This post is a sequel to my post on the impotance of proper communication.
The knock-knock joke is a question-and-answer joke, typically ending with a pun. Knock-knock jokes are primarily seen as children's jokes, though there are exceptions. -wikipedia
Knock knock jokes are linked (or connected) speech and linked speech is a key part of understanding native speakers and speaking and pronouncing words fluently.
The examples below show how linked speech create funny ambiguities in pronunciation of particular words and phrases.
Losing a Sound
Knock knock
who's there?
Police.
Police who?
Police let me in; it's cold out here!
Normally, this sentence would be said as 'please let me in'.
A few examples:
Knock knock
who's there?
Zany.
Zany who?
Zany body going to the store?
Here, IS ANY loses the IH sound.
Knock knock
who's there?
Les.
Les who?
Les go home.
LET'S loses the T sound.
Leaving out the T Sound
Knock knock
who's there?
Dozen.
Dozen who?
Dozen anyone want to go to the movies; I'm bored here?
Knock knock
who's there?
Dawn.
Dawn who?
Dawn go without me.
We can see that at the end of the words, through the power of linked speech, we don't pronounce the T.
Do you get it?
To conclude, let's see if you can tell what letter got dropped from this joke?
Knock knock
who's there?
Augusta.
Augusta who?
Augusta wind blew my umbrella away.
Normally, we would say "A GUST OF WIND". If you guessed the F from OF, then you are right.
Next time when you hear a knock knock joke, don't get irritated and roll your eyes. Take time to think about what you can learn about English pronunciation from it...And then laugh.
Reference: saundz