WHAT IS CONNECTED SPEECH?

1. CATENATION OR LINKING. Catenation, or Linking is probably what most people think of

first when they think of connected speech. Linking happens when the end of one word
blends into another. When the last sound of a word is a consonant and the first sound of
the next word is a vowel, you get linking.
For example:
 I want this orange –> thisorange
 I want that orange –> thadorange
 This afternoon –> thisafternoon
 Is he busy? –> Isi busy?
 Cats or dogs? –> Catserdogs?

2. INTRUSION. Intrusion means an additional sound “intrudes” or inserts itself between

others. It is often is a /j/ or /w/ or /r/ sound between two other vowel sounds.
For example:
 He asked –> Heyasked
 She answered –? Sheyanswered
 Do it –> Dewit
 Go out –> Gowout
 Shoe on –> Shoewon

3. ELISION. Elision means when a sound disappears. Basically, a sound is eaten by other
stronger or similar sounds next to it. This often happens with a /t/ or /d/ sound.
For example:
 Next door –> Nexdoor
 Dad take –> Datake
 Most common –> Moscommon

4. ASSIMILATION. Assimilation means two sounds blend together, forming a new sound
altogether. This often happens with /t/ and /j/ which make /ʧ/ and with /d/ and /j/ which
make /ʤ /.
For example:
 Don’t you — donʧu
 Won’t you — wonʧu
 Meet you — meeʧu
 Did you — diʤu
 Would you — wuʤ

5. GEMINATES Finally, geminates are like twins — two same sounds back-to-back. Often
when one word ends with the same letter as the beginning of the next word, you should
connect the two words in your speech.
For example:
 Social life –> socialife
 Pet turtle –> Peturtle