EXERCISE SET: Sandhi in English with IPA Transcription

 

 QUICK REVIEW: What is Sandhi?

Sandhi is a phonological process where sounds change at word boundaries to make pronunciation smoother.

In Sanskrit and Indian languages, it's formalized (e.g., Rama + asti → Ramāsti), while in English it's informal and optional, but it exists.

In English, sandhi appears as:

Type Example Description
Glottal Sandhi "What is it?" → [wʌʔɪzɪʔ] Stop between vowels
Linking [r] "Law and order" → [lɔːrənd ɔːdə] Extra 'r' to ease transition
Assimilation "good boy" → [gʊb bɔɪ] /d/ → /b/ before /b/
Elision "friendship" → [frɛnʃɪp] /d/ disappears

 EXERCISE SET: Sandhi in English with IPA Transcription

Each section includes:

  • An example

  • What kind of sandhi occurs

  • An IPA transcription

  • A task for learners

🔹 Exercise 1: Linking Sounds (Linking /r/)

🔊 Example:

“I saw it.”

Without Sandhi:

  • /aɪ sɔː ɪt/

With Sandhi (linking r):

  • /aɪ sɔːrɪt/

🧠 Linking r appears even if not written. It's purely phonetic.

📝 Task:

Say the following with and without linking /r/.
Then write their IPA forms:

  1. “I saw it.”

  2. “Draw it.”

  3. “Idea of peace.”

  4. “Formula is right.”

🔹 Exercise 2: Assimilation

🔊 Example:

“Good boy” → /gʊd bɔɪ/
Sandhi: /d/ becomes /b/ → [gʊb bɔɪ]

🧠 Common in fast speech

📝 Task:

Transcribe the assimilated versions:

  1. “That person”

  2. “Bad girl”

  3. “Get going”

  4. “Old man”

🧾 Expected transformations:

  • /t p/ → /p p/

  • /d g/ → /g g/

  • /t g/ → /k g/

  • /d m/ → /m m/

🔹 Exercise 3: Elision (Omission)

🔊 Example:

“Next day” → /nekst deɪ/
Often pronounced: /nek deɪ/ (elision of /s/ and /t/)

🧠 Elision is dropping a sound that is hard to pronounce in fast speech.

📝 Task:

Write transcriptions of the following before and after elision:

  1. “Friendship”

  2. “Asked her”

  3. “Jumped back”

  4. “Oldest man”

✅ Bonus: Try pronouncing both versions.

🔹 Exercise 4: Glottal Stop /ʔ/

🔊 Example:

“What is it?” → /wʌʔɪz ɪʔ/

🧠 Glottal stop is a momentary closure of vocal cords, common in British and Indian English dialects.

📝 Task:

Mark where glottal stop occurs. Transcribe:

  1. “Better eat.”

  2. “Button up.”

  3. “What if?”

  4. “Sit up.”

🇮🇳 CROSS-COMPARISON: English vs Kannada/Sanskrit

Kannada:

ಅನು + ಇಚ್ಛೆ → ಅನುಚ್ಛೆ (vowel sandhi)
ರಾಮ + ಒಬ್ಬ → ರಾಮೋಬ್ಬ (o→ō sandhi)

English:

“go on” → [gə wɒn]
“do it” → [duː ɪt] → [duːwɪt]

🔁 Practice idea:
Ask students to find 1 example from English and 1 from Kannada/Sanskrit that show similar phonetic changes.

🏁 Wrap-Up: Why These Exercises Matter

Practicing English sandhi-like phenomena:

  • Sharpens listening skills

  • Improves pronunciation

  • Bridges phonetic rules across languages

  • Builds linguistic awareness

This is especially useful for Kannada-speaking students who already intuitively understand sandhi from their first language.

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