Theme: The process of assimilation, dissimilation and other combinatory changes

Theme: The process of assimilation, dissimilation and other combinatory changes.

Plan:

• What is assimilation in phonetics.
• The types of assimilation.
• What is dissimilation.
• Other combinatory changes.

Assimilation 

• Assimilation is a general term in phonetics for the process by which a speech sound becomes similar or identical to a neighboring sound. In the opposite process, dissimilation, sounds become less similar to one another. The term "assimilation" comes from the Latin meaning, "make similar to."

The physiological or psychological mechanisms of coarticulation are unknown; coarticulation is often loosely referred to as a segment being "triggered" by an assimilatory change in another segment. In assimilation, the phonological patterning of the language, discourse styles and accent are some of the factors contributing to changes observed. There are four configurations found in assimilations: