Phonetics Focus: Linking vowels in technical speech — how o alternador becomes o‿alternador, and e a bateria becomes e‿a bateria in connected speech.
A Historia
Era uma sexta-feira de marco. Eu conduzia na A2, a caminho do Setubal, quando a luz vermelha da bateria acendeu no painel. Depois, o motor comecou a perder potencia. Encostei-me ao acostamento de emergencia, desliguei o motor — e nao voltou a arrancar.
It was a Friday in March. I was driving on the A2, heading to Setubal, when the red battery light came on on the dashboard. Then the engine started losing power. I pulled over to the hard shoulder, switched off the engine — and it would not start again.
Liguei para o numero da assistencia em viagem, que estava no seguro. Uma senhora atendeu rapidamente.
— "Boa tarde, ACP Assistencia. Em que posso ajudar?"
— "Boa tarde. O meu carro avariou-se na A2, sentido Sul, ao quilometro 34. Penso que e o alternador, ou talvez a bateria."
— "Qual e a matricula do veiculo, por favor?"
— "TT-42-KL. E um Volkswagen Polo, cinzento, de 2019."
— "Muito bem. O reboque deve chegar em 30 a 40 minutos. Mantenha-se afastado da faixa de rodagem e ligue o pisca-pisca de avaria."
I called the roadside assistance number, which was in the insurance. A woman answered quickly. "Good afternoon, ACP Assistance. How can I help?" "Good afternoon. My car has broken down on the A2, heading South, at kilometre marker 34. I think it's the alternator, or perhaps the battery." "What is the vehicle's registration plate, please?" "TT-42-KL. It's a Volkswagen Polo, grey, 2019." "Very well. The tow truck should arrive in 30 to 40 minutes. Stay away from the carriageway and turn on your hazard lights."
O mecanico chegou aos 35 minutos. Examinou o motor, conectou um aparelho ao computador de bordo e fez um diagnostico. "E o alternador. Nao carregou a bateria durante a viagem. Vou reboca-lo ate a oficina mais proxima."
The mechanic arrived after 35 minutes. He examined the engine, connected a device to the on-board computer, and made a diagnosis. "It's the alternator. It didn't charge the battery during the journey. I'll tow you to the nearest garage."
Vocabulario Mecanico
| Portugues | English |
|---|
| O carro avariou-se | The car broke down |
| O alternador | The alternator |
| A bateria | The battery |
| O reboque | The tow truck |
| A oficina | The garage / repair shop |
| O acostamento de emergencia | The hard shoulder |
| O pisca-pisca de avaria | Hazard warning lights |
| A matricula | The registration plate |
| O computador de bordo | The on-board computer (OBD) |
Fonetica: Ligacao de Palavras em Discurso Tecnico
In connected speech, when a word ends in a vowel and the next begins with a vowel, they link into one syllable. A mechanic speaking quickly will say:
| Written | Heard as |
|---|
| o alternador | o‿alternador |
| e a bateria | e‿a bateria |
| nao arranca | now‿arranke (nasal vowel merges) |