this type of vowel modifications are a difficult (and equally important) aspect in language learning, excellent idea to bring it up. i also liked the accentuation
podcast, but since rules are rather strict, i don t have problems with that
aspect of pronunciation.

however, the next step would be sth about intonation (which word in a phrase
receives stress?), maybe there is the chance in the future address it.

coming back to the topic here a few examples of vowel ELIMINATION in rapid
speech (can t recall the reference)
- creeré [krere]
- la abrieron [labrieron]

- cree [kre] (your podcast example ‘poseer’ would become [poser] ??)
- alcohol [alkol]

i think this is rather obvious, maybe more interesting are the following examples
where unstressed a,e,o are eliminated or even change to some kind of semi vowel:

- la hijita [lixita]
- la esposa [lesposa] or?? [lajsposa] with j semivowel ‘based on i’
- la oficina [lofisina] or?? [lawfisina] with w semivowel ‘based on u’
- me imagino [mimaxino]
- lo humillaron [lumillaron] or?? [lowmillaron]

i checked other references and they don t go further than ‘linking’ or ‘fusion’.
this type of elimination certainly exists but don t know how widespread it is.

ootsuki

I wouldn’t say that they’re “lost” per se, but definitely “fused” or “blended”. When two vowels are phonetically joined, they form a diphthong; when three vowels are combined, a triphthong.

Here’s how I would show the “synalephe” or the fusion of vowels in the first two examples you provided:

lo que está entre paréntesis = lo que~está~entre paréntesis
[the “u” is silent, so in the first case, the “e” sound is prolonged; in the second case, the “á” fuses to the “e” to form the diphthong “áe”]

no es nada comparado a mi … = no~es nada comparado~a mi
[in the first case, the “o” and “e” form the diphthong “oe”; in the second case, the “o” and “a” form the diphthong “oa”]

I think you’re right though. Much of this blending depends on where the stress is placed. There are rules for this, but I’m led to believe that the rules are probably bent quite a bit as regional speech makes its presence known.

In any case, if you listen to the Phonetics Lessons on Accentuation, you see that the prosodic accent is different for words with different numbers of syllables. Have you checked those two out yet? Did they help? Let me know. This is an interesting and important topic, and I hope to help you understand it better!

Saludos,

Joseph

a few examples (taken from an rgentinian podcast) and how _i_ hear it:
- lo que está entre paréntesis = [lo kestantreparentesis]

- no es nada comparado a mi … = [nosnada komparadami]

- la gente de hoy = [la gente doi)

- el primer viaje que hago = [… kago]

- No entiendo si quiso hacer un chiste o se equivocó
= [nontiendo si kisacer un chistosekivoko]

- la (línea) 86 = [lochentaseis]

- pero no se hace aburrido = [… sasaburido]

maybe my transcriptions are wrong, however, it would good if a native speaker
can comment on that.
stress certainly matters whether a vowel ‘looses (length, quality), but i don t
see yet a general rule.

ootsuki

Thanks