Insertions: /j/, /w/, and intrusives /r/

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Insertions: /j/, /w/, and intrusives /r/
Americans often change the sounds of words in order to speak with more rhythm and musicality in their speech. One way they do this is to insert [y] and [w] sounds between consonants and vowels, so that the pronunciation can “glide” through the mouth.

Example

If we pronounce the word “regular” as it’s spelled, we would say [REG ew lar].

Inserting the [y] sound allows us to say the word with greater musicality, speed, and stress.

[RE gyə lɝ]

Notice the [y] sound that we insert into the pronunciation of the following words.

Listen and Repeat
•particular [pə TI kyə lɝ]
•vocabulary [və KÆ byə ley riy]
•interview [IN tər vyew]
•usual [YEW ʒEw wəl]
•beautiful [BYEW tə fəl]
•popular [PA pyə lɝ]
•regular [Rɛ gyə lɝ]
•united [yə NAI tɪd]
•figure [Fɪ gyɝ]
•computer [kʌm PYEW tɝ]
•university [YEW nə Vɝ sə tiy]
•opinion [ə PIN nyən]
•useful [YEWS fəl]
•articulate [ar TI kyə lɪt]

Remember, even though the letter “y” does not appear in these words, you must ensure to insert the [y] sound in your pronunciation in order to be clearly understood.

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When a word ends in /i:/, or a diphthong which finishes with /ɪ/, speakers often introduce /j/ to ease the transition to a following vowel sound:
/j/ is inserted after high front vowels /i:/, /ɪ/, /e/ɪ/, a/ɪ/, oɪ//, such as seeing /ˈsi:jɪŋ/.

When a word ends in /u:/ and /ʊ/, or a diphthong which finishes with /ʊ/, speakers often introduce /w/ to ease the transition to a following vowel sound:
/w/ is inserted after high back vowels /u:/, /oʊ/, /aʊ/, such as doing /ˈdu:wɪŋ/.

The insertion of glides /j/ and /w/ occurs because they are the least marked epenthetic consonants in hiatus position. In other words, glides are generally considered to have the same featural make-up as vowels, i.e. they agree in both backness and roundness with the preceding vowel, such that /w/
occurs after /u:/, /ʊ/ and /j/ occurs after /i:/, /ɪ/ Moreover, this apportioning of the vowel space is based on the fact that vowels which trigger [r]-insertion never trigger [j]-insertion or [w]-insertion. Each glide has its own domain, although the domains exempt all lax front and lax high vowels, which never occur word-finally in English. If you learn to do this, your English will sound smooth and natural.

Intrusive /r/ also involves the pronunciation of an /r/ sound, but this time there is no justification from the spelling as the word’s spelling does not end in or . Again this relates to non-rhotic accents; rhotic accents do not have intrusive r.

Thus, link a final /ə/ or even /ɑ:/ to an initial vowel in the same sense group by inserting an r-sound even if there is no "r" in the spelling. The /r/ added in this way is known as Intrusive /r/, such as The idea of it /ði_aɪdɪə_əv_ɪt/ > /ði_aɪdɪə_r_əv_ɪt/

When the following vowel sound symbols occurs immediately before another vowel in the same syllable, the vowel sound symbol change.

/i:/ and /ɪ/ change to /ij/
/u:/ and /ʊ/ change to /uw/
/eɪ/ changes to /ej/
/aɪ/ changs to /aj/
/aʊ/ changes to /aw/
/oʊ/ changes to /ow/
/ɚ/ changes to /ɚr/ or /rɚ/
/ɑɚ/ changes to /ɑr/
/eɚ/ changes to /er/
/iɚ/ changes to /ir/
/oɚ/ changes to /or/

Rules:

1- If you have a high/middle front vowels (/i:/, /ɪ/, and /eɪ/) or the low/middle center/back vowel diphthongs (/aɪ/ and /oɪ/), and another vowel following, there will be /j/-change.
Examples:
high /ˈhaɪ/
higher, hire /ˈhajɚ/

2- If you have a high/middle back vowel (/u:/, /ʊ/, and /oʊ/) or the low center vowel diphthong (/aʊ/), and another vowel following, you're going to have /w/-change.
Examples:
cow /ˈkaʊ/
coward /ˈkawɚd/

toe /ˈtoʊ/
toe-er /ˈtowɚ/

3- If you have the high central vowel /ɚ/ before a stressed vowel, there will be /r/-adition. This sound is usually voiceless when it follows a voiceless stop. The letter "r" is not pronounced or is pronounced as /ɚ/ after a vowel in the same syllable.
Examples:
ter·ror /ˈter·ɚ/
ter·ror·ize /ˈter·ɚ·ˌaɪz/
ter·ror·ist /ˈter·ɚr·ɪst/

score /ˈskoɚ/, scorn /ˈskoɚn/
scor·er /ˈskor·ɚ/

Rules in linking words:

1- If you have a high front vowel, like /i/ and /ɪ/, and another vowel following, there will be /j/-insertion.
Example:
I need the key and licence. /..ðə_ki:_j_æn../

2- If you have a high back vowel, like /u/, and another vowel following, you're going to have /w/-insertion.
Example:
Let's have a Q&A session. /..æv_a_kju:_w_æ_neɪ../

3- If you have a mid/low vowel, like (numerous ones mentioned), then that's where /r/-insertion happens.
Example:
Karma applies to everyone. /..kɑ:mə_r_əplaɪz../

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