Pronouncing “Depths”: Drop that TH!
Consider the the word “depths” in the following phrase:
the depths of the sea
How many sounds are in this word? /D/ + /EH/ + /P/ + /TH/ + /S/ (IPA: /dɛpθs/)
Five, right?
Listen to this recording and think again:
If you listen closely, you can only hear four sounds. I’ve deleted the /TH/. In natural speech, we often reduce long strings of consonants at the ends of words.
When a word ends in a string of three consonants, something linguists call a “consonant cluster”, native speakers will often delete one of the consonants. We do this to maintain the easy flow of speech.
Now don’t get me wrong, you can pronounce “depths” with all three clear consonants, /P/ + /TH/ + /S/ and be perfectly well understood. But your speech will sound careful and not natural. Paradoxically, sometimes pronouncing sounds too well can actually give you an accent.
Here’s an easy rule to help you master this consonant reduction. It’s call “the rule of three.”
When a word ends in a string of three consonants, we usually delete the middle consonant in natural speech.
Here are some examples:
NDZ -> NZ
“bands” -> [BAENZ] (IPA: [bænz])
PTHS -> PS
“depths” -> [DEHPS] (IPA: [dɛps])
NTHS -> NS
“months” -> [MUHNS] or [MUHNTS] (IPA: [mʌns] or [mʌnts])
STS -> SS (one long /S/)
“tests” -> [TEHSS] (IPA: [tɛsː])
SKS -> SS (one long /S/)
“asks” -> [AESS] (IPA: [æsː])
PTS -> PSS (/P/ + one long /S/)
“accepts” -> [uhkSEHPSS] (IPA: [əkˈsɛpsː])
FTS -> FSS (/F/ + one long /S/)
“shifts” -> [SHIHFSS] (IPA: [ʃɪfsː])
This reduction process can also be applied to strings of consonants between words. Here are examples of word transitions where the reduction applies:
NDZ -> NZ
“blind zone” -> [BLAINZOHN] (IPA: [blɑɪnzoʊn])
PTHS -> PS
“depth sensor” -> [DEHPSEHNsuhr] (IPA: [ˈdɛpˌsɛnsɚ])
NTHS -> NS
“tenth survey” -> [TEHNSUHRvay] or [TEHNTSUHRvay] (IPA: [ˌtɛnˈsɝveɪ] or [ˌtɛntˈsɝveɪ])
STS -> SS (one long /S/)
“toast server” -> [TOHSSUHRvuhr] (IPA: [ˈtoʊˌsːɝvɚ])
SKS -> SS (one long /S/)
“last sentence” -> [LAESSEHNtuhns] (IPA: [ˌlæˈsːɛntəns])
PTS -> PSS (/P/ + one long /S/)
“adopt several (cats)” -> [uhDAHPSSEHvruhl] (IPA: [əˌdɑpˈsːɛvɹəl])
FTS -> FSS (/F/ + one long /S/)
“lift supervisor” -> [LIHFSSUUpuhrvaizuhr] (IPA: [ˈlɪfˌsːupɚvɑɪzɚ])
FTSH -> FSH
“sift sugar” -> [SIHFSHʊguhr] (IPA: [ˌsɪfˈʃʊgɚ])
You may hear some variability in the the speech of native speakers for this rule, especially if they are emphasizing a word or clearly enunciating, especially at the end of a phrase.
If you master this reduction, your speech will sound very natural.
Advanced techniques like this can feel overwhelming. I wouldn’t recommend that every student focus on this technique to start. How do you decide which accent/pronunciation topics to study first and what will makes the biggest difference in YOUR speech? The most efficient way to improve your accent and speaking skills is by working one-on-one with an accent/speech instructor. They can tell you EXACTLY what to work on and in what order. You can sign up for a free speech assessment with me any time. I will create a personalized accent improvement training plan for you to help guide your journey to clearer and more confident speech. Just click “Services” at the top of the page.
If you are not ready for one-on-one training, you can sign up for my free weekly lesson, Bold Speech Tips, find the sign-up form below.
Written by Sarah Sherer, Phd (5/4/2023)
References:
Here’s How to Do Accent Modification: A Manual for Speech-Language Pathologistcs by Robert McKinney (2019).