Weak formsChapter 10

Week 12

April.21.2013

Ms.Lujain -2013

Outline

• Why is it important to learn how weak forms are

used?

• Weak forms Vs. Contracted forms. Are they the

same?

• Function words

a.Are both forms used in function words?

b.When do we use the strong form?

c.words that are spelled with an initial ‘h’

Ms.Lujain -2013

Strong forms VS weak forms

Why is it important to learn how weak forms are used?

1- Most Native speakers of English find an “all-strong form” pronunciation unnatural and foreign-sounding.

2- Speakers who are not familiar with the use of weak forms are likely to have difficulty understanding speakers who do use weak forms.

Ms.Lujain -2013

WEAK FORMS VS. CONTRACTED FORMS

ARE WEAK FORMS THE SAME AS CONTRACTED FORMS?

NO.

Ms.Lujain -2013

Function Words

• Almost all words that have both a strong and weak form belong to a category called:

Function Words

Function Words: words that do not have a dictionary meaning in the way that we normally expect nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs to have. Such as auxiliary verbs, prepositions ..etc.

Ms.Lujain -2013

Are both forms used or only one?

• Sometimes the strong form is used and at other times we

use the weak form. There are certain contexts in which

only the strong form is acceptable and others where the

weak form is the normal pronunciation.

Ms.Lujain -2013

When do we use the strong form?

1.For many weak-form words when they occur at the end of

a sentence.

2.When a weak-form word is being contrasted with another

word.

3.When a weak-form word is given stress for the purpose of

emphasis.

4.When a weak-form word is being “cited” or “quoted”.

Ms.Lujain -2013

Words that are spelled with an initial ‘h’

• When weak-form words whose spelling begins with ‘h’

(e.g. ‘her’, ‘have’) occur at the beginning of a sentence,

the pronunciation is with initial /h/, even though this is

usually omitted in other contexts.

Ms.Lujain -2013

Ms.Lujain -2013

Most common weak-form words:

• The• a , an• and• but• That *• than• His *• Her *• Your

* When used in a specific sense.

Never occur at the end of a sentence

Ms.Lujain -2013

Pronouns

• She • He • We• You• Him• Her• Them• us

do occur in their weak forms in their final position

Ms.Lujain -2013

Some prepositions and other function words:

• At• For• From• Of• To• As• Some• there

occur in their strong forms when they are final in a sentence

Ms.Lujain -2013

Auxiliary verbs:

• Can – could• Have – has – had• Shall – should • Must• Do – does • Am – are – was – were

in their negative forms (combined with not) they NEVER have the weak pronunciation.

They also occur in their strong forms when they are final in a sentence.