Les contractions sont partout en anglais parlé. I will devient I'll, will not devient won't, should have devient should've. Chaque contraction a sa règle de prononciation ; l'apostrophe n'est qu'une convention graphique. Une fois les schémas connus, les dire et les reconnaître devient facile.
Catégories de Contractions
1. Sujet + Auxiliaire (I'm, he's, we'll, they've, she'd)
L'auxiliaire perd sa voyelle et fusionne avec le pronom. Règle : prononcez le pronom normalement puis ajoutez la consonne de l'auxiliaire.
- I am → I'm /aɪm/
- You are → you're /jʊr/ ou /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/ (identique à 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. Contractions Négatives (don't, won't, wouldn't, isn't)
L'auxiliaire garde sa voyelle et ajoute -n't, prononcé /nt/. En parole rapide, le /t/ tombe ou devient coup de glotte, le /n/ se fait syllabique.
- 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/ (irrégulier, voyelle changée !)
- would not → wouldn't /ˈwʊdn̩t/
- should not → shouldn't /ˈʃʊdn̩t/
- could not → couldn't /ˈkʊdn̩t/
- must not → mustn't /ˈmʌsənt/ (/t/ de must muet)
3. Modal + have (should've, would've, could've)
Piège : have se réduit à /əv/ et s'accroche au modal. Beaucoup écrivent « should of » — faux à l'écrit, juste au son.
- 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/
Contractions d'Entraînement
Les Pièges
| Contraction | Forme pleine | Attention |
|---|---|---|
| won't | will not | Voyelle /woʊ/, pas /wɪ/ |
| they're / their / there | they are / possessif / lieu | Trois homophones /ðɛr/ |
| it's / its | it is / possessif | Les deux /ɪts/ |
| you're / your | you are / possessif | Les deux /jər/ inaccentués |
| who's / whose | who is / possessif | Les deux /huz/ |
| I'd | I had / I would | Le contexte tranche |
| he'd | he had / he would | Comme I'd |
La Règle du N Syllabique
Dans les -n't, le /n/ forme sa propre syllabe sans voyelle. Didn't n'est pas /ˈdɪ-dənt/ mais /ˈdɪd-n̩t/. Idem pour wouldn't, couldn't, shouldn't, hadn't. Dire /ˈdɪ-dent/ trahit l'apprenant.
Chute du /h/ dans he, his, him, her
- give him → give 'im /ɡɪvɪm/
- tell her → tell 'er /tɛlər/
- what is he → whatsee /ˈwʌtsi/
Exceptions et Remarques
- Ain't est une contraction non standard pour am not, is not, are not, has not, have not. Courante à l'oral informel, à éviter à l'écrit formel.
- 's peut aussi signifier has. She's gone. = She has gone. Même son que she is.
- Pas de contraction en fin de phrase. Yes, I am. — pas Yes, I'm.
- L'accent compte. I'd love to! porte /aɪd/ accentué ; I'd already gone se réduit davantage.
Comment S'Entraîner
- Prenez un dialogue. Contractez tous les auxiliaires.
- Lisez à voix haute. Réduisez-vous la voyelle ?
- Enregistrez et comparez.
- Exercez les finales /n̩t/ : didn't, wouldn't, couldn't, shouldn't, hadn't.
Points Clés
- Une contraction est un mot fusionné avec une prononciation ; l'apostrophe est décorative.
- -n't a souvent /n/ syllabique et /t/ faible ou muet.
- Should've, would've, could've sonnent comme should of.
- Pas de contraction en fin de phrase.
- Maîtriser les contractions donne un son bien plus naturel.