“Oh My God” Answer

Transcribing “Oh my god” for Chapter 4

Clip 1:  Oh my go::::duh

• Stretch lasts for around 0.8 of a second
• The contour starts up and slides down
• The oh and my have some emphasis
• The whole sounds like a response to a discovery that is not necessarily pleasant

Clip 2: Oh my go:#::d, ((lament))

• Stretch lasts for around 0.5 of a second
• The contour starts up, slides down then ends slightly higher
• The oh has some emphasis
• There is an element of upset to the overall utterance that the creaky delivery towards the end contributes to

Clip 3: Oh my go:d,

• Stretch on god lasts for only as long as it takes for the contour to start up, slide down, then end slightly higher
• The oh has some emphasis
• The whole sounds like a response to a discovery that is not necessarily pleasant

 

Clip 4: Oh: my #go:d. hh

• Short stretch on the oh and god
• The oh has some emphasis
• Out-breath following the utterance
• Creaky delivery that finishes on a final sounding contour
• Unclear whether good or bad discovery

Clip 5: Oh my ↑go:du.

• God has markedly elevated pitch and is built with more emphasis than oh and my
• Stretch on god lasts for only as long as it takes for the contour to start up and slide down. It ends with a final sounding contour and a quiet uh sound

Clip 6: º>Oh my< go(h)dh,º .h

• This is quietly produced throughout
• oh and my are markedly speeded up
• There is a plosive laughter particle in god followed by aspiration
• The final contour sounds slightly rising