Monday 3 June 2013

minimal pair sentences with weakforms

I'm looking for pairs of sentences differing by a word which has both a weakform and a strongform pronunciation. Here are two examples:
  1. Get the key /ɒf/, /əv/ that door. (I know it's actually not a proper minimal pair)
  2. Father's bringing home /sʌm/, /səm/ missionary for dinner. (My thanks to JWL!)
Do you know of any lists, books, webpages containing such minimal pair sentences?
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26 comments:

  1. Unknown4 June 2013 at 00:20

    I’m not sure if these will do…

    You mean that Guy is your boyfriend?
    You mean that guy is your boyfriend?

    I shall send the one with chocolate.
    I shall send thee one with chocolate.

    CONTENT WARNING (Non-linguists might find the following pair of examples unbearably shocking):

    After the incident, he’s taken to sheep.
    After the incident, he’s taken two sheep.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John Maidment4 June 2013 at 11:26

      Emilio,

      Replacing sheep with aspirin has certain advantages:
      1. The shocking nature of the first sentence disappears
      2. We now have a contrast between /tu/ and /tu:/
      3. Aspirin are much easier to swallow than sheep

      Delete
    2. Unknown4 June 2013 at 15:04

      You’re right, John. I should have thought of something like aspirins! –It was a wicked dictionary definition (TAKE1 40 OALD 5th ed) that led me astray.

      Delete
  2. Kraut4 June 2013 at 07:29

    Emilio: Thanks! Yes, this is exactly what I'm looking for. Splendid!

    ReplyDelete
  3. John Maidment4 June 2013 at 10:26

    They saw that /ðət/ petrol can /kən/ explode.
    They saw that /ðæt/ petrol can /kæn/ explode.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kraut4 June 2013 at 11:18

    Wow!

    ReplyDelete
  5. John Maidment4 June 2013 at 11:34

    They'll have /əv/ boiled eggs.
    They'll have /hæv/ boiled eggs.

    Ooh these are fun, aren't they?

    He's eaten something he shouldn't have /əv/
    He's eaten something he shouldn't have /hæv/

    This one's cheating a bit:

    They discovered the monks who'd killed him.
    They discovered the monkshood killed him.

    Monkshood is a name for aconitum which is poisonous.

    ReplyDelete
  6. John Maidment4 June 2013 at 11:48

    There /ðə/ shouldn't be a problem.
    There /ðeə/ shouldn't be a problem.

    Almost time for lunch!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Kraut4 June 2013 at 12:32

    John, you must be hungry after having produced so many beautiful sentences. I finished my lunch a few minutes ago - couscous mixed with vegetables and dry-cured ham.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John Maidment4 June 2013 at 14:02

      I don't know about beautiful, but I hope they're useful.

      Fortified by a couple of toasted bagels with cream cheese and lots of lemon juice and black pepper, I have come up with another two:

      Did she arrive at a quarter to /tə/ two?
      Did she arrive at a quarter to /tuː/ too?

      The next one only works if you allow an assimilation in the first sentence:

      Look at /əp/ Bill's address.
      Look up /ʌp/ Bill's address.

      Now I have to think up good reasons for not mowing the lawn this afternoon. Wish me luck!

      Delete
    2. Kraut4 June 2013 at 14:34

      The lady of the house will not be amused if you don't attend to the lawn.

      Delete
    3. John Maidment4 June 2013 at 15:28

      You have hit the nail on the head. I have done about 2/3 of it, but it's hot out there, so I've come inside for a little rest. While massacring the buttercups, daisies and dandelions I thought of two more:

      That's the reason I chose those for children.
      That's the reason I chose those four children.

      This one is interesting, I think.

      Half past three /hɑː pəs θriː/ (3:30)
      (None of them passed all four tests, but) half passed three /hɑːf pɑːst θriː/

      I certainly can't elide the /f/ of "half" in the second sentence. I don't even reckon much to a pron. with the /t/ of "passed" elided either.

      Delete
    4. Unknown4 June 2013 at 16:56

      Hey, here’s another pair with "for/four":

      The electrician left for Leeds this morning.
      The electrician left four leads this morning.

      Delete
    5. Kraut5 June 2013 at 07:44

      John, assuming devoicing one could understand /hɑːpəs θriː/ as 'Harper's three' though it doesn't create a minimal pair sentence.
      Don't forget to behead the rest of the daisies!

      Delete
  8. Kraut4 June 2013 at 19:50

    I remember to have read some pairs of sentences on JWL's webpages. Now I've found them at http://www.yek.me.uk/wkfms.html in §§ 8-18

    ReplyDelete
  9. John Maidment5 June 2013 at 19:27

    All gone daisies!

    Here is another one. Rather surrealistic and macabre, I fear.

    Fish nor /nə/ flesh.
    Fish gnaw /nɔː/ flesh.

    And just one more:

    Jack was brave, but not so /səʊ/ Marmaduke.
    Jack was brave, but not Sir /sə/ Marmaduke.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unknown5 June 2013 at 23:36

      You've just started me off, John:

      She pinched his but only for a second.
      She pinched his butt only for a second.

      ("Fish gnaw flesh" - I love it!)

      Delete
  10. Unknown7 June 2013 at 01:11

    And this?

    I won't buy an old paper.
    I won't buy Ann old paper.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Kraut7 June 2013 at 08:09

    Thank you so much for your creativity, chaps!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unknown7 June 2013 at 15:09

      Just one more, please...

      (With the nucleus on the last word):
      They've come back to exercise a right now.
      They've come back to exercise "A" right now.

      Delete
    2. Unknown11 June 2013 at 13:00

      Ahem,

      That would cost us a lot of money.
      That wood cost us a lot of money.

      Delete
    3. Unknown15 June 2013 at 22:32

      (With an intrusive r in the first sentence):

      They saw us laughing.
      They saw Russ laughing.

      Delete
    4. Unknown16 June 2013 at 21:20

      Now, what did they do in class yesterday? (Nucleus on last word, as always):

      I heard of /əv/ "was" /wɒz/ being discussed. (They discussed the word "was").
      I heard "of" /ɒv/ was /wəz/ being discussed. (They discussed the word "of").

      Delete
    5. Unknown17 June 2013 at 19:52

      Look at the notice:

      The Left/Right are /ə/ crushed like the rest.
      The left/right "R" /ɑː/ crushed like the rest.

      Delete
    6. Unknown20 June 2013 at 23:25

      How do you spell them /ðəm/?
      How do you spell "them" /ðem/? (... spell the word "them"?)

      The word must /məst/ hit their ears. (Say it loudly).
      The word "must" /mʌst/ hit their ears.

      Delete
    7. Unknown21 June 2013 at 13:58

      (That was a good trick, wasn't it?)

      Begin to write the word from /frəm/ here.
      Begin to write the word "from" /frɒm/ here.

      Delete

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