DISSIMILATION Meaning and
Definition
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Dissimilation refers to a linguistic or phonological process whereby two similar or identical sounds in a word are changed or separated to become distinct from each other. It is the opposite of assimilation, where similar sounds become more alike.
When dissimilation occurs, one of the similar sounds undergoes a change in order to create a greater distinction or ease of pronunciation within the word. This process typically happens to avoid the potential difficulty or complexity that may arise from the presence of two similar sounds next to each other.
For example, in the word "hospitable," dissimilation occurs in the pronunciation where the /t/ sound changes to a /p/ sound. This alteration avoids the consecutive occurrence of similar obstruent sounds and makes the word easier to articulate for speakers.
Dissimilation can also take place in other linguistic aspects, such as vowels or syllable structures. For instance, in the word "library," dissimilation occurs where the r-colored vowel /ər/ is replaced by the schwa vowel /ə/. This change serves to differentiate the sounds and prevent the repetition of the same vowel sound in close proximity.
These changes resulting from dissimilation contribute to the overall development and evolution of languages, helping to maintain distinctiveness and clarity in pronunciation.
Common Misspellings for DISSIMILATION
Etymology of DISSIMILATION
The word "dissimilation" is derived from the Latin term "dissimilis", which means "unlike" or "different". It is formed by combining the prefix "dis-" (meaning "apart" or "away from") with the suffix "-ation" (indicating an action or process). Thus, "dissimilation" literally means "the process of becoming unlike" or "the act of making different". In linguistic terms, dissimilation refers to a phonological process where a sound becomes less similar to a neighboring sound.
Similar spelling words for DISSIMILATION
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