What are the different types of assimilation?

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What are the different types of assimilation?

Assimilation is a phonological process in which a sound becomes more similar to a neighboring sound. There are several types of assimilation that occur in phonetics and phonology.

1. Regressive assimilation: This type of assimilation occurs when a sound is influenced by a following sound. For example, in English, the word "impossible" is pronounced as "imˈpɑsəbəl" where the /n/ sound in "in" assimilates to the /m/ sound in "possible" due to the nasal place of articulation.

2. Progressive assimilation: This type of assimilation occurs when a sound influences a preceding sound. For instance, in English, the word "cats" is pronounced as "kæts" where the /t/ sound in "cats" assimilates to the /s/ sound due to the place of articulation.

3. Coalescent assimilation: This type of assimilation occurs when two adjacent sounds merge to form a new sound. For example, in English, the word "handbag" is pronounced as "hæmbæɡ" where the /n/ and /d/ sounds assimilate to form a nasal stop /m/.

4. Reciprocal assimilation: This type of assimilation occurs when two adjacent sounds influence each other, resulting in a change in both sounds. An example of this is found in the English word "ten pounds" pronounced as "tem paʊndz" where the /n/ sound assimilates to the /m/ sound, and the /p/ sound assimilates to the /b/ sound.

5. Total assimilation: This type of assimilation occurs when a sound completely assimilates to a neighboring sound, resulting in the loss of the original sound. For instance, in English, the word "impossible" is pronounced as "imˈpɑsəbəl" where the /n/ sound assimilates completely to the /m/ sound, resulting in the absence of the /n/ sound.

These different types of assimilation play a crucial role in shaping the pronunciation patterns of languages and contribute to the overall phonological system.