This document defines assimilation and provides examples of it occurring in speech. It discusses how assimilation is a phonological process where sounds become more similar when next to each other. Assimilation can be regressive, with the first sound changing to match the second, or progressive, with the second sound changing to match the first. It also describes different types of assimilation including place, manner, and voicing of sounds. Exercises are provided to have the reader practice identifying assimilation in words and sentences.

1. ASSIMILATION
Group 6
1. Dinh Thi Ha
2. Tran Thi Thuy Hoan
3. Dang Thi Thanh Hang
4. Nguyen Thi Gam

2. CONTENTCONTENT
1. Definition
2. Types
2.1. The direction of changes
2.2. The way phoneme changes
3. Exercises

3. 1. Definition
● In linguistics, assimilation is a common phonological
process by which one sound becomes more like a nearby
sound.
Or more easily, assimilation is when two sounds come
together and change or melt into a new sound.
● It can occur either within a word or between words when the
final sound of a word touches the first sound of the next word
(because when we speak we join all the words together)
● It varies in extent according to speaking rate and style, more
found in rapid, casual speech and less likely in slow, careful
speech.
● General speaking, the cases that have most often been
described are assimilations affecting consonants.

4. Examples
Words Transcription After assimilation
hand bag /hænd bæg/ /hæm bæg/
want to /w nɔ t tu:/ /w n nə/ɔ
five pence /faiv pens/ /faif pens/
that girl /ðæt g l/ɜː /ðæk g l/ɜː

5. ⇒As in these examples, sound segments typically assimilate to a
following sound or to a preceding one.
~> One reason for the assimilatory processes is that several
articulators are involved in making a speech sound, and that they are
not capable of moving instantaneously.
An easy process to observe is the position of the lips.

6. 2. Types
2.1. The direction of changes
The diagram below describes the case where 2 words are combined
· · · · ·Cf |
Ci
· · · · ·
word
boundary
-Cf
: the first of which ends with a single final consonant
-Ci
: the second of which starts with a single initial consonant
●Regressive: the phoneme that comes first is affected by the one that
comes after it.
Ci
affects to Cf
Ex: good bye: /gud bai/ → /gubbai/
● Progressive: the phoneme that follows is affected by the one that
comes before it.
Cf
affects to Ci
Ex: read this: /ri:d ðis/ → /ri:ddis/

7. 2.2. The way phoneme changes
2.2. The way phoneme
changes
The way
phoneme
changes
Assimilation
of place
Assimilation
of manner
Assimilation
of voicing
The way
phoneme
changes
Assimilation
of place
Assimilation
of manner
Assimilation
of voice

8. 2.2.1. ASSIMILATION OF PLACE

9. Notes:
-/s/ stands before /ʃ/ and /j/ → / /ʃ
Ex: nice shoe /nais ʃu:/ → /nai u:/ʃ ʃ
-/z/ stands before /ʃ/ and /j/ →/Ʒ/
Ex: those years /ðəuz jiəz/ → /ðəu Ʒjiəz/

10. 2.2.2. ASSIMILATION OF MANNER
● Assimilation of manner is typical of the most rapid and casual speech, in which
case one sound changes the manner of its articulation to become similar in
manner to a neighbouring sound.
● Rules
-plosive
+final plosive → fricative when it stands before a fricative
Ex: good song /gud s ηͻ / → /gus s ηͻ /
+plosive → nasal when it stands before a nasal
Ex: good night /gud nait/ → /gun nait/
that night /ðæt nait/ → / ðæn nait/
>However, most unlikely that a final fricative or nasal would become a
plosive.
-dentalized: when a word initial /ð/ follows a plosive or nasal at the end of a
preceding word, it is very common to find that the Ci
becomes identical in
manner to the Cf
butwith the dental place of articulation.
Ex: in the /in ðə/ → /in n ə/̪ ̪
get them /get ðəm/ → /get təm/̪ ̪

11. 2.2.3. ASSIMILATION OF VOICE
This may refer to assimilation involving the feature [+/- voice]. In a certain
environment we can consequently observe the voicing or devoicing of a
segment.
 If Cf
is voiced and Ci
is voiceless, the voiced consonant often has no voicing.
voiced + voiceless → voiceless (regressive)
(b,d,g) (p,t,k) => b,d,g → p,t,k
- b + p → p e.g: rob Peter /rͻb pi:tə/ → /rͻp pi:tə/
- d + t → t e.g: bad tongue /bæd tʌη/ → /bat tʌη/
- g + k → k e.g: big car /big ka:/ → /bik ka:/
 When Cf
isvoiceless and Ci
is voiced, a context in which in many languages,
Cf
would become “voiced”, assimilation of voice never takes place.
voiceless (A) + voiced → no assimilation (A0
)
E.g: sit down /sit0
daun/
black dog /blæk0
dͻg/

12. 3. Exercises
Exercise 1:What is the pronunciation of these words after assimilation?
1. Should win
A. /∫ubwin/ B. /∫udwin/ C. /∫utwin/ D. /∫upwin/
2.Bad gate
A. /bækgeit/ B. /bædgeit/ C. /bægeit/ D. /bætgeit/
3. This shop
A. /ðis∫ p/ B. /ði∫∫ p/ C. /ði∫ p/ D. /ðiɔ ɔ ɔ t∫ p/ɔ
4. seen Bill
A. /si:bil/ B. /si:nbil/ C. /si:mbil/ D. /si:ɳbil/

13. * Answer
1, A. /∫ubwin/
/d/ → /b/ when it stands before bilabial consonant /w/
2, A. /bækgeit/
/d/ → /g/ when it stands before /k/ and /g/
3, B. /ði∫∫ p/ɔ
/s/ → /∫/ when it stands before /∫/ and /j/
4, C. /si:mbil/
/n/ → /m/ if it stands before bilabial /b/

14. Exercise 2
Find out the rules of assimilatlion in these
sentences
1.He’s a rather fat boy.
2.He is a very good boy.
3.There are ten men in the class.
4.Can you see that girl over there?

15. Answer
 1.He’s a rather fat boy.
/fæt b i/ → /fæɔ pb i/ɔ
Because of the rule /t/ stands before bilabial consonants
/b,p,m,w/ → /p/
 2.He is a very good boy.
/gud b i/ → /guɔ bb i/ɔ
Because of the rule /d/ stands before bilabial consonants
/b,p,m,w/ → /b/
 3.There are ten men in the class.
/ten mæn/ → /temmæn/
Because of the rule /n/ stands before bilabial consonants
/b,p,m,w/ → /m/
 4.Can you see that girl over there?
/ðæt gə:l/ → /ðækgə:l/
Because of the rule /t/ stands before velar consonants
/k, g/ → /k/

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