Assimilation (linguistics)

Assimilation is a regular sound change process by which a phoneme changes to match an adjacent phoneme in a word. If the phoneme changes to match the preceding phoneme, it is progressive assimilation. If the phoneme changes to match the following phoneme, it is regressive assimilation. If there is a mutual influence between the two phonemes, it is reciprocal assimilation. In the latter case the two phonemes can fuse completely and give a birth to a different one. This is called a coalescence. The result of consonant assimilation is usually a geminate consonant.

Examples

• The word assimilation itself (from Latin ad + simile)
• illegible (in + legible)
• suppose (sub + pose)
• Egitto, dottore, and many more words in Italian

Sometimes only some features of phonemes assimilate, e.g. voicedness, as in the pronunciation of absurd as apsurd or the voicing of the plural -s in dogz.

Numerous examples can be found at List of Latin words with English derivatives.

See also

• Vowel harmony