Question

The term coarticulation means the ability to:

a. perceive all of the individual phonemes in a word during listening.
b. associate phonemes with the letters or letter groups (graphemes) that represent each sound.
c. "match" the sound of a spoken word to the corresponding definition in one's mental lexicon.
d. say the phonemes within a syllable so that all of the segments are seamlessly joined.

Answer 1

Coarticulation means saying the phonemes within a syllable seamlessly together to allow for smooth and fluid speech, as opposed to pronouncing each phoneme in isolation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The term coarticulation refers to the phenomenon where multiple phonemes within a syllable are articulated jointly so that the segments are seamlessly joined together. Unlike isolated pronunciation, where each phoneme is pronounced distinctly and separately, coarticulation ensures a flow of speech where sounds influence each other, making them easier to say and more natural-sounding in the context of continuous speech.

For example, when saying the word ‘bat’, the /b/, /a/, and /t/ phonemes are not pronounced in isolation. Instead, they overlap slightly through the process of coarticulation, which allows for the swift and smooth transition from one sound to the next. This is a crucial part of spoken language because it enables rapid and fluid speech.

Thus, the correct answer to the question is d. say the phonemes within a syllable so that all of the segments are seamlessly joined.