ENGLISH PHONOLOGY

FINAL PROJECT

Choose one of passages in Alexanders Developing Skills: An Integrated

Course for Intermediates Student
Make a final task project in the order as follows:
A. Introduction
Explaining in general what is going to be discussed in the paper
including title of the passage, things analyzed in the passage
(i.e. pronunciation features), how long the recording takes, etc.
B. Discussion
The passage the original passage being discussed.
Descriptions of the actions of the articulators and the respiratory
systems of certain words chosen; 5 word (Teman bisa pilih yang
1 syllable/ 1 suku kata saja seperti go, went, she, he, Jane, etc).
Syllable division of words explanation of syllable division of
certain words chosen; 5 words (Bisa sama dengan kata yang
kalian pilih diatas akan tetapi lebih bagus jika berbeda dengan
yang diatas).
Pauses and intonation markings pauses are marked using slash
(/): intonation are marked using arrows ( or ); the whole
paragraph.
Sentences with other aspects of connected speech including
weak forms, elision, linking, intrusion, and/or juncture clarified
using transcription in phonemic symbols; 5 sentences.
C. Conclusion summary of the findings especially on sentences with
connected speech.
D. References list of reference used in making the project including the
book where the passage is taken, dictionary, and so on.
The paper should be typed in Microsoft Word using Arial type font 11 pt
size.
Sentences with aspects of connected speech should be with explanation
on the reason why deciding some words are assimilated, linked, with
elision and/or in their weak forms.
The task should be submitted in soft-copy form in a folder under your
complete name and class and arranged to be in a CD, one class or two
CDs.

PRONUNCIATION FEATURES PHONOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF A STORY

ENTITLED
A GLASS ENVELOPE

A. INTRODUCTION
This final project is to complete the task assigned for English Phonology
course. It discusses a passage entitled A Glass Envelope taken from Practice
and Progress: Integrated Course for Pre-Intermediate Students by L.G
Alexander phonologically in terms of pronunciation features. The features
analysed such as pauses, intonation, and other aspects of connected speech.
The descriptions of the actions of the articulators and the respiratory systems
in producing some words are also taken into account. Their syllable division is
also discussed. Pauses are marked by using / symbol, and the intonations
are marked by using symbols. Further, sentences are transcribed into
phonemic symbols by considering connected speech aspects, such as weak
forms, assimilation, linking and elision. Also, reasoning is provided to prove
the existence of such aspects of connected speech.
B. DISCUSSION
This part discusses descriptions of the actions of the articulators and the
respiratory systems in producing some words, syllable division of some words,
pauses, intonations and other aspects of connected speech, such as
assimilation, liking, elision and weak forms. Below is the passage analysed for
this final project.
A Glass Envelope
My daughter, Jane, never dreamed of receiving a letter from a girl
of her own age in Holland. Last year, we were travelling across
the Channel and Jane put a piece of paper with her name and
address on it into a bottle. She threw the bottle into the sea. She
never thought of it again, but ten months later, she received a
letter from a girl in Holland. Both girls write to each other
regularly now. However, they have decided to use the post-office.
Letters will cost a little more, but they will certainly travel faster.
1. Description of the actions of the articulators and the respiratory
systems
Below is the description of the actions of the articulators and the
respiratory systems in producing words. Only 5 words are chosen and
these words are taken from the passage above.
a. Jane
Starting from the position for normal breathing, the tongue-tip touches
the back part of the alveolar ridge and the lungs are compressed to
create air pressure in the vocal tract. The soft palate is raised so that

b.
c.
d.
e.

the breath is trapped for a short time. The tongue moves for the
position of close vowel, making glide which begins in the position for
/e/, moving up and slightly back towards / I/. Then the vocal folds are
brought close together and voicing begins; then the lips open,
releasing the compressed air for a short time; meanwhile, the tip of the
tongue moves and presses against the alveolar ridge, and the sides of
the tongue against sides of the palate. The rest of the compressed air
goes through the nasal tract. Then the lung pressure is lowered, voicing
ceases and the articulators return to the normal breathing position.
Girl
Own
Were
Will

2. Syllable division of words

There are 5 words being discussed below in terms of its syllable division.
The words are taken from the passage above.
a. Dreamed
The word dreamed is transcribed as /dri:mt/. Therefore, the syllable
can be divided as follows according to English Phonology theory:
initial
d

post-initial
r
onset

b.
c.
d.
e.

i:
vowel

pre-final
m

post-final
t

coda

Thought
Write
Name
Bottle

3. Pauses markings
Considering the phrases and the situation when the writer composed the
passage, below is the passage with the markings of pauses.
//A Glass Envelope//
//my daughter / Jane / never dreamed of receiving a letter from a
girl of her own age / in Holland // Last year / we were travelling
across the Channel / and Jane put a piece of paper / with her
name / and address on it / into a bottle // She threw the bottle
into the sea // She never thought of it again / but ten months
later / she received a letter from a girl in Holland // Both girls /
write to each other regularly now // However / they have decided
to use the post-office // Letters / will cost a little more / but they
will / certainly / travel faster //
4. Intonation markings
Considering the types of the sentences whether they are statements,
questions, exclamations, or utterances and also the situation how the
sentences might be said, the intonation is marked by using symbols.

Symbol is used to show that the sentence with rising intonation.

Meanwhile, symbol is used to indicate sentence with falling intonation

//A Glass Envelope//

//my daughter / Jane / never dreamed of receiving a letter
from a girl of her own age / in Holland // Last year / we
were travelling across the Channel / and Jane put a piece of
paper / with her name / and address on it / into a bottle
// She threw the bottle into the sea // She never thought of it
again / but ten months later / she received a letter from a
girl in Holland // Both girls / write to each other regularly now
// However / they have decided to use the post-office //
Letters will cost a little more / but they will / certainly /
travel faster //
5. Sentences with other aspects of connected speech
Aspects of connected speech that were taken into account are weak
forms, assimilation, elision, linking, intrusion, and juncture. In terms of
clarity, the passage is transcribed into phonemic symbols of each
sentence.
a. A glass envelope / l:s en.v.lp /
A glass Envelope is the title of the passage being discussed. From the
phonemic transcription above, it can be seen that a which should be
transcribed into / e I / is in its weak form; therefore, it is pronounced /
/ instead of / e I /. Other aspect of connected speech that is applied in
the phrase is juncture. It is because the words / l:s / and /
en.v.lp / are joined together so it may sound / l:sen.v.l p /.
Assimilation, elision, linking and intrusion is found none of their
presence in the phrase because none of the rules seem apply into the
phrase.
C. CONCLUSION
To sum up, several pronunciation features are considered in taping recording,
such as pauses, intonation and other aspects of connected speech, i.e. weak
forms, assimilation, linking, elision. From the discussion, it can be found that
pauses are placed and it also can be concluded that there are several kinds
of intonation used in the passage, such as . Meanwhile, in terms of the
aspects of connected speech, there are several words changed into their
weak forms, for example ; some words are assimilated, for example ;
some words are linked, for example ; and, some words are found to have
elision, such as in .
D. REFERENCES
Last Name, First Name. Year. Book Title. City: Publisher
Example:
Alexander, L.G. 1975. Practice and Progress: An Integrated Course for PreIntermediate Students. Yogyakarta: Percetakan Kanisius Yogyakarta.