/ or /d/(-pt, -kt, -bd etc), e.g. kept quiet, helped me, stopped speaking.
The /t/ of the negative /-nt/ is often elided, particularly in disyllables, before a following consonant, e.g. you mustn't lose it /ju/ masn lu:z it/