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Assimilation (linguistics)
*** Shopping-Tip: Assimilation (linguistics)
'''Assimilation''' is a regular and frequent
sound change process by which a
phoneme changes to match an adjacent phoneme in a word. A common example of assimilation is vowels being 'nasalized' before nasal consonants as it is difficult to change the shape of the mouth sufficiently quickly.
If the phoneme changes to match the preceding phoneme, it is '''progressive assimilation''' (also ''left-to-right'', ''perseveratory'', or ''preservative'' assimilation). If the phoneme changes to match the following phoneme, it is '''regressive assimilation''' (also ''right-to-left'' or ''anticipatory'' assimilation). If there is a mutual influence between the two phonemes, it is '''reciprocal assimilation'''. In the latter case the two phonemes can fuse completely and give a birth to a different one. This is called a '''coalescence'''.
Assimilation may result in the neighbouring segments becoming identical, yielding a
gemination geminate consonant; this is '''complete assimilation'''.
In other cases, only some features of phonemes assimilate, e.g.
phonation voicing or
place of articulation; this is '''partial assimilation'''.
'''Examples'''
Complete assimilation:
* The word ''assimilation'' itself (from
Latin ''ad'' + ''simile'')
* ''illegible'' (''in'' + ''legible'')
* ''suppose'' (''sub'' + ''pose'')
* in Italian:
Egypt Egitto (tt < pt),
Il Dottore dottore (tt < kt), and many more
Partial assimilation:
* voicing: the pronunciation of ''absurd'' as ''apsurd'' or ''abzurd''
* devoicing: ''bats'' (''bat'' + the
plural morpheme ''s'', which is underlyingly /z/)
* place of articulation: ''impossible'' (''in'' + ''possible''), ''incomplete'' (in which ''n'' represents the
velar nasal)
Numerous examples can be found at
List of Latin words with English derivatives.
See also
*
Coarticulation (
Co-articulated consonant,
Secondary articulation)
*
Vowel harmony
*
Consonant harmony
*
Sandhi
*
Labialisation
*
Palatalization
*
Velarization
*
Pharyngealisation
*
Assibilation
*
Dissimilation
{{ling-stub}}
Category:Phonetics
Category:Assimilation *
br:Heñvelaat
da:Assimilation
de:Assimilation (Phonetik)
eo:AsimiliÄ?o
ko:�운 �화
hu:Hasonulás
nl:Assimilatie (taalkunde)
*** Shopping-Tip: Assimilation (linguistics)
