Incomplete assimilation

The likeness of the adjoining sounds is partial.

e.g. the sonorants [w, r, l] are partly devoiced when preceded by the voiceless [p, t, k, s, f, Θ] within words: sweet, place, try.

Assimilation can affect the place of obstruction and the active organ of speech; the work of the vocal cords; the position of the lips; the position of the soft palate; the manner of the release of plosive consonants.

Assimilation can affect the place of obstruction and the active organ of speech.

• The alveolar allophones of [t, d, n, l, s, z] are replaced by the dental variants when immediately followed by the interdental [Θ]. e.g. eighth, tenth, Put that down! Read this! on the desk.

• The alveolar [t], [d] become post-alveolar under the influence of the post-alveolar sonorant [r]. e.g. trip, true, trunk, dream, at rest, would read.

• The bilabial nasal [m] or the alveolar nasal [n] become labio-dental under the influence of the labio-dental fricatives [f, v]. e.g. comfort, infant, come for me, ten forks.

Assimilation can affect the changes in the work of the vocal cords.

• The sonorants [m, n, l, w, r, j] are partially devoiced when preceded by voiceless consonants [s, p, t, k, f, Θ]. e.g. small, sneer, slow, place, climb, fly, sweep, square, twilight, spresd, try, prey, throw, cream, stupid, tune, pure, few.

At word boundaries the sonorants [r, l, w] are slightly voiced, e.g. at last, at rest.

• Contracted forms of the verbs “is” and “has” may retain voice or be devoiced depending on the preceding consonants. e.g. That’s right. Bob’s gone out.

Assimilation can affect the position of the lips.

• Consonants followed by the sonorant [w] change their lip-position. They become lip-rounded in anticipation of [w], e.g. twinkle, quite, swan, language.

Assimilation can affect the position of the soft palate.

• Nasal consonants may influence the plosives. Sometimes [d] changes into [n] under the influence of the preceding [n], e.g. handsome [hǽnnsəm].

Assimilation can affect the manner of the release of plosive consonants.

• Incomplete plosion – in the clusters of 2 plosives ([pp, pb, bb, bp,…….]), there is no separation of the organs of speech between the 2 plosives, so a single plosive pronounced with very long hold, the first plosive has no plosion. e.g. attraction, bookcase, lamp post, what time, went down, that child, that joke, big cat, good chance.

• Nasal plosion – a plosive is followed by the syllabic [n] or [m] it has no release of its own because of the lowering of the soft palate, which allows the air to escape through the nasal cavity, the so- called “nasal” plosion is produced. e.g. shipmate, subnormal, stop moaning, sub man, sob noisily.

• Lateral plosion – if a plosive follows by [l] it is not released till after [l]. Before [l] the release is made by a sudden lowering of the sides of the tongue, and the air escapes along the sides of the tongue with lateral plosion. e.g. please, cattle, black, candle.

TYPES of assimilation:

-Affect the point of articulation takes place when sounds become dental under the influence (Ө,Ә) Eg: At this

-Affecting the achieve organs of speech takes place in the words with prefix can+K,G

-affecting the manner of production of noise takes place when cons occur ( give me –gimme )

-affecting the work of local course takes place when voiceless is replaced by voiced one (gooseberry or used to

(s)-(Z)

-affecting the lip position takes place when cons occur before (W)

Quick –cons occur before ling cons

-Affecting the position takes place when noised cons influence oral one

Eg: grandmother- n disappears (results of historical development )

2. Does she ,thank, gooseberry, newspaper, quick, twins, that book

Quick-