Unique Phonological Rules
AssimilationWhy do some words (meaning not) begin with the prefix in- and some begin with im-?
This is actually called assimilation. Assimilation is the way in which a sound becomes more similar to surrounding sounds. In English, most examples of assimilation involve consonants. It is easier to articulate two consecutive sounds if they share features such as place/manner of articulation. Assimilation can occur both forward or backward. Example- The prefix in- means 'not' in English. Sometimes, you will see the prefix in- and sometimes you will see the prefix im-.
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DeletionWhy in English are some sounds omitted from words?
English is a stress-timed language. This means that stressed syllables tend to occur at fairly regular intervals in naturally occurring speech. Example- For the two-syllable word police, the first vowel is sometimes deleted so that the word ends up sounding like a one syllable word, /plis/. |
The prefix in- becomes im- when it comes before
a bilabial sound.
a bilabial sound.
InsertionWhy do we add sounds to words when speaking that are not visible when we write out the word?
This is called Insertion. Insertion is the process in which sounds are added to words. Example- The word length sounds like lengkth. When saying the word length, one can actually hear the k sound that is not there. The person is moving from the voiced velar nasal to the voice less dental fricative. Note- Many dialects are impacted by this insertion. For example, the word wash is pronounced in some dialects as warsh. |
MetathesisOver time, why did the English word aks change its spelling to ask?
Metathesis is the process of sounds reversing their order. Example- The word bird was originally brid. These changes are traced back to Old English. Over the centuries, earlier forms were replaced with new forms of the word. This took place over centuries of time. Even today, some still use the the form of aks when speaking, but typically this is an issue of dialect, as opposed to one being uneducated as some would think. |
Definitions quoted from the book, How English works (3rd ed.) by Anne Curzan, Michael Adams
Click on highlighted green words to get more detailed information.
Click on highlighted green words to get more detailed information.