VOA一分钟英语：口语发音现象 非重读央元音 /Ə/

在口语交流中，尤其是英语母语人士在交谈时，一些单词中的元音，甚至个别单词，会被简化读成一个类似 /Ə/ 的 “懒音”。学习这类缩略音的发音规律有助于让我们的英语听起来更自然、流畅。
 
Let's find out how to make your pronunciation more natural.
So, in fast speech we don't pronounce every word equally.
Fast words are often pronounced as this sound – the schwa.
It's a lazy sound like this: /Ə/ Here are some examples.
In natural speech, grammar words like articles, prepositions can be reduced to a schwa.
A and of can become /Ə/. An becomes /Ən/. To becomes /tƏ/.
A cup of tea becomes /Ə/ cup /Ə/ tea.
Also the auxiliary have is often reduced to just /Ə/.
Would have becomes /ˈwʊd·ə/, should have – /ˈʃʊd·ə/ and could have – /ˈkʊd·ə/.
You should've told me, I would've helped.
And with going to, the to often becomes /Ə/ so we get /ˈɡə.nə/ and want to becomes /ˈwə.nə/.
So, if you wanna sound more natural you're gonna have to use the schwa.
 
用法总结
口语交流中，有些元音会被弱化成 “非重读央元音” /Ə/。比如：
 
1. 冠词 “a”、“an”，介词 “to”、“of” 等语法词：
A cup of tea → /Ə/ cup /Ə/ tea
I'll talk to him later → I'll talk /tƏ/ him later
What an odd thing to say → What /Ən/ odd thing to say
 
2. 助动词 “have”：
You should have told me, I would have helped. → You /ˈʃʊd·ə/ told me, I /ˈwʊd·ə/ helped.
I could have done that → I /ˈkʊd·ə/ done that
 
3. 搭配 “going to” 和 “want to”： 
I'm going to go there and check → I'm /ˈɡə.nə/ go there and check
Do you want to come? → Do you /ˈwə.nə/ come?