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start of or H. The second vowel was measured from the end of or H to the point where
the F2 of the vowel was no longer clearly visible. The results are given in Table 8.5.
Table 8.5: Duration of vowels in CVLV sequences spoken at normal and rapid rates of
speech. Standard deviations are given in parentheses. (Speakers A and K)
Normal Rapid Decrease
Speaker A
CV1LV1 146 (31.7) 56.8 (26.0) 62%
CV1LV1
Speaker K
132 (26.4) 87.6 (25.7) 34%
CV1LV1 205 (37.8) 46.4 (17.8) 77%
CV1LV1 122 (25.8) 74.9 (29.5) 39%
The duration of each vowel in each word was significantly shorter in rapid speech
than in normal speech. However, the shortening was consistently far more pronounced
for the first vowel of each sequence than the second. The first vowel was reduced by 60-
80% of its value in normal speech, whereas the second vowel was decreased by 30-40%
of its value in normal speech.
Figure 8.34 shows an example of this shortening process. The figure contains two
tokens of the word FH FH FH FH ‘egg’, the first produced with a rapid speaking rate and the
second at a normal rate. In rapid speech, both vowels in the CL sequence are shorter
than in normal speech, but the duration of the first , indicated by the arrows, has been
reduced in duration to a far greater extent than the second .
In some cases, the first vowel is completely elided in rapid speech. Figure 8.35
shows two tokens of the word =(>=(=( =(>=(=( =(>=(=( =(>=(=( ‘bait’. The first token was produced with rapid
speech, whereas the second one was produced with normal speech. In rapid speech, the
first = in the C=L= sequence has been completely elided, yielding [=(>=(]. In normal
speech, the first = is visible.
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