Phonemic transcription of a short clip from Creature Comforts. Some optional processes of connected speech (such as glottal replacement; linking/intrusive /r/; regular assimilations /n/ → /ŋ/ before velar plosives, /n/ → /m/ before bilabial consonants; de-voicings etc) are included. Though certain non-RP (GB or General British (Windsor Lewis), NRP or Non-Regional Pronunciation (B. Collins & I. Mees)) features are present in the video, they're not represented in this broad transcription; vocalised ells, Yod-dropping, non-gliding diphthongs (especially the pronoun "I"), even a slightly foreign pronunciation in one word (e.g. 1st syllable of "managed" isn't said with /æ/). But non-standard /jənə/ for "you know" and an impression of an interesting interjection sound (which expresses reservation i.e. ɡiven here as /uː/) are included here to bridge the gap between phonemic and allophonic transcriptions; the binary approach admittedly is restrictive. The relatively slow speed of delivery of the various speakers in this video has been a factor in selecting it for transcription. The video, needless to say, includes different speakers. And when transcribing it, the problem was whether to consider it one speech performed by many (therefore, only two slanted brackets needed) or see it for what it might be intended to be; interviews of different speakers and thus each to be seen as an independent speech. And to further muddy the waters, interviewees didn't give names, and except in the case of the lion, there's no direct link between any particular circus skill or performance and an animal. So it seems convenient, if not conventional, to insert numbers in brackets to separate each speech/speaker in the transcription below. Phonemic transcription: (1) /aɪ ˈhævŋ ɡɒt ˈeni ˈsɜːks ˈskɪlz ət ˈɔːl | aɪ ˈkɑːn ˈdʒʌl | aɪ ˈkɑːn ˈteɪm ðə ˈlaɪn | ænd | aɪ ˈkɑːnt ˈkræk ðə ˈwɪp | ɔː ˈdʒʌmp ɪn tə ðə ˈsmɔːl ˈbʌkɪʔ | aɪ ˈkɑːn duː ˈeni ə ðəʊz ˈðɪŋz || (2) ðə ˈθɪŋ ðəʔ ˈeksaɪts mi əˈbaʊt pəˈfɔːmɪŋ | ɪz ðət | ɪts ə rəˈliːs əv ˈeni ˈtenʃnz ðət ju maɪʔ hæv ˈɪnsaɪd ju || (3) uː | əm ˈnɒt ˈʃɔː ˈweðə ɪt dʌz ekˈsaɪt mi ˈeni ˈmɔː || ɪt dʌz mi || ðə ˈθɪŋ ðət ekˈsaɪts mi əˈbaʊt pəˈfɔːmɪŋ ˈriːl ɪz ðə fæʔ ðəʔ | ju ˈduɪn ˈsʌmɪŋ ˈɡʊdʒə ˈmeɪkɪŋ ˈpiːpl ˈlɑːf | ekˈsep ðə ˈwʌnz ðət ˈwɔːk ɒf || ekˈsep ðə ˈwʌnz ðət ˈwɔːk ɒf || jənə || (4) (Inaudible bit) ˈkʌlə tu ə ˈθɪŋ | ˈsiːɪŋ ˈpiːpl | ˈendʒɔɪ ən ˈdʒes kəˈnektɪn wɪð ðm | jə ˈnəʊ wʌʔ aɪ ˈmiːn | aɪ ˈkaɪn ə ˈlaɪk ðæt ˈbaʊʔ ɪʔ ˈriːli || (5) juv ˈɡɒt tə kəmˈjuːnɪkeɪt wɪð ði ˈɔːdiəns | bəʔ ˈnɒt tə ˈlʊk æt ðm | bɪˈkeʒu ɑː | əˈpɑːt frəm ðəm | ænd | ɪʔ wɪl breɪk ði ɪˈluːʒn || (6) aɪ ˈnɔːmli ˈtraɪ ən ɪntəˈækt wɪð ən ˈɔːdiəns | bət wɪð ˈeɪt ˈhʌndrɪd | ɪʔ bɪˈkʌmz ˈiːli ˈdɪfɪklt || ɜːm | bəʔ aɪ ˈækʃi ˈθɪŋk aɪ ˈmænɪdʒd | ən ðæt ði əˈmeɪzɪŋ ˈfiːlɪŋ | tə ˈdʒes | tə ˈdʒes ˈsiː ðət | ju ˈmeɪkɪŋ ən ˈɪmpækt || (7) laɪk aɪ wəz ˈduɪn ə ˈdʒɒb ɪm braɪʔən ˈriːsnli | ænd dən ðæʔ əd ə ˈiːl ˈbʌz əˈbaʊʔ ɪʔ || æn nən | aɪ wəz ɪn ˈsʌfək ɔː ˈsʌmweə laɪk ðæt | ˈduɪŋ ən æɡrɪˈkltʃrl ˈʃəʊ | ən ˈpiːpl əd ˈkʌm tə ˈlʊk ət ðə ˈkaʊz || (8) aɪ hæd tə ˈstænd ɒm ˈwʌn ˈleɡ | ən ˈdu ə ˈrɑːzbri | ˈɡəʊ ˈɑːs əʊvə | ˈwɒts ɪʔ | ɪn frʌnt əv ˈtuː ˈhʌndrɪd ən ˈfɪfti ˈpiːpl || ən aɪ ˈpʌmt maɪ ˈhed | aɪ ˈθɔːt aɪ wəz ɡənə | ən aɪ ˈhɜːd ðəm əz aɪ ˈhɪt ðə ˈflɔː ˈɡəʊ || ən ɪʔ wəz ˈwɪəd ˈkəz aɪ wəz laɪk | ˈtʊk ɒf | aɪ ˈdʒəs laɪk ˈfluː | ən aɪ wəz ˈdʒəs ˈsəʊ emˈbærəst | aɪ wəz laɪk ˈnəʊ əm ˈfaɪn əm ˈfaɪn ˈdʒəs ɡeʔ ˈbæk ɒn / An irrelevant note: This is anthropomorphism on an epic scale and might well be intended, a cynic would say, to put a spin on locking up animals for the cruel purpose of entertaining humans and then make it as though they enjoy it. The animals, not the humans! Well, there is something in that.

• published: 17 Jul 2014
• views: 732