This document defines assimilation as a common phonological process where one sound becomes more like an adjacent sound. It occurs because the articulators in our speech are not capable of instantaneous movement. Examples of assimilation in English include /s/ becoming /ʃ/ before /j/ or /ʃ/, as in "bless you" and "this yacht." Assimilation also occurs in Kurdish, where sounds like /h æʃt/ become /hæʒdæ/ due to neighboring phonemes. The function of assimilation is to ease articulation as languages develop and sounds influence each other.

1. Phonology
Assimilation
Prepared by : Awan Kamal Muhamed
August 11th 2020
Tuesday

2. CONTENT
 Definition of Assimilation
 The reason for assimilatory process
 Examples of Assimilation in English Language
 Assimilation in Kurdish Language
 Examples of Assimilation in Kurdish Language
 References

4. Assimilation
Is a common phonological process by which
one sound becomes more like a nearby sound.

5. What is the reason for assimilatory process?
The reason 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. Assimilation of /s/ ( /s/ + /j/ or / ʃ/ = / ʃ/ )
 When one word ends in /s/ and the next begins in /j/, the /s/ becomes /ʃ/.
This change also happens if the next word begins with a /ʃ/ sound itself.
Bless you!
 This yacht is beautiful.
 Iam going to wear my dress shoes tonight .
 This can also happen if the /s/ is followed by a /t/ and then /j/ or/ʃ/.
 Can you just shut the door please?!

7. Words Transcription After assimilation
hand bag /hand bag/ /ham bag/
want to /wɔnt tu:/ /wɔn nə/
five pence /faiv pens/ /faif pens/
that girl /dat gɜːl/ /dak gɜːl/

8. Assimilation in Kurdish
Phonological realizations
Non-assimilated
realization
Assimilated realization
heşt /h æʃt/ ‘eight’ hejde /hæʒdæ/ ‘eighteen’
naştin /naʃtn/ ‘to bury’ nejra /naʒra/ ‘was buried’
kuştin /kuʃtn/ ‘to kill’ kujra /kuʒra/ ‘was killed’

9. Conclusion
 Assimilation is one of the phonological processes in which a
sound undergoes a change based on the phonological
environments . It has many types and forms including place,
manner, voicing, progressive, regressive, and coalescent that can
be either full or partial assimilation. Moreover, assimilation can
occur within a word level or within word boundaries.
Furthermore, assimilation occurs because of the development of
languages, and under the effects of the surrounding sounds. This
leads us to say that the major function of assimilation is to ease
articulation.

10. References
 http://kurdishacademy.org/wp/phonological-adjustments-in-kurdish/
 https://www.slideshare.net/haty3392/assimilation-20371675
 Roach, Peter. English Phonetics and Phonology: A Practical Course.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

11. Assignment
List five sentences in which assimilation
can be realized.