How to pronounce English reductions

This article takes notes on how to pronounce English reductions.

1. English ‘slang’[1]

GONNA [‘ɡɔnə] = going to

I’m gonna watch TV tonight.
(it’s necessary to use ‘BE’ – I’m gonna, you’re gonna, he’s gonna…)

WANNA [‘wɒnə] = want to

I wanna hold your hand.
He wanna eat.
(Grammatically is correct ‘WANTS TO’. However, if you are using ‘slang’ you can use WANNA)

GOTTA [‘gɒtə] = have got to

I gotta go.
He’s gotta learn.
(You can use is also with HAVE. These are not so usual, but you can hear them.)

OUGHTA [‘ɔːtə] = ought to

You oughta know.

GIMME [‘ɡɪmi] = give me/give it to me

Gimme that.

LEMME [‘lemi] = let me

Lemme see that.

WHATCHA [‘wɒtʃə] = what are you

Whatcha gonna do?

DUNNO [də’no] = I don’t know

I dunno.

SHOULDA = should have, COULDA [‘kʊdə] = could have, WOULDA = would have

I shoulda never gotten married.
It coulda been worse.

AIN’T [ent] = am not, are not, is not

This you can use for negative meaning of BE, HAVE

I ain’t gonna do it. = I’m not going to do it.
I ain’t done it. = I haven’t done it.
He ain’t listening. = He isn’t listening.
She ain’t got the money to buy it. = She hasn’t got the money to buy it.

He ain’t got no money. = He hasn’t got any money.
You ain’t nobody. = You aren’t anybody.
(Only with this word you can use in ‘slang’ 2 negatives in one sentence. Of course, it’s not grammatically correct.)

CUZ [kəz], ‘COS, ‘CAUSE = because

2. of

Of is a preposition and prepositions are functional words. Functional words are the words that generally be unstressed on the sentence. In this particular case, the words may also be reduced which means one of sounds will be changed or be adjusted[2].

(1)[ə] before a consonant

It’s one of my [wʌn ə maɪ] favorites.

KINDA [‘kaɪndə] = kind of

I kinda like it.
He’s kinda funny.

LOTSA [‘lɔtsə] = lots of

It needs lotsa work.

OUTTA  [‘aʊtə] = out of

I’m outta here.
We’re outta time.

(2)[əv] before a vowel, v can  help link two words together

A lot of offices [ə lɒd əv ɔfɪsɪz] have the same policy.
It’s part of a bigger plan.

(3)of them [əv əm] 或 [ə ðəm]

It’s one of the best videos I’ve seen.

3. Reductions formed[3]

3.1 what+is+word

whassup = what + is + up

Hey, whassup?
Hey, what is up?

whatser = what + is + her

Whatser name?
What is her name?

whatsiz = what + is + his

Whatsiz name?
What is his name?

3.2 word+me

gimme [‘ɡɪmi] = give + me

Please gimme the book.
Please give me the book.

lemme [‘lemi] = let + me

Please lemme go with you.
Please let me go with you.

3.3 word(s)+you

betcha [‘betʃə] = bet + you

Betcha can’t eat just one.
Bet you can’t eat just one.

doncha = don’t + you

Doncha think that exam was hard.
Don’t you think that exam was hard.

getcha = get + you

I’m planning to getcha some new clothes.
I’m planning to get you some new clothes.

gotcha = got + you

I already gotcha some new clothes.
I already got you some new clothes.

howarya = how + are + you

Howarya doing today?
How are you doing today?

howdya = how + do + you

Howdya make delicious sushi?
How do you make delicious sushi?

howjya = how + did + you

Howjya get the money for school?
How did you get the money for school?

howujya = how + would + you

Howujya get the answer to this problem.
How would you get the answer to this problem.

jya = did + you

Jya go to class today?
Did you go to class today?

waddaya = what + are + you

Waddaya doing tonight?
What are you doing tonight?

waddaya = what + do + you

Waddaya think of this restaurant?
What do you think of this restaurant?

wancha = want + you

I wancha to do your homework.
I want you to do your homework.

whajya = what + did + you

Whajya do today?
What did you do today?

whenjya = when + did + you

Whenjya decide to study English?
When did you decide to study English?

wherjya = where + did + you

Wherjya go today?
Where did you go today?

whojya = who + did + you

Whojya go to the park with today?
Who did you go to the park with today?

woujya = would + you

Woujya like to go to the movies tonight?
Would you like to go to the movies tonight?

3.4 word+have

coulda [‘kʊdə] = could + have

I coulda eaten one more donut.
I could have eaten one more donut.

mighta = might + have

I mighta gone to the party if she wasn’t going.
I might have gone to the party if she wasn’t going.

musta = must + have

She musta been really tired after working so many hours.
She must have been really tired after working so many hours.

shoulda = should + have

You really shoulda come with us.
You really should have come with us.

woulda would + have

I woulda come if I wasn’t working.
I would have come if I wasn’t working.

3.5 word+to

gonna = going + to

I’m gonna have to work every day next week.
I’m going to have to work every day next week.

gotta = got + to

I gotta get up early to go work.
I got to get up early to go work.

hafta = have + to

I hafta work overtime tonight.
I have to work overtime tonight.

hasta = has + to

She hasta work this weekend.
She has to work this weekend.

oughta = ought + to

You oughta find a better job.
You ought to find a better job.

wanna = want + to

I really wanna find a better job.
I really want to find a better job.

3.6 word+know

donno = do + not + know

I really donno the answer to the question.
I really don’t know the answer to the question.

dunno = do + not + know

I really dunno the answer to the question.
I really don’t know the answer to the question.

3.7 did+you+know

jeet = did + you + eat

Jeet lunch already?
Did you eat lunch already?

jev = did + you + have

Jev a nice day?
Did you have a nice day?

jever = did + you + ever

Jever want to be an English teacher?
Did you ever want to be an English teacher?

References:
[1]Blog: English ‘slang’
[2]YouTube: How to Pronounce OF – American English Pronunciation
[3]Blog: Reductions Lessons

美语教程之弱读(上)

http://bulo.hujiang.com/group/topic/230277/

赞赏

微信赞赏支付宝赞赏

发表回复

您的电子邮箱地址不会被公开。 必填项已用*标注