Assimilation

Assimilation is a phonetic process by which one sound under the influence of a sound near it acquires some articulation and acoustic likeness to that of other sound.

Assimilation results in the appearance of new phonemic variants. Each case of assimilation must be analysed from the following view points:

1. From the point of view of its direction it can be PROGRESSIVE, REGRESSIVE, RECIPROCAL, or DOUBLE.

2. From the point of view of its degree it can be COMPLETE, PARTIAL, INTERMEDIATE.

Directions of Assimilation

Considering its direction it is possible to distinguish 3 types of assimilation:

1. PROGRESSIVE

2. REGRESSIVE

3. RECIPROCAL, or DOUBLE.

1. In progressive assimilation the assimilated phoneme is influenced by the preceding one, e. g. programme, frail.

2. In regressive assimilation the assimilated phoneme is influenced by the phoneme following it, e. g. tall, garden.

3. In reciprocal assimilation the adjacent phonemes influence each other, e. g. train - /t/ becomes post-alveolar and /r/ becomes partially devoiced.

Degrees of Assimilation

Considering its degree assimilation can be classified into:

1. COMPLETE – when the articulation of the assimilated phoneme fully coincides with that of the assimilating one;

2. INTERMEDIATE – when the assimilated phoneme changes into a certain third phoneme

3. PARTIAL – when the assimilated phoneme acquires only some features similar to those of the assimilating phoneme.

Types of Partial Assimilation

There are 4 types of partial assimilation. It can affect:

1. the place of articulation

2. the work of the vocal cords

3. the lip-position

4. the manner of producing noise

1. Assimilation affecting the place of articulation results in:

1. the dental allophones of the alveolar /t, d, n, l, s, z/ when followed by /Ɵ, ð/:

shut the door all the doors open the door eighth

hold the door pass the door close the door sixth

2. the post-alveolar allophones of the alveolar /t, d, n, l/ when followed by the post-alveolar /r/:try, dry, already.

2. Assimilation affecting the work of the vocal cords results in:

1. partially devoiced allophones of /w, l, r, j, m, n/ when preceded by /p, t, k, f, Ɵ, s, ʃ/: play, pray, pure, few, threat, friend, quite.

2. looked /kt/, finished /ʃt/, books /ks/, pipes /ps/.

3. Assimilation affecting the lip-position results in labialized allophones of consonants before such phonemes as /w, u:,ͻ/: twenty, twice, tall, quick, tool.

4. Assimilation affecting the manner of producing noise results in:

1. Plosive allophones of /p b, t d, k g/ (loss of plosion); when they follow one another either within a word or at the junction of words the first plosive loses its plosion: actor /k t/, Big Ben /g b/, don’t talk /t t/, put down /t d/, eight pounds /t p/.

2. When /p b, t d, k g/ are followed by the fricatives or affricates their plosion becomes fricative (fricative, or incomplete plosion): past five /t f/, temperate zone /t z/, hot summer /t s/.

3. When /p b, t d, k g/ are followed by the nasal sonorants /m, n/ their plosion becomes nasal: garden /d n/.

4. When /p b, t d, k g/ are followed by the lateral sonorant /l/ their plosion becomes lateral: middle /d l/, circle /k l/, good luck /d l/, uncle /k l/, little /t l/.

Note.When /p, t, k/ are preceded by /s/ they lose their aspiration: skate /s k/, steak /s t/, space /s p/.