There are several kinds of systematic changes that happen
when certain sounds are linked between words. Here are the
most typical types:
Consonant + vowel
When a word ending in a consonant is followed by a word
beginning with a vowel, the !nal consonant is linked to the
following vowel. It sounds like it has become a part of the
following word. (In the following diagrams, C means any
consonant and V means any vowel sound.)
xxxC + Vxxx ⇒ xxx + CVxxx
Stop it. ⇒ Sto pit.
Run away. ⇒ Ru naway
Similarly, when a word ending in a consonant cluster is
followed by a word beginning with a vowel, the last
consonant in the cluster is linked to the following vowel:
xxxCC + Vxxx ⇒ xxxC CVxxx
She likes art. ⇒ She like sart.
The world is big. ⇒ The worl dis big.
Vowel + vowel (linking with glides)
This type of linking happens when a vowel that ends in a
glide (/y/ or /w/) is followed by another vowel.
/y/-type vowels: The vowels /iy/, /ey/, /ay/, and /oy/ all
end in the /y/ glide. When a word ending in one of these
sounds is followed by another vowel, we can hear a de!nite /
y/ sound between the two vowels./iy/ + V The tree is big. ⇒ The tree is big./ey/ + V Say it again. ⇒ Say it again./ay/ + V He’s my uncle. ⇒ He’s my uncle./oy/ + V We enjoy it. ⇒ We enjoy it./w/-type vowels: the vowels /uw/, /ow/, and /aw/ all end
in the glide /w/. When a word ending in one of these sounds
is followed by another vowel, we can hear a de!nite /w/
sound between them./uw/ + V Who are you? ⇒ Who are you?/ow/ + V Go into the house. ⇒ Go into the house./aw/ + V How are you? ⇒ How are you?149/y//y//y//y//w//w//w/