Preface.

1 Setting the Stage.

1.1 Phonetics or Phonology?

1.2 Fast Speech?

2 Processes in Conversational English.

2.1 The Vulnerability Hierarchy.

2.2 Reduction Processes in English.

2.3 Stress as a Conditioning Factor.

2.4 Syllabic Conditioning Factors.

2.5 Other Processes.

2.6 Icons.

2.7 Weak Forms?

2.8 Combinations of these Processes.

3 Attempts at Phonological Explanation.

3.1 Past Work on Conversational Phonology.

3.2 Natural Phonology.

3.3 Variable Rules.

3.4 More on Rule Order.

3.5 Attempts in the 1990s.

3.6 And into the New Millennium.

4 Experimental Studies in Casual Speech.

4.1 Production of Casual Speech.

4.2 Perception of Casual Speech.

5 Applications.

5.1 Phonology.

5.2 First and Second Language Acquisition.

5.3 Interacting with Computers.

Bibliography.

Index.