1

Prof. Francisco Zabala - 2016

Pre-fortis clipping
Quantity is a relevant feature in English. Vowels are classified into relatively long vowels and relatively
short vowels. What is relative about their length? The former group are noticeably longer than the later
provided they occur in a similar context (e.g. bin .!aHm. vs. bean .!ah9m.). In this section we will discuss the
factors that affect the length of vowels and sonorants.
PRE-FORTIS CLIPPING is most evident when it affects a diphthong or long vowel, especially in stressed
positions. In this case, there is a reduction in the quantity of the vowel or the vowel-sonorant cluster
when the syllable is closed by a fortis .o+
s+
j+
sR+
e+
S+
r+
R.. In contrast, these vowels are fully long when
they are final in a stressed open syllable, or when the syllable is closed by a lenis consonant. The following
diacritics show length distinctions: (1) fully long vowels take Z9\; (2) clipped long vowels take just one dot
Z∂\; (3) and Z

·\ is placed on top of clipped .l+
m+
M+
k
., short vowels, and the first element of a diphthong
(Tench, 2011; Roach 2009).
Compare:
See

Rue
Ray









Seed Seat Z!rh9
!rh9c
!rh∂s\
Rude Route Z!qt9


!qt9c


!qt∂s\
Raid Rate Z!qdH


!qdHc


!qd·Hs\
Lend Lent
Send Sent

Build Built

Z!kdmc

Z!rdmc

Z!aHkc


!kd·m·s\


!rd·m·s\

!aH·k·s\

The snapping of your
fingers is the best unit to
judge how clipped your
sounds are. If the syllable
fits within the snapping,
that’s clipped. If it
exceeds the snapping,
that’s full length!

Vowel length is approximately the same in the following cases
Seat Sid
Zrh∂s

rHc\

Hoot Hood Zgt∂s


gTc\


Compare:

Same quality

Core
ZjN9


Cord
jN9c


Same quantity

Same quality

Court
jN∂s


Cod
jPc




Cot
jP·s\

Similar quantity

Although long vowels are reduced approximately by half, make sure you just clip one quarter of the
length of .@9. and .29.. Remember that their quality is very similar to .U. and .?. respectively, so work hard
not to lose their contrast.
Card Cart Cud Cut
Z!j@9c
!j@∂s
!jUc
!jU·s\


Bird Burt But
Z!a29c
!a2∂s
a?s\


Commerce
Z!jPl2∂r

Commas
!jPl?y\


Prof. Francisco Zabala - 2016


2

Activity 1:
Transcribe the following sentences phonemically. Decide whether the shaded sections show pre-fortis clipping. Use Z∂\
instead
of Z9\ to show that a long vowel has been clipped. Place Z
·\
to show the clipping of the first element of a diphthong, short
vowels, or Zk+
l+
m+
M\. Colour the diacritics you use.

1. The Lord saw Christ.
2. Jane builds towers. Jake built moats.
3. Sheila sends her niece to a cheap school.
4. Your house needs some paint, mate!
5. Steve likes beer. His wife hates it.
6. Stephen has just bought some coke.
7. Mike is on a diet. He can’t eat cheese, meat, or wheat.
8. Jean is dreaming about her new beach resort.
9. You might have a choice.
10. Teach your child how to read and write.
KEY:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

ZC?
!kN9c
!rN9
!jq`·Hrs\
Z!cYdHm
!aHkcy
!s`T?y
{{
!cYd·Hj
!aH·k·s
!l?·Tsr\
Z!Rh9k?
!rdmcy
g?
!mh∂r
{
st
?
!sRh∂o
!rjt9k\
ZiN9
!g`·Tr
!mh9cy
r?l

!od·Hms
!ld·Hs\
Z!rsh9u
!k`·Hjr
!aH?
{{
gHy
!v`·He
!gd·Hsr
Hs\
Z!rsh9um
g?y
cY?rs
!aN∂s
r?l
!j?·Tj\
Z!l`·Hj
Hy
Pm
?
!c`H?s
{{
gh
!j@∂ms
!h∂s
!sRh9y
{
!lh∂s
{
N9

!vh∂s\
Z!cYh9m
Hy
!cqh9lHM
?!a`Ts
g?
!mit9
!ah∂sR
qH!yN∂s\
Zit
!l`·Hs
!gzu
?
!sRN·Hr\
Z!sh∂sR
iN9
!sR`Hkc
{
!g`T
s?
!qh9c
?m
!q`·Hs\


Activity 2:
Transcribe the following text phonemically. Decide whether the underlined sections show pre-fortis clipping. Use Z∂\
instead of
Z9\ to show that a long vowel has been clipped. Place Z
·\

to show the clipping of the first element of a diphthong, short vowels,
or Zk+
l+
m+
M\. Colour the diacritics you use.

Joyce’s Routine
Joyce Price is a busy woman. She wakes up at 5.30 a.m. every day. She gets up five minutes
later, goes to the loo, has a shower and brushes her teeth. She has breakfast while she listens
to Frank Fleet’s phone in show. Then, she leaves for work. Joyce is a maths teacher at school.
She starts her first class at 8 sharp. She gets back home at half past seven in the evening. She
marks her students’ papers, and cooks supper. Grace and Mike, her best friends, usually come
round at about 8. They love talking and laughing! After the guys leave, she goes to bed and
watches Ellen’s show. She’s fast asleep by midnight.

Z!cYN·HrHy
!qt9!sh9m
{{
!cYN·Hr
!oq`·Hr
{
Hy
?
!aHyh
!vTl?m
{{
Rh
!vd·Hjr
!U·o
?s

!e`Hu
!S2∂sh
{
!duqh
!cdH
{{
Rh
!fd·sr
!U·o
!e`Hu
!lHmHsr

!kd·Hs?
{
!f?Ty
s?
C?
!kt9
{
!gzy
?
!R`T?
{
?m
!aqU·RHy
g?
!sh∂S
{{
Rh
!gzy

!aqd·je?·rs
{
v`Hk
Rh
!kHrmy
s?
!eqz·Mj
·

!ekh∂sr
!e?Tm
Hm

!R?T
{{
!Cdm
{
Rh
!kh9uy
e?
!v2∂j
{{
!cYNHr
Hy
?
!lz·Sr
!sh∂sR?
{
?s
!rjt9k

{{
Rh
!rs@∂sr
g?
!e2∂rs

!jk@∂r
{
?s
!d·Hs
!R@∂o
{{
Rh
!fd·sr
!az·j
!g?Tl
{
?s
!g@∂e
!o@∂rs
!rdum
{
Hm
Ch
!h9umHM
{{
Rh
!l@∂jr
g?
!rsit9cmsr


!od·Ho?y
{
?m
!jT·jr
!rU·o?
{{
!fqd·Hr
?m
!l`·Hj
{
g?
!ad·rs
!eqdmcy
{
!it9Yt?kh
!jUl
!q`Tmc
{
?s
?!a`·Ts
!d·Hs
{{

CdH
!kUu
!sN∂jHM
?m
!k@∂eHM
{{

!@∂es?
C?
!f`Hy
!kh9u
{
Rh
!f?Ty
s?
!adc
{
?m
!vP·sRHy
!dk?my
!R?T
{{
Rhy
!e@∂rs

?!rkh∂o
a`H
!lHcm`Hs\