The Intrusion of Y and W
The Intrusion of Y and W
Making the same pause between each word in a sentence has always been difficult for non-native speakers. It is unnatural to make the same pause; therefore, we use connected speech to sound native and fluent in any language.
In English, native speakers usually join or connect the ending sound of one word with another word's beginning sound. Such phenomena in the English language are referred to as linking sounds or connected speech.
Individually, words can be pronounced on their own very quickly, but when words are used in a sentence, it becomes a bit difficult to pronounce them with a neat pause. Many words affect the other word next to them when they are used in phrases and sentences.
Connected speech or linking sounds happens in many ways. One can add sound, omit it, and change the sound in different ways. Connected speech is a vast topic, or one can think of it as a subject as well.
In this lesson, you will learn one of the essential features of connected speech known as an intrusion.
What is intrusion?
One of the essential features of connected speech is Intrusion. Intrusion occurs when an extra sound is placed between two different words to make it easier to pronounce and understandable.
When one word in a sentence ends with a vowel sound, and the word next to it starts with a vowel sound as well. We add the sound of Y or W between two words.
Intrusion of W
Whenever the first words end in an -o,-u vowel sound in the combination of two words and the second words start with a vowel, we will add a slight /w sound between those two words.
Example:
WE WRITE | WE SAY |
GO UP | GO w UP |
GO OUT | GO w out |
TOO OFTEN | TOO w OFTEN |
GO IN | GO w IN |
DO ALL | DO w ALL |
DO IT | DO w IT |
GO AWAY | GO w AWAY |
Here are some of the sentence examples:
We write | We say |
| He said we would go out. | He said we would go w out. |
| Can you do it all by yourself? | Can you do w it all by yourself? |
| You all go out too often. | You w all go w out too w often. |
| Go eat it. | Go w eat it. |
| Please do it. | Please do w it. |
| I want to invite all of you to the party, but I cannot. | I want to w invite all of you to the party but I cannot. |
Intrusion of Y
If the first words end in an /a/e/i vowel sound in the combination of two words and the second words start with a vowel, we will add a slight /Y sound between those two words.
Example:
We write | We say |
He asked | He y asked |
Pay all | Pay y all. |
Lie on | Lie y on |
The end | The y end |
I ought | I y ought. |
Let’s look at some sentence example:
We write | We say |
He asked me to go out. | He y asked me to go out. |
I am going to the library. | I y am going to the library. |
They ate all of the mangoes which they bought an hour ago. | They y ate all of the mangoes which they bought an hour ago. |
I agree with you. | I y agree with you. |
They are almost here. | They y are almost here. |
Did he ask her? | Did he y ask her? |
Wrap up
A few more sounds can be linked between two words, but students are taught W and Y's intrusion only at the primary level. Here is a quick review of the lesson:
- We insert Y sound between words when the first word ends at /i/e/a sound (when our lips are wide), and the second word begins with a vowel.
- We insert the W sound between two words when the first words end at /o/u vowel sound (when our lips are round), and the second word begins with a vowel.