Ngu am am vi học về assimilation

Definition of Assimilation
1. Definition
Assimilation is a feature of connected speech, which specifically is a sound change to
become more similar to a following sound. In other words, assimilation is the
influence of one phoneme on another neighbouring phoneme to make it similar to
the previous one.

It is important to note that, in its extent, assimilation is a variable phenomenon. “It
is more likely to be found in rapid, casual speech and less likely in slow, careful
speech. The cases that have most been described are assimilations affecting
consonants” (Roach 110, 2009).
Assimilation has 3 types: assimilation of place and assimilation of manner and
assimilation of voice.

2. Assimilation relating to direction of change
Kenworthy (1990) describes 7 basic rules for direction of change. 5 for regressive
assimilation and 2 for progressive assimilation.

 Regressive assimilation
Regressive assimilation is the assimilation in which the first consonant of the second
word influences the articulation of the last consonant at the end of the first word.

5 rules of regressive assimilation.





/t/, /d/ and /n/ often become bilabial before bilabial consonants /p/, /b/, /m/
o

"fat boy".

/t/->/p/

o

"good boy"

/d/→/b/

o

“ten men”.

/n/ -> /m/

/t/ assimilates into /k/ before /k/ or /g/, /d/ assimilates into /g/ before /k/or /g/
o

“that cat”.

/t/->/k/






o

“that girl”.

/t/->/k/

o

“good concert”.

/d/->/g/

/n/can assimilate to /n/ before /g/ or /k/:
o

“I can go swimming”

o

“Her own car”

/s/ can assimilate to /S/ before /S/:
o



"this shiny"

/z/ can assimilate to /3/ before/3/:
o

"cheese shop"

 Progressive assimilation
Progressive assimilation is the assimilation where the two consonants merge to
create a sound that shares the characteristics of both of the consonants.

2 rules of progressive assimilation
• /t/ and /j/ coalesce to from /tʃ/:
“last year”
“didn‟t you?”

• /d/ and /j/ coalesce to form /dʒ/
“would you?”
3. Assimilation relating to way phoneme changes.

3.1. Assimilation of place.
When a sound changes its place of articulation to another place, it is called
assimilation of place.


There are different types of assimilation of place, including:


Assimilation to bilabial place



Assimilation to velar place



Assimilation to post-alveolar place

a) Assimilation to bilabial place
 /t/ becomes [p] before bilabials

Example:

Example

Original transcription

Assimilation

Hit parade

/hɪt pəreɪd/

[hɪp̚ pəɹeɪːd̥]

That pail

/ðæt peɪl/

[ðæp̚ peɪːɫ]

 /d/ becomes [b] before bilabials


Example

Original transcription

Assimilation

mad man

/mæd mæn/

[mæ̃b̚ mæ̃n]

good pail

/ɡʊd peɪl/

[ɡʊb̚ peɪːɫ]

 /n/ becomes [m] before bilabials

Example:

Example

Original transcription

Assimilation

ten pails

/tɛn peɪl/

[tɛm
̃ peɪːɫz̥]

ten bales

/tɛn beɪl/

[tɛm
̃ beɪːɫz̥]

bilabial place.


b) Assimilation to velar place
 /t/ becomes [k] before /k/ &/g/
Example:
Example

Original transcription

Assimilation

that cat

/ðæt kæt/

[ðæk̚ k̟æt]

that girl

/ðæt ɡɜl/

[ðæk̚ ɡɜːɫ]

 /d/ becomes [g] before /k/ &/g/
Example:
Example

Original transcription

Assimilation

good cat

/ɡʊd kæt/

[ɡ̠ʊɡ̚ k̟æt]

good girl

/ɡʊd ɡɜl/

[ɡ̠ʊɡ̚ ɡɜːɫ]

 /n/ becomes [ŋ] before /k/ &/g/
Example
Example

Original transcription

Assimilation

ten cats

/tɛn kæts/

[tɛŋ
̃ k̟æts]

ten girls

/tɛn ɡɜlz/

[tɛŋ
̃ ɡɜːɫz̥]

In summarize, we have a table about assimilation to velar place.


c) Assimilation to post-alveolar place

 /s/ becomes [ʃ] before /ʃ/ or /j/

Example:
Example

Original transcription

Assimilation

this shop

/ðɪs ʃɒp/

[ðɪʃ ʃɒp]

this year

/ðɪs jɪə/

[ðɪʃɪə]

 /z/ becomes /ʒ/ before /ʃ/ or /j/

Example:
Example
those shoes
She's young

Original transcription
/ðəʊz ʃuz/
/ʃiːz jʌŋ/

In summarize, we have a table about assimilation to velar place.

Assimilation
[ðəʊːʒ̊ ʃuːz̥]
[ʃiː ʒʌŋ]

3.2. Assimilation of manner
Assimilation of manner, in phonetics, refers to a type of phonemic assimilation
where a sound changes its manner of articulation to match that of a neighboring
sound. This is less noticeable and is only found in the most rapid and casual speech.

a. Plosive /t, d/ + fricative /s, z/=> fricative
Rules

Examples Original transcription Assimilation

/t/ + /s/ => /s/ That side

/ðæt saɪd/

/ðæs saɪd/

/t/ + /z/ => /z/ that zoo

/ðæt zuː/

/ðæz zuː/

/d/ + s/ => /s/ good song /ɡʊd sɒŋ/

/ɡʊs sɒŋ/

b. Plosive (/t/ or /d/) + nasal (/n/)=> nasal
Examples

Original transciption

Assimilation

good
news

/ɡʊd njuːz/

/ɡʊn njuːz/

set name

/set neɪm/

/senneɪm/

c. Plosive (/t/ or /d/) + nasal (/n/)=> nasal
Examples

Original transciption

Assimilation

good

/ɡʊd njuːz/

/ɡʊn njuːz/

news
set name

/set neɪm/

/senneɪm/

3.3. Assimilation of voice
Assimilation of voice, in phonetics, refers to a type of phonemic assimilation where a
sound changes its voicing to match that of a neighboring sound. This is particularly
noticeable when voiced fricatives appear word-finally and they are followed by a
voiceless consonant in the word-initial position of an immediately following word.

Recall that word-final voiced plosives, fricatives and affricates are particularly
prone to being de-voiced when they appear in words spoken in isolation. When
voiced fricatives appear word-finally and they are followed by a voiceless consonant
in the word-initial position of an immediately following word, they typically become
fully voiceless. They assimilate the full voicelessness of the consonant.

Example

Example

Original transciption

Assimilation

I leave today

/aɪ liv tədeɪ/

[æ lif tədeɪː]

with thanks

/wɪð θæŋks/æŋks/

[wɪθæŋks/ θæŋks/æ̃ŋks]


those shoes

/ðəʊz ʃuz/

[ðəʊs ʃuːz̥]

beige cardigan

/beɪʒ kɑdɪgən/

[beɪʃ k̠ɑːdɪg̟ən
̃ ]

Madge Smith

/mæʤ smɪθæŋks//

[mæ̃ʧ smɪθæŋks/̃ ]

2.