An ELT Glossary : The Yod / Yod coalescence

The Yod

• Definition : The phoneme /j/, as in yes /jes/ and you /ju:/ - a voiced palatal approximant.

• The yod is one of three "intrusive consonants" used in connected speech to link adjacent vowel sounds, as in Three of (them) /θri:jəv/  or We aren't /wi:jɑ:nt/

• Further reading from An ELT Notebook : English Consonant Sounds

Yod coalescence

• Definition /  The tendency of a final /t/ or /d/ followed by an initial /j/ to blend into an affricate - /ʧ/ or /ʤ/ respectively.

• Examples :  Got you! in connected speech is likely to be pronounced /gɒʧu:/  rather than  /gɒt ju:/;   Would you becomes /wʊʤu:/  rather than /wʊd ju:/

Want to know more about connected speech and teaching listening?

Brown, G. Listening to Spoken English, Longman