2. 03
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Table of contents
Definition
What it assimilation ?
Types
How many types do we have ?
And what are they ?
Cases
When can we say that “ that
is an assimilation “ ?
3. Definitions :
Assimilate : means to absorb something or to be part of
something .
Assimilation : is the influence of a sound ( consonant ) or
another neighbouring sound wether before or after it so that
the two sounds become similar or the same . Similar in :
Place of articulation ( bilabial , dental , alveolor..)
Manner of articulation ( plosive , nasal , fricatives ..)
Quality of voicing ( voiced , voiceless ) .
5. It happens when two sounds blend together to form a new
sound . It can happen inside a word ( picture / piktʃə / ), or
between two words ( good morning /gƱb m Ͻ :niղ /).
Examples :
/t/ + /ϳ/ → /tʃ/( nice to meet you ) → / nais tu : mi :tʃ ϳə /.
/d/ + /ϳ/ → /ʤ/( did you go ? ) → / di ʤə gəƱ / .
/s/ + /ϳ/ → /ʃ/( this year ) → / ðiʃϳiə / .
/z/ + /ϳ/ → /ȝ/( as usual ) → / əȝu :ȝƱəl / .
7. - Total assimilation : when a sound changes in all its
features to become exactly like the influencing sound
near it . Example : ten mice / tem maɪs / → /n/changes
completely to /m/which influenced it .
- Partial assimilation : when a sound changes in some
of its features and takes some , not all of the qualities
of the influencing sound near it . Example : ten bikes /
tem baɪks / .
9. if a sound changes after being influenced by a following sound and
takes it qualities . It concerns place and manner of articulation , for
example : good by → / gub baɪ / ( /d/→ /b/).
Can be → / kæm bi : / ( /n/→ /m/).
if a sound after being influenced by a preceding sound . It
concerns mainly voicing ,for example : final ‘ed’ , missed →/mɪst/ .
final ‘s’ : bags /z/ , books /s/ , houses /ɪz/ .
Regressive assimilation :
Progressive assimilation :
10. Coalescent assimilation :
occurs when two neighbouring sounds on the edges of two
neighbouring words influence each other . This phonological
phenomenon is bidirectional , that is , sound ‘ A’ influences on
the articulation of sound ‘ B’ and sound ‘B’ influences on the
articulation of sound ‘A’ ( A↔B ). Then they merge
phenomenon can be read in the following examples :
T + y = /tʃ/as in not ↔ yet // nⱰtʃet //.
D + y = /ʤ/ as in could ↔ you // kəʤϳu : //.
12. Awesome words
Place of articulation : the change in the place of
articulation of a sound ( consonant) when it is
influenced by another sound next to it and takes its
place of articulation .
- The alveolar consonants : /t/, /d/, /n/can change and take
the same place of articulation of the following sound.
When they are followed by a velar or bilabial sounds ,
they become similar to them .
- The alveolar /t/changes to the sound /p/( bilabial) when it
is followed and influenced by the bilabial consonants /p/,
/b/ , /m/. for example : that boy ( thap boy ) , mixed
marriage ( mixep marriage ).
13. - The alveolar /t/changes to the velar
sound /k/when it is followed and
influenced by the velar sounds /k/or /g/.
for example : that girl ( thak girl) , short
cut ( shork cut ).
- The alveolar /d/change to the bilabial
sound /b/when it is followed and
influenced by the bilabial consonants /p/
, /b/ , /m/. for example : bad pain (bab
pain ) , red bag ( reb bag ) , old man (
olb man ) .
14. - The alveolar /d/ changes to the velar sound /g/when it is followed
and influenced by the velar sounds /k/ or /g/. for example : cold
cream ( colg cream ) , slide guitar ( slig guitar ) .
- The alveolar nasal /n/ changes to the bilabial sound /m/when it is
followed and influenced by the bilabial consonants /p/, /b/, /m/. for
example : iron man ( irom man ) , green belt ( greem belt ) .
- The alveolar nasal /n/chnges to the sound /ղ/when it is followed
and influenced by the velar sounds /k/ or /g/. for example : tin can (
tiղ can) .
- The sound /s/changes to the sound /ʃ/when it is followed and
influenced by the sounds /ʃ/or /j/ + rounded vowel ( Ɒ, u) . for
example : dress shop ( dreʃ shop ) , this year ( thiʃ year ) .
15. - The sound /z/ changes to the sound
/ȝ/when it is followed and
influenced by the sounds /ʃ/ or /j/
+ rounded vowel (Ɒ, u) . for
example : these sheep ( theȝ
sheep ) , as you like ( aȝ you like )
.
- The sound /θ/changes to the sound
/s/when it is followed and
influenced by /s/ . For example :
both sides ( bos sides ), north
south ( nors south ) .
16. Manner of articulation :
is When a sound changes its manner of
articulation and becomes similar in it to the
neighbouring sound . For example : get some of that
soap / gзs sᴧm v ðas su :p /.
Read them ( reað them) , get them / geð them /.
17. Assimilation of voice :
When a sound takes the quality of voice ( voiced / voiceless) of another sound
next to it ( usually before it ) .
- The final /s/( present simple or plural) is pronounced /s/ ( voiceless) when it is
preceded and influenced by voiceless consonants : /p,t,k,f,θ/ , for example :
helps , boots , books , roofs , mouths .
- The final /s/( present simple or plural ) is pronounced /z/( voiced ) when it is
preceded and influenced by voiced consonants : /b , d , g , v , n , m , l , w , r , j ð ,
ղ /and also vowels . For example : labs , dogs , beds , gloves , wells , seas .
- The final /s/( present simple or plural ) is pronounced /ɪz/ taking the same voice
quality of the preceding sibilants : / s , z , ʃ , tʃ , ȝ , ʤ / , for example : houses ,
boxes , washes , watches , garages .
18. - The final /ed/( past simple or past participle ) is pronounced /t/(
voiceless) when it is preceded and influenced by the voiceless
consonants / p , k , f , s , θ , ʃ , tʃ / , for example : missed , helped , walked
, washed , watched .
- The final /ed/( past simple or past participle ) is pronounced /d/( voiced )
when it is preceded and influenced by the voiced consonants : / b , g , v ,
z , m , n , l , r , j , w , ð , ȝ , ʤ / and vowels , for example : ebbed , hanged ,
cleaned , amazed , carried .
- The final /ed/ ( past simple or past participle ) is pronounced / ɪd/ taking
the same voice quality of the preceding sounds : / t , d / , for example :
melted , founded .
19. - The final /ed/( past simple or past participle ) is pronounced /t/ (
voiceless) when it is preceded and influenced by the voiceless
consonants / p , k , f , s , θ , ʃ , tʃ / , for example : missed , helped ,
walked , washed , watched .
- The final /ed/( past simple or past participle ) is pronounced /d/(
voiced ) when it is preceded and influenced by the voiced
consonants : / b , g , v , z , m , n , l , r , j , w , ð , ȝ , ʤ / and vowels ,
for example : ebbed , hanged , cleaned , amazed , carried .
- The final /ed/ ( past simple or past participle ) is pronounced / ɪd/
taking the same voice quality of the preceding sounds : / t , d / , for
example : melted , founded .
20. - The third person reduced form of « to be « He ‘ s . to be here is
pronounced /z/voiced as it is preceded and influenced by a vowel .
It ‘ s .. to be here is pronounced /s/voiceless as it is preceded and
influenced by the voiceless /t/.
- The possessive *s* , it takes the voice quality of the preceding
sound , for example : Jack’s house ( voiceless ) , jone’s house (
voiced ) , Chris’s house (/iz/).
-/ð/after a nasal sound or in a nasal environment, for example : in
that case ( in nat case ) , on that day ( on at day ) , who’s that (
who’s zat ) , spot them ( spot tem ).
