In linguistics, assimilation is a common phonological process by which one sound

becomes more like a nearby sound. Or more easily, assimilation is when two sounds
come together and change or melt into a new sound. ● It can occur either within a word
or between words when the final sound of a word touches the first sound of the next word
(because when we speak we join all the words together) ● It varies in extent according to
speaking rate and style, more found in rapid, casual speech and less likely in slow, careful
speech. ● General speaking, the cases that have most often been described are
assimilations affecting consonants.
 Examples Words Transcription After assimilation hand bag /hand bæg/ /hæm bæg/ want
to /w no t tu:/ /w n no/ɔ five pence /faiv pens/ /fair pens/ that girl /tat g l/ɜː /ðæk g l/ɜː
1.  As in these examples, sound segments typically assimilate to a following sound or to
a preceding one. One reason for the assimilatory processes is that several articulators
are involved in making a speech sound, and that they are not capable of moving
instantaneously. An easy process to observe is the position of the lips.
2. The direction of changes The diagram below describes the case where 2 words are
combined · · · · ·Cf | Ci · · · · · word boundary -Cf : the first of which ends with a
single final consonant -Ci : the second of which starts with a single initial consonant
3. Regressive: the phoneme that comes first is affected by the one that comes after it. Ci
affects to Cf Ex: good bye: /god bai/ → /gubbai/ ●
4. Progressive: the phoneme that follows is affected by the one that comes before it. Cf
affects to Ci Ex: read this: /rid ðis/ → /ri:ddis/
5. The way phoneme changes Assimilation of place Assimilation of manner
Assimilation of voicing . 
6. ASSIMILATION OF PLACE , assimilation of place, where a consonant changes its
place of articulation. assimilation of manner, where a consonant changes its manner
of articulation. assimilation of voicing, where a consonant changes whether or not it is
voiced
7. ASSIMILATION OF MANNER Assimilation of manner is typical of the most rapid
and casual speech, in which case one sound changes the manner of its articulation to
become similar in manner to a neighbouring sound.
8. Rules -plosive +final plosive → fricative when it stands before a fricative Ex: good
song /gud s ηͻ / → /gus s ηͻ / +plosive → nasal when it stands before a nasal Ex:
good night /gud nait/ → /gun nait/ that night /ðæt nait/ → / ðæn nait/ >However, most
unlikely that a final fricative or nasal would become a plosive. -dentalized: when a
word initial /ð/ follows a plosive or nasal at the end of a preceding word, it is very
common to find that the Ci becomes identical in manner to the Cf butwith the dental
place of articulation. Ex: in the /in ðə/ → /in n ə/̪ ̪ get them /get ðəm/ → /get təm/̪ ̪
9. ASSIMILATION OF VOICE This may refer to assimilation involving the feature [+/-
voice]. In a certain environment we can consequently observe the voicing or
devoicing of a segment.  If Cf is voiced and Ci is voiceless, the voiced consonant
often has no voicing. voiced + voiceless → voiceless (regressive) (b,d,g) (p,t,k) =>
b,d,g → p,t,k - b + p → p e.g: rob Peter /rͻb pi:tə/ → /rͻp pi:tə/ - d + t → t e.g: bad
tongue /bæd tʌη/ → /bat tʌη/ - g + k → k e.g: big car /big ka:/ → /bik ka:/  When Cf
isvoiceless and Ci is voiced, a context in which in many languages, Cf would become
“voiced”, assimilation of voice never takes place. voiceless (A) + voiced → no
assimilation (A0 ) E.g: sit down /sit0 daun/ black dog /blæk0 dͻg/
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