ESL Blogs

     Through my study to English, I've studied phonetics which is of great importance for learning the correct way of speaking the English language. One of the most significant things I've learned is assimilation. Assimilation is something which varies in extent according to speaking rate and style; it's more likely to be found in rapid, casual speech. Assimilation in most cases affects consonants.

Types of Assimilation:

1-A final consonant with alveolar place of articulation is followed by an initial consonant with a place of articulation that is not alveolar. For example, the final consonant in `that` ðæt is alveolar t. In rapid, casual speech the t will become p before a bilabial consonant, as in :`that person` ~ `ðæp pɜ:sən`; `light blue` ~`laɪp blu:` ; `meat pie` ~ `mi:p paɪ`.

2-Before a velar consonant, the t will become k, as in : `that case` ~`ðæk keɪs` ; `bright colour` ~ `braɪk kʌlə` ; `quite good` ~ `kwaɪk gʊd`

3- the consonants s becomes ʃ (sh) and z becomes  ʒ (treasure) when followed by ʃ or j (year), as in : ` this shoe` ~ `ðɪʃ ʃu:` ; `those years` ~ `ðəʊʒ jɪəz`

     In all the past three examples we have what is called assimilation of place because it's related to the place of articulation of the consonants. Now we will talk about another kind of assimilation that is related to the manner of articulation of consonants. A final plosive becomes a fricative or nasal (e.g ` that side` ~ `ðæs saɪd` , `good night` ~ `gʊn naɪt`. Another example, `ten men` ~ `tem men`

     The last type of assimilations is that of voice. This has to do with the suffix s which will be pronounced as s if the preceding consonant is voiceless and as z if the preceding consonant is voiced, thus:

`cats` ~ `kæts` ; `jumps` ~ `dʒʌmps` ; `Pat's` ~ `pæts` ; ` dogs` ~ `dɒgz` ; `runs` ~ `rʌnz` ; `Pam's` ~ `pæmz`. These are all in one word. Now some examples where we have assimilation of voice in two words:

`with thanks` ~ `wɪθ θæŋks` ; was sent` ~ `wəs sent` ; ` have to ` ~ `həftə`

     Other cases of assimilation:

1-d in `good` gʊd becomes g in the context "...girl" ~ `gʊg gɜ:l` or b in the context "...boy" ~ `gʊb bɔɪ`

2-` wouldn't` ~ `wʊn`

     I know that there are some words like plosive, fricative and others you never heard of; though, I mentioned them without explanation on purpose becuase what I'm aiming at is the way of pronuncing some words not the reason behind such pronunciation. Yet If you have any question about it, please don't hesitate to pose.