Assimilation of consonants

The process in which the articulation of one phoneme (sound) influences the articulation of a neighbouring phoneme making it similar or even identical to itself is called assimilation.

The phoneme that influences a neighbouring phoneme is called the assimilating phoneme. The phoneme which is under the influence of a neighbouring phoneme is called the assimilated phoneme. In English it is mostly consonant phonemes that are effected by assimilation. Different types of assimilation may be observed within the words and at their boundaries.

Types of assimilation

PROGRESSIVE ASSIMILATION occurs when the preceding phoneme influences the following one.

Principle cases of progressive assimilation:

1. In plural forms of nouns the ending –s is pronounced according to the previous consonant. If it is voiced we pronounce –s [ z ], e.g. pens [ penz]. If it is voiceless we pronounce –s [s ], e.g. cats [ kxts ]. The same phenomenon is observed in notional verbs of the 3rd person, singular form, Present Simple, e.g. read-reads [z], put-puts [s] as well as in notional verbs in Past Simple ending –ed, e.g. kiss-kissed [t], open-opened [d]

2. The post-alviolar consonant [r ] becomes alveolar after the interdental [T, D] ( within a word and at the junction of words). e.g. thrill, with Ruth.

3. Voiceless consonants usually influence the sonorants [m,n,l,r,w,j] in such a way that the sonorants become partially devoiced. This phenomenon is called partial devoicing. e.g. try, prey, price, clean, floor, swim, small.

4. In such words as sandwich ['sxnwiC], kindness ['kainnis ], handkerchief['hxNkqCif],grandmother ['grxnmADq ] the sound [n ] influences [d ] in such a way that the latter disappears.

REGRESSIVE ASSIMILATION occurs when the preceding phoneme is influenced by the following one.

Principle cases of regressive assimilation:

1. Consider the following compound words: news + paper = newspaper, [nju:z ] but [nju:speipq] and goose + berry = gooseberry, [gu:s] but ['gu:zberi]. In the first example the sound [p] devoices [z], and in the second example the sound [b] makes the previous sound voiced.

2. Alveolar consonants [t,d,l,n,] are replaced by their dental variants before the interdental [T,] [D]. e.g. width, in them, tenth, all this. At the same time the same consonants become post-alveolar before the post-alveolar (cacuminal) [r]. e.g. dry, drink, Henry, already, all right.

The students should avoid false assimilation, that is incorrect articulation of adjacent sounds which results in distortion of the norms of pronunciation. False assimilation occurs in the combinations of sounds [s],[z] and [T], [D] and vice versa. It is necessary to retain apical-alveolar articulation of the sounds [s], [z] and avoid interdental articulation in such phrases as what’s this [wOts Dis] or let’s think [lets TiNk]. False assimilation is also observed in the combinations of sounds [f] [v] and [w] or [f] [v] and [T] [D]. Do not make the previous sounds bilabial ( in the first case) and interdental (in the second case). e.g. of water [qv 'wLtq], fifth [fifT].

RECIPROCAL (DOUBLE, MUTUAL) ASSIMILATION is observed when two adjacent phonemes influence each other.

Principle cases of reciprocal assimilation:

1. In the combinations [tw] and [kw] both sounds influence each other. [t] partially devoices [w] while [w] changes the articulation of [t] and makes it bilabial. e.g . twenty, twice, quick, quite.

2. In the combination [tr] the sound [t] partially devoices [r] while [r] changes the articulation of [t] and makes it cacuminal. e.g. tree, true.

3. Reciprocal assimilation is also observed in the combinations of sounds [tj] and [dj] which in the rapid speech are pronounced [C] and [G]. e.g. don’t you ['dounCu:], did you ['diGu:].

COMPLETE ASSIMILATION occurs when the articulation of the assimilated phoneme fully coincides with that of the articulating one, that is two adjacent phonemes coincide with each other.

Principle cases of complete assimilation:

Complete assimilation is observed at the junction of the sounds [s,z] and [S]. Mind the pronunciation of the word combinations horse-shoe ['hLSSu:] and does she [dASSi:] where the sound [S] influences the articulation of the previous sounds [s] and [z].

HISTORICAL ASSIMILATION takes place if a present-day pronunciation of a word is the result of an assimilation which took place during the development of the language.

The following words and their pronunciation are the examples of this type of assimilation:

session [seSn] (present-day), but ['sesjqn] (before)

occasion [q'keizn], but [q'kxzjOn]

culture ['kAlCq], but ['kAltjur]

orchard ['LCqd], but ['Ltjqd]

PRACTICAL MATERIAL