Changes in standard RP

Cards (10)

  • Phonemic system
    The system of speech sounds in a language
  • The phonemic system of a language is always in a process of evolution
  • The phonemic system is the most fleeting as compared to vocabulary and grammar
  • Factors that have speeded the process of phonetic changes in English
    • The rich vocalic system of English
    • Historically vowels have been subject to more changes than consonants
    • A modification of vowel quality results from very slight changes of the tongue or lip position
    • Diphthongs are the least stable
    • The sweeping systemic changes at the earlier periods of English which shook its sound system to the core
    • The lasting period of a foreign domination in the Middle Ages when the phonological system of English was under a strong influence of an alien phonological system (French)
    • The role of English as an international language
  • RP (Received Pronunciation) is carefully preserved by the public schools and the privileged class in England
  • The RP of today differs in some respects from the former refined RP used half a century ago
  • The exclusive purity of the classic RP has been diluted, as some features of regional types of speech are "received" now, though 50 years ago those features were considered to be regional non-RP
  • Changes in Vowel Quality
    • Diphthongization: Long vowels [i:] and [u:] have become diphthongoids with slight articulatory changes
    • Smoothing: Diphthongs [ei], [ai], [au] are becoming more like pure vowels, especially in unstressed positions
    • Leveling: Diphthongs [ɔə], [uə] are often leveled to [ɔ:], affecting words like "pore" and "poor"
    • Centering: Front and back vowels are moving toward the center of the mouth
    • Lengthening: Short vowels [i], [e], [a] are being lengthened in various contexts
  • Changes in Consonant Quality
    • Devoicing: Final voiced stops like /b, d, g/ are partially devoiced
    • Yod Dropping: The [j] sound is often omitted after [s] and [l]
    • Dark L: The "dark" [l] sound ([ɫ]) is more common, especially in word-final positions
    • Glottalization: The glottal stop [?] is increasingly used, especially before consonants and in final positions
    • Palatalization: Final [k] may be palatalized
    • Linking and Intrusive [r]: [r] is pronounced before a following vowel, even if it's not present in the spelling
    • Elision and Assimilation: Common in fluent speech
  • Combinative Changes
    • Yod Coalescence: [tj], [dj], and [sj] are pronounced as [], [dʒ], and [ʃ]