Weak Syllables (null stress), vowel reduction

pp 89 of "The english pronunciation)

In weak syllables there is often a variation in what vowel is pronounced. For example, the first syllable of believe may be pronounced with /schwa) or a high front vowel /I/ or /i/ or high central vowel.

Perhaps many speakers vary their pronunciation depending on the tempo of their speech and other factors.

Whatever vowel occurs in the first syllable of believe is likely to be pronounced also in the first syllable of deceive, pretend, review and the like.

Intial pretonic syllable
/i/, /I/, /scwa/ believe, depend, enough, prefer, remain
/ei/ or /schwa/ fatality, vacation
/u/ or schwa july lousie musician nutritious
/ou/ or /schwa/ Korea morale obey opinion protect


Medial posttonic syllable
/I/ or /schwa/ agitate candidate colleges furniture lattitude medical relevant
telephone

or /schwa/ argument document masculine popular



What we observe here is the reduction of contrasts in unstressed syllables. We have seen that there are upto to 24 vowel-units in stressed positions. In certain unstressed positions the number of contrastin vowel-units is considerbly reduced. Because the contrasts are reduced, there is variation in what vowel is pronounced.

Obviously it doesn't matter if agitate is pronounced with /I/ or /schwa/ in the second syllable; it is irrelevant if the first syllable of protect has /ou/ or /schwa/



Variable symbol for /i/ /I/ to /schwa/
/u/ /U/ to /schwa/
/ou/ to /schwa/