Kontraktionen begegnen dir ueberall im gesprochenen Englisch. I will wird zu I'll, will not zu won't, should have zu should've. Jede Kontraktion hat ihre Ausspracheregel; der Apostroph ist nur Schreibung. Wer die Muster kennt, spricht und versteht sie muehelos.
Kategorien
1. Subjekt + Hilfsverb (I'm, he's, we'll, they've, she'd)
Das Hilfsverb verliert den Vokal und verschmilzt mit dem Pronomen. Regel: Sprich das Pronomen normal, haenge den Konsonanten des Hilfsverbs an.
- I am → I'm /aɪm/
- You are → you're /jʊr/ oder /jər/
- He is → he's /hiz/
- She is → she's /ʃiz/
- It is → it's /ɪts/
- We are → we're /wɪr/
- They are → they're /ðɛr/ (klingt wie there!)
- I will → I'll /aɪl/
- You will → you'll /jul/
- I have → I've /aɪv/
- I had / I would → I'd /aɪd/
- She would → she'd /ʃid/
2. Negative Kontraktionen (don't, won't, wouldn't, isn't)
Das Hilfsverb behaelt den Vokal und haengt -n't (/nt/) an. In schneller Rede faellt das /t/ oder wird glottal; das /n/ wird silbisch.
- do not → don't /doʊnt/
- does not → doesn't /ˈdʌzənt/
- did not → didn't /ˈdɪdn̩t/
- is not → isn't /ˈɪzənt/
- are not → aren't /ɑrnt/
- was not → wasn't /ˈwʌzənt/
- were not → weren't /wɜrnt/
- have not → haven't /ˈhævənt/
- has not → hasn't /ˈhæzənt/
- will not → won't /woʊnt/ (unregelmaessig – Vokalwechsel!)
- would not → wouldn't /ˈwʊdn̩t/
- should not → shouldn't /ˈʃʊdn̩t/
- could not → couldn't /ˈkʊdn̩t/
- must not → mustn't /ˈmʌsənt/ (stummes /t/ in must)
3. Modal + have (should've, would've, could've)
Die Falle: have reduziert zu /əv/ und klebt am Modal. Viele schreiben sogar «should of» – falsch geschrieben, aber klangrichtig.
- should have → should've /ˈʃʊdəv/
- would have → would've /ˈwʊdəv/
- could have → could've /ˈkʊdəv/
- must have → must've /ˈmʌstəv/
- might have → might've /ˈmaɪtəv/
4. There's, here's, where's, what's
- there is → there's /ðɛrz/
- here is → here's /hɪrz/
- where is → where's /wɛrz/
- what is → what's /wʌts/
- that is → that's /ðæts/
Uebungskontraktionen
Die Tueckischen
| Kontraktion | Vollform | Achtung |
|---|---|---|
| won't | will not | Vokal /woʊ/, nicht /wɪ/ |
| they're / their / there | they are / Possessiv / Ort | Drei Homophone /ðɛr/ |
| it's / its | it is / Possessiv | Beide /ɪts/ |
| you're / your | you are / Possessiv | Beide /jər/ unbetont |
| who's / whose | who is / Possessiv | Beide /huz/ |
| I'd | I had / I would | Kontext entscheidet |
| he'd | he had / he would | Wie I'd |
Regel: Silbisches N
In -n't-Kontraktionen bildet /n/ eine eigene Silbe ohne Vokal davor. Didn't ist nicht /ˈdɪ-dənt/, sondern /ˈdɪd-n̩t/. Ebenso wouldn't, couldn't, shouldn't, hadn't. Ein volles /ˈdɪ-dent/ verraet den Lerner.
Ausfall des /h/ in he, his, him, her
- give him → give 'im /ɡɪvɪm/
- tell her → tell 'er /tɛlər/
- what is he → whatsee /ˈwʌtsi/
Ausnahmen und Hinweise
- Ain't ist eine nicht standardsprachliche Kontraktion fuer am not, is not, are not, has not, have not. Haeufig in informeller Rede, zu meiden in formalen Texten.
- 's kann auch has heissen. She's gone. = She has gone. – klingt wie she is.
- Am Satzende nicht kontrahieren. Yes, I am. – nicht Yes, I'm.
- Betonung zaehlt. I'd love to! hat betontes /aɪd/; I'd already gone reduziert staerker.
So Uebt Man
- Nimm einen Dialog. Kontrahiere alle Hilfsverben.
- Lies laut. Reduzierst du den Vokal?
- Nimm dich auf und vergleiche.
- Drills fuer /n̩t/-Endungen: didn't, wouldn't, couldn't, shouldn't, hadn't.
Kernpunkte
- Eine Kontraktion ist ein verschmolzenes Wort mit einer Aussprache; der Apostroph ist Kosmetik.
- -n't hat oft silbisches /n/ und schwaches oder fehlendes /t/.
- Should've, would've, could've klingen wie should of.
- Am Satzende keine Kontraktion.
- Kontraktionen sicher zu beherrschen lasst dich deutlich natuerlicher klingen.