REDUCTION

In English as well as in Russian vowels in unstressed syllables are usually reduced. The neutral sound represents the reduced form of almost any vowel or diphthong in the unstressed position, eg.combine ['kɒnbain] – combine [kәm'bain]; project[ꞌprɒdʒıkt] – project [prәꞌdʒekt]. The sounds [ı] and also [ʊ] in the suffix -ful are very frequent realizations of the unstressed positions, eg.possibility[ˏpɒsı'bılıtı], beautiful [ꞌbju:tıfʊl]. There is also a tendency to retain the quality of the unstressed vowel sound, eg.retreat, programme, situate. Non-reduced unstressed sounds are often retained in: (a) compound words, eg.blackboard, oilfield; (b) borrowings from the French and other languages, eg.bourgeoisie, kolkhoz. Reduction is closely connected not only with word stress but also with rhythm and sentence stress. Stressed words are pronounced with great energy of breath. So reduction is realized:(a)in unstressed syllables within words, eg.demonstrative[dı'mɒnstrәtıv]; (b) in unstressed form-words, auxiliary and modal verbs, personal and possessive pronouns within intonation groups and phrases, eg. What do you think you can do? [→wɒtdjuƟıŋkjukәn ˎdu:]. Three different types of reduction are noticed in English.1)Quantitative reduction, i.e. shortening of a vowel sound in the unstressed position, affects mainly long vowels, eg he [hi: - hi – hı]. When does he come? [→wen dʌz hıkʌm].2)Qualitative reduction, i.e. obscuration of vowels towards [ә, ı, ʊ], affects both long and short vowels, eg. can [kæn – kәn].You can easily do it. [jukәn→i:zılı du: ˎıt].Vowels in unstressed form-words in most cases undergo both quantitative and qualitative reduction, eg.to[tu: - tu – tʊ].3)The third type is the elision of vowels in the unstressed position, eg.I'm up already [aim ʌр ˎɔ:lredı].