Assimilation

Assimilation is a phonetic process in which the sound of two words melt into a different and new sound. This process takes place in many languages. Assimilation can take place between two words or inside a single word. 

In two words, when the first word's ending sound meets the starting sound of the next word, a new sound is produced. It is a standard pronunciation of two words. Assimilation is common in rapid speech. One does not realize the difference in pronunciation while speaking quickly, but a trained academic speaker can tell the difference between what we write and what we say in rapid speech. 

Example:

• Handbag = Hanm bag 
• Goodbye = Goob bye 
• That girl = Thak girl 

The word assimilation is a Latin word that means ‘make similar to.’ There are many essential assimilations in the English language. In this lesson, you are going to learn the basic rules for assimilation.

Rules/ Types of Assimilation in English

1. T+Y=CH 

Whenever consonant 't' meets consonant 'y' producing the sound of '/u', they produce the sound of 'CH.' Such sound can be produced in a word inside or between two words. 

Example:  

• Nice to meet you. We will say it as "Nice to meechu.
• Fortune. We will read it as "forchune."
• Picture. We will read it as "Pichure." 

1. D+ Y=J 

Whenever the sound of consonant -D blends with the sound of consonant Y (eventually producing the sound of u), a new sound of J is produced between two words or inside the word. 

Example: 

• Did you do it? We will say it as “/did Ju:/ do it?” 
• Would you stay here for a while? This sentence will be pronounced as “/wʊd Ju:/ do it?” 

3. /t/ before /m/ /b/ or /p/ changes to /p/

Whenever inside a word or between two words the sound of consonant /t/ blends with the sound of /m/ /b/ or /p/ next to it, the sound of /t/ at first changes to /p/ 

Example: 

• Bat ball becomes bap ball 
• That place becomes thap place. 
• Fast monkey becomes fasp monkey. 
• Dust bowl becomes dusp bowl. 
• Light music becomes lighp music. 

4. /d/ before /m/ /b/ or /p/ changes to /b/

If first word ends at the sound of /d/ and the second word starts with /m/ /b/ or /p/, the sound of /d/ changes to /b/. 

Example:

• Goodbye becomes Goobbye.
• Broad band becomes broab band. 
• Old bailey becomes olb bailey. 
• Old man becomes olb man. 
• Old moon becomes olb moon. 
• Gold plate becomes golb plate. 

5. / n / before / m / / b / or / p / changes to / m /

Another rule of assimilation says that if a word ends at the sound of /n/ and the next word of the letter inside a word is /b/ /m/ or / p/, then the sound of /n/ changes to the sound of /m/. Because the word next to the first word or a letter inside the word has the power to change the sound of the first word. 

Example:

• Brown paper becomes browm paper. 
• Fan belt becomes fam belt. 
• Fan mail changes to fam mail. 
• Ten men changes to tem men.
• Fan pets becomes fam pets. 

6. / t / before / k / or /g/ changes to / k /

One of the rules of assimilation states that if the sound of /t/ comes before /k/ inside a word or between two words, then these two sounds melt and produce the sound of /k/.

Example:

• I might go changes to I maik go. 
• Fat girl changes to fak girl. 
• Flat cap changes to flak cap. 
• That cake changes to thak cake. 
• Short cut changes to shok cut. 

7. / d / before / k / or / g / changes to / g /

Likewise, other rules of assimilation in English, the sound of /d/ changes to the sound of /g/ if it comes before the sound of /k/ or /g/. 

Example:

• Bad kite changes to bag kite.
• Bad girl changes to bag girl.
• Ground cover changes to groung cover. 
• Had gone changes to hak gone. 
• Red carpet becomes reg carpet. 

8. /s/ before /sh/ also changes to /sh/ 

Some sounds of letters have the capability to change the sound of letters before them. Whenever the sound of /s/ occurs before the sound of /sh/. It is changed into the sound of /sh/ as well. You have to pronounce the two words without a pause. 

Example:

• Nice shoes changes to nish shoes. 
• Dress shop changes to dresh shop. 
• Space shuttle changes to spash shuttle. 
• Bus shelter changes to bush shelter. 

9. /d/ before /s/ changes to /s/

The sound of /d/ is more likely to blend with the other sounds. It doesn’t possess the capability to blend others with itself.  The sound of /d/ before /s/ is changed into /s/. 

Example:

• Good song changes to goos song. 
• Bad suit changes to bas suit. 

Conclusion 

These are the rules of assimilation, or you can say types of assimilation. There’s no hard and fast rule; you need to practice them in your daily conversation to sound like native speakers. 

The vital part of the lesson is that you have to focus on sounds more than the letters. One sound can influence others. 

Exercise:

Guess the correct assimilation for given words. 

• Put back 
• Right pair 
• Basket Maker
• Brown ball. 
• In blue 
• Blood pressure 
• Good morning 
• Food poisoning 
• Gold mine 
• Credit card 
• Had gone 

Answer key: 

• Pup back
• Righp pair 
• Baskep maker
• Browm ball
• Im blue
• Bloob blue
• Goob morning
• Foob poisoning
• Golb mine 
• Credik card
• Hag gone