DISSIMILATION

In phonology, particularly in historical phonology, 'dissimilation' is a phenomenon whereby similar consonant sounds in a word become less similar. It is sometimes claimed that dissimilation results in a form that is easier for the listener to perceive (whereas assimilation results in a form that is easier for the speaker to pronounce), with the implication that such results are in fact the cause of the change. But all such speculations are without objective support. Indeed, dissimilation even more than assimilation appears to spring from articulatory awkwardness.
In any case, dissimilation, like assimilation, may involve a change in pronunciation relative to a segment that is adjacent to the affected segment or at a distance; and may involve a change relative to a preceding or a following segment. As with assimilation, 'anticipatory' dissimilation is very much commoner than 'lag' dissimilation; but exactly unlike assimilation, most dissimilations are in reference to a 'non'-contiguous segment. Also, while many kinds of assimilation have the character of a sound law, relatively few dissimilations do; most are in the nature of accidents that befall a particular lexical item.

Contents

Examples

References

See also

Examples

Anticipatory dissimilation at a distance (far and away the most common)

★ Latin
★ 'medio-diēs' ("mid-day", i.e. "noon"; also "south") became 'merīdiēs'. Latin ''venēnum'' "poison" > Italian ''veleno''. This category includes a rare example of a systematic sound law, the dissimilation of aspirates in Greek and Sanskrit known as Grassmann's Law:
★ ''thi-thē-mi'' "I put" (with a reduplicated prefix) > Greek ''ti-thē-mi'' (τιθημι),
★ ''phakhu''- "thick" > Greek ''pakhu''- (παχυ-),
★ ''sekhō'' "I have" >
★ ''hekhō'' > Greek ''ekhō'' (εχω — cf. future
★ ''hekh-s-ō'' > ''heksō''— ‘εξω). Some apparent cases are problematic, as in English "eksetera" for ''etcetera'', which may rather be contamination from the numerous forms in ''eks''- (or a combination of influences), though the common misspelling ''ect''. implies dissimilation.
Anticipatory dissimilation from a contiguous segment (very rare)

★ The change from fricative to stop articulation in a sequence of fricatives may belong here: German ''sechs'' /zeks/ (the /k/ was originally a fricative). In Sanskrit in any original sequence of two sibilants the first became a stop (often with further developments): root ''vas''- "dress", fut. ''vas-sya''- > ''vatsya''-;
★ ''wiś-s'' "clan" (nom.sg.) >
★ ''viťś >
★ viṭṣ > viṭ'' (final clusters are simplified);
★ ''wiś-su'' locative pl. >
★ ''viṭṣu > vikṣu''. English ''amphitheater'' is very commonly pronounced ''ampitheater'' (though spelling pronunciation may be either some or all of the story here).
Lag dissimilation at a distance (fairly common)

★ Latin ''rārus'' "rare" > Italian ''rado''. ''Cardamom'' the spice commonly ''cardamon''. In Middle English, in a whole list of words ending in -''n'' but preceded by an apical consonant the ''-n'' changed to -''m'': ''seldom, whilom, random, venom''. Eng. ''marble'' is ultimately from Latin ''marmor''. Russian февраль "February" is from Lat. ''Februārius''.
Lag dissimilation from a contiguous segment (very rare)

★ Proto-Romance
★ ''omne'' "man" > Old Spanish ''omne'' > ''omre'' > Spanish ''hombre''.

★ PRom.
★ ''nomne'' "name" > ''nomre'' > Sp. ''nombre''.

★ English ''chimney'' (standard) > ''chim(b)ley''.

★ Proto-Slavic
★ "sveboda" "freedom" > Slovak "sloboda".

References

★ Vasmer's dictionary

See also

★ Assimilation (linguistics)