Pronunciation of 什么

Question

什么 (shénme) sounds to my ears more like (shéme).

Assuming I'm hearing correctly, is this just a common contraction of this word, or is the sequence "-n" + "m-" generally contracted to "-m-"?

Answer 1

1. Zhang and Yang (2007:157–165) classifies consonantal assimilation (輔音同化) in Mandarin into three types:

   • Progressive assimilation (前化後, lit. prior converts latter)
   • Regressive assimilation (後化前, lit. latter converts prior)
   • Bidirectional assimilation (前後互化, lit. prior and latter convert each other)

Examples of regressive assimilation

2. /n/ → [m] / _ [p pʰ m] (= all /n/ before [p], [pʰ], or [m] become [m]). All bilabial consonants in Mandarin exert an effect on an immediately preceding /n/. 什麼 naturally follows this rule.

   	Before	After	Pinyin
   麵包	/mjɛn˥˩ paʊ˥˥/	[mjɛm˥˩ paʊ˥˥]	miàn bāo
   亂跑	/lwan˥˩ pʰaʊ˨˩˦/	[lwam˥˩ pʰaʊ˨˩˦]	luàn pǎo
   難免	/nan˧˥ mjɛn˨˩˦/	[nam˧˥ mjɛn˨˩˦]	nán miǎn

3. /n/ → [ŋ̟] / _ [k kʰ x]. I added the advanced diacritic for [ŋ] because Zhang and Yang claims the inherent nature of /n/ is still stronger than assimilation, so the result is not exactly velar. Also, notice in the first and third examples how the final has not changed from [aŋ] to [ɑŋ], so the result of assimilation is also not exactly ang in pinyin, either.

   	Before	After	Pinyin
   戰國	/ʈ͡ʂan˥˩ kuɔ˧˥/	[ʈ͡ʂaŋ̟˥˩ kuɔ˧˥]	Zhàn'guó
   辛苦	/ɕɪn˥˥ kʰu˨˩˦/	[ɕɪŋ̟˥˥ kʰu˨˩˦]	xīn kǔ
   山花	/ʂan˥˥ xwa˥˥/	[ʂaŋ̟˥˥ xwa˥˥]	shān huā

4. /n/ → [ɲ] / _ [t͡ɕ t͡ɕʰ ɕ] (palatalisation before pinyin j q x), but /n/ → [ɳ] / _ [ʈ͡ʂ ʈ͡ʂʰ ʂ] (retroflexisation before pinyin zh ch sh). Personally I think these are less conspicuous.

   	Before	After	Pinyin
   班級	/pan˥˥ t͡ɕi˧˥/	[paɲ˥˥ t͡ɕi˧˥]	bān jí
   感情	/kan˨˩ t͡ɕʰɪŋ˧˥/	[kaɲ˨˩ t͡ɕʰɪŋ˧˥]	gǎn qíng
   看戲	/kʰan˥˩ ɕi˥˩/	[kʰaɲ˥˩ ɕi˥˩]	kàn xì
   班長	/pan˥˥ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ˨˩˦/	[paɳ˥˥ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ˨˩˦]	bān zhǎng
   難吃	/nan˧˥ ʈ͡ʂʰɚ˥˥/	[naɳ˧˥ ʈ͡ʂʰɚ˥˥]	nán chī
   天山	/tʰjɛn˥˥ ʂan˥˥/	[tʰjɛɳ˥˥ ʂan˥˥]	tiān shān

Example of progressive assimilation

5. /∅/ → [ŋ] / [ŋ] _ (= all /∅/ after [ŋ] become [ŋ]).

   	Before	After	Pinyin
   嫦娥	/ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ˧˥ ɤ˧˥/	[ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ˧˥ ŋɤ˧˥]	Cháng'é

Example of bidirectional assimilation

6. /n ∅/ → [ŋ̟ ŋ̟]. It is as if the third and fifth rules are combined.

   	Before	After	Pinyin
   專案	/ʈ͡ʂwan˥˥ an˥˩/	[ʈ͡ʂwaŋ̟˥˥ ŋ̟an˥˩]	zhuān àn
   天鵝	/tʰjɛn˥˥ ɤ˧˥/	[tʰjɛŋ̟˥˥ ŋ̟ɤ˧˥]	tiān é

Reference: Zhang Bennan & Yang Ruowei (2007). [普通話連讀音變]. Hong Kong: Commercial Press.