美式英语正音训练第56期:词的连读 Word Connections

 　　Chapter 2 Word Connections

　　As mentioned in the previous chapter, in American English, words are not pronounced one by one.

　　Usually, the end of one word attaches to the beginning of the next word.

　　This is also true for initials¹, numbers, and spelling.

　　Part of the glue that connects sentences is an underlying² hum or drone that only breaks when you come to a period, and sometimes not even then.

　　You have this underlying hum in your own language and it helps a great deal toward making you sound like a native speaker.

　　Once you have a strong intonation³, you need to connect all those stairsteps together so that each sentence sounds like one long word.

　　This chapter is going to introduce you to the idea of liaisons⁴, the connections between words, which allow us to speak in sound groups rather than in individual words.

　　Just as we went over where to put an intonation, here you're going to learn how to connect words.

　　Once you understand and learn to use this technique, you can make the important leap from this practice book to other materials and your own conversation.

　　To make it easier for you to read, liaisons are written like this: They tell me the dai measier.

　　(You've already encountered some liaisons in Exercises 1-38, 1-49, 1-53.)

　　It could also be written theytellmethedaimeasier, but it would be too hard to read.

1 initials   

n.首字母，姓名

参考例句：

• a glass tankard with his initials etched on it 刻有他姓名首字母的玻璃大酒杯
• All the towels were personalized with their initials. 所有毛巾上都标有物主姓名的首字母。

2 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

3 intonation   

n.语调，声调；发声

参考例句：

• The teacher checks for pronunciation and intonation.老师在检查发音和语调。
• Questions are spoken with a rising intonation.疑问句是以升调说出来的。

4 liaisons   

n.联络( liaison的名词复数 )；联络人；（尤指一方或双方已婚的）私通；组织单位间的交流与合作

参考例句：

• She embarked on a series of sexual liaisons with society figures. 她开始接二连三地与社会名流有染。 来自辞典例句
• One of Wentworth's favorite movies is Dangerous Liaisons. went最喜欢的电影之一是《危险关系》。 来自互联网