2.Speak on the subject « Modification of consonants in connected speech. Assimilation.» Assimilation is a process of alteration of speech sounds as a result of which one of the sounds becomes fully or partially similar to the adjoining sound. The word “assimilation” is an example of this phenomenon. This Latin word is composed of the preposition ‘’ad’’- to, and the adjective ‘’ similas’’, alike, similar ad-similatio-assimilatio: [ ds>ss] [d] under the influence of the following [s] was changed to [s]
The nature of assimilation is determined by objective physical and physiological conditions. Types of assimilation can be distinguished according to
(1) direction
(2) degree of completeness ,
(3) degree of stability.
Assimilation can affect the place of obstruction and the active organ of speech: the work of the vocal cords, the position of the lips , the position of the soft palate, the manner of the release of plosive consonants.
DIRECTION OF ASSIMILATION. The influence of the neighbouring sounds in English can act in a progressive, regressive or reciprocal(double)direction.
For example: pens [penz] and as [s] after voiceless consonants ,eg desks [desks] (2) Within the words sandwich[ ‘sәеndwidʒ>sәеnnwidʒ]. , grandmother [ ‘grandmᶺðə> grannmᶺðə]. For example: within the word widthand in the word combination inthem, the alveolar [d] and [n] become dental , before the interdental [Ө] and [ð].
Reciprocal or double assimilation means complex mutual influence of the adjacent sounds . For example, within the word tree [tri:] the sonorant [r] is partly devoiced under the influence of the voiceless [t] and the alveolar [t] becomes post-alveolar before the post-alveolar [r].
DEGREE OF COMPLETENESS.According to its degree, assimilation can be complete and incomplete. Assimilation is called complete in the two adjoining sounds become alike or merge into one. It always takes place when the two sounds differ only in one articulatory feature. We find cases of complete assimilation within words, eg cupboard [ˈkʌpbo:d>ˈkʌbəd] ] Assimilation is called incomplete when the likeness of the adjoining sounds is partial as the assimilated sound retains its major articulatory features. For example: sweet[swi:t] ,place[ pleis], try [ trai].
