Yod-coalescence
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Yod-coalescence is a process that changes the clusters [dj], [tj], [sj] and [zj] into [dʒ], [tʃ], [ʃ] and [ʒ] respectively.
This generally occurs in unstressed syllables in all varieties of English, except for the older RP varieties. Occurring in unstressed syllables, it leads to pronunciations such as the following:
- education "ej-uh-cate"
- graduate "graj-uh-ate"
- nature "nay cher"
- future "fue cher"
- feature - "fee cher"
- creature - "cree cher"
- gradual - "grajual"
It also occurs in some accents in stressed syllables as in tune and dune. Yod-coalescence in stressed syllables occurs in Cockney and Estuary English leading to the following words becoming homophonous:
- dune, June
- deuce, juice
- dew, Jew
- due, Jew
- duke, juke
Yod-coalescence has traditionally been considered nonRP, and thus not used by RP speakers.
