Strong and weak forms. Unstressed vocalism

In actual speech there is a great number of words which are pronounced in the weak or contracted form. They are more common than non-con­tracted or full forms. It applies to all styles and different manner of speech — formal or informal, slow or rapid tempo.

Given below are the lists of essential weak and contracted forms.

The Use of Weak and Contracted Forms

1. If a word is stressed the strong form must be used.

2. Strong forms are used for a preposition between an unstressed syllable and a pronoun, or at the end of the intonation group even if the word is unstressed.

↘Where did ˈMary ˎcome from /frɒm/?

Pronouns retain the weak form in final position, e.g.

→John susˎpects her /hə/. We aˎdore them /ðəm/.

3. Demonstrative pronouns always have strong form (even if not stressed), e.g.

That's /ðæts/ exactly what I want.

That /ðæt/ play I saw was wonderful.

4. Weak forms ending in /ə/ are not used before vowels

5. The weak forms of words beginning with /h/, e. g. have, has, he, him, etc. may or may not be /h/-less.

6. Have as a main verb is usually in the strong form. In speech con­tracted forms with have should be used: I've, we've, they've (never he has, she has), e.g.

I've /aɪv/, we've /wi:v/, they've /ðeɪv/ a bit of a problem.

7. Sonorants /l, m, n/ in contracted forms are typically syllabic, e.g.

John'll come /→ʤɒņl ˎkʌm/. bread and butter /ˈbred ņˎbʌtə/

8. In contracted forms 's is pronounced as /z/ after all lenis and after vowels:

Bob's here, Van's come

's is pronounced as /s/ after the fortis.

Jack's here, Robert's gone

is is pronounced as /ɪz/ after /s, z, / has is pronounced as /ǝz/, e.g.

Max is coming later.

Mr. Hodge has arrived.

Jones has decided to leave.