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If we look at each speech sound as a set of movements, it is only natural that series of movements as they occur in connected speech will influence
each other. When we speak at normal speed, individual sound segments follow each other so quickly that the tongue may never reach the ‘ideal
position’ connected with a particular sound. It will only approximate to this position before it moves on to the position necessary for the next
segment. The exact position of the tongue and other articulators during a segment therefore depends on where the tongue is coming from and where
it going to: it depends on the neighboring sounds. On the other hand, Ramelan 2003: 172 defines assimilation as ‘a process
in which on the result of combining one morpheme with another. The replacing phoneme is more similar to the phoneme of the second morpheme.’
There are three kinds of assimilation based on the sound influence, types of changes that the assimilated sounds undergo and assimilation completeness.
a. Assimilation Based on the Sound Influence
First, on the basis of which sound influence the assimilated sound, in this study, assimilation will be differentiated into 2 different kinds: ‘progressive and
regressive assimilation’ Ramelan, 2003: 172, which are described as the following:
1 Progressive Assimilation
Ramelan 2003: 172 says that ‘when the change of one sound into another one is influenced by a preceding sound, the assimilation is called progressive
assimilation.’ For example: It is here
[ t s hi ə]
That is all [ðæts l]
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The word ‘is’ [ z] is first reduced into [z] in an unstressed syllable; then, [z] is assimilated into the voiceless fricative [s] because it is influenced by the
preceding voiceless stop [t]. The two alveolar fricatives [s, z] can also change their place of
articulation under the influence of a following sound. The changes are as follows: [s] [ ]
[z] [ ] The sounds which can trigger this change are [ , , j]. Here are some
examples: this shop
[ð s p]
[ð ∫
p] these shops [ði:z
ps] [ði:
ps] this year
[ð s j r] [ð ∫ j r]
these yachts [ði:z j t.s]
[ði: j t.s]
Examples which are triggered by [d ] are not very common, because [d ] is very rare at the beginning of English words. In fact it only occurs initially in a
few words borrowed from other languages. ‘One possible example is this gendarme which could be pronounced [ð
∫ d :nda:m]’ Maidment, 2009.
2 Regressive Assimilation
Regressive assimilation happens when ‘the change of one sound into another one is influenced by a following sound’ Ramelan, 2003: 172. For instance, ‘the
sounds [t, d, n] are very unstable in English and are often affected by their
environment’ Maidment, 2009. Look at the examples below:
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hot potato [,h
t p əte . o ] or [,h
p p əte . o ]
good morning [, d m
r.n ŋ] or [,
b m :r.n ŋ]
ten pounds [,ten ‘pa ndz]
or [,tem ‘pa ndz] The usual alveolar consonant at the end of the first word may be replaced
by the equivalent bilabial consonant. So: [t] [p]
[d] [b] [n] [m]
Why? It is because of the bilabial consonant at the beginning of the next word. The alveolar ‘borrows’ its place of articulation. This phenomenon is called
assimilation. It is not obligatory, but English speakers do it quite often. It can also take place in the middle of a word: entertainment [en.t
te n.m ənt] or
[en.t te m.m
ənt]. Above we saw that the sounds [t, d, n] are often affected by their
environment. The examples below are further evidence of this:
not quite [,n
t ‘kwa t] or
[,n :k ‘kwa t] good girl
[’ d ,
:l] or [’
, :l]
ten coins [‘ten ,k
nz] or [’te
ŋ ,k nz]
The usual alveolar consonant at the end of the first word may be replaced by the equivalent velar consonant, when a velar consonant follows. So:
[t] [k] [d] [ ]
[n] [ ŋ]
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This can
also take
place in
the middle
of a
word: incompetent [ n k
m.p ə. ənt] or [ ŋ k
m.p ə. ənt].
b. Assimilation Based on the Place Where the Assimilated Sounds Undergo