dissimilation
- noun
- /ˌdɪsɪmɪˈleɪʃən/
- Specialized
:
disimilación
- The word 'February' shows evidence of dissimilation, as its pronunciation evolved to be more distinct from 'January.'
Examples
-
Accepting this explanation for the tonic vowel, we might attribute the lowering of the initial vowel to the effects of dissimilation, as the initial long /i/ of VICINU 'neighbor' became the /e/ of Sp. vecino.
Academic text (1993) -
In linguistics, dissimilation can simplify pronunciation by altering similar sounds within a word.
-
When discussing phonetic changes, dissimilation refers to how adjacent similar sounds can become less alike for ease of speech.
Antonyms
- Specialized
1
6.8
A sound change where one sound becomes like a nearby sound when speaking
How Different
Surface Forms
Morphology
dissimilation = dissimilate (semi-transparent) = dis + simil + ation
This is a regular noun formation from the verb 'dissimilate' meaning the process or result of becoming less similar.
Etymology
Dissimilation comes from the parts dis- meaning 'not' and similis meaning 'like', so it literally means 'not alike'. In language, dissimilation is when two similar sounds change to become less alike to make a word easier to say, so the origin helps you remember it is about sounds becoming different.