Assimilation and Elision of Lateral and Nasal Sounds in English

Abstract

This research paper attempts to identify the following: first, the nature and circumstances under which the nasal sound /n/ changes to the lateral sound when /n/ is between /ɒ/ and /l/ in the word ‘online’ /ɒnlain/; second, why /ɒ/ is assimilated by /n/ in ‘only’ /ɒnli:/ and ‘online’ /ɒnlain/; third, what reasons lead to the delateralization of the sound /l/ after the sounds /ɔ:/ and /ɑː/ in the words ‘talk’ /tɔ:k/ and ‘calm’ /kɑːm/; and lastly, the proper definition of the process under which the sound /n/ and /l/ lose their distinctive features. The most important results are the following: the sound /n/ and /l/ lose their lateral and nasal features after the back vowel /ɒ/ in ‘online’ /ɒnlain/. Moreover, the English sound /l/ loses its feature after the sounds /ɔ:/ and /ɑː/ in the words ‘talk’ /tɔ:k/ and ‘calm’ /kɑːm/. Denasalization is a phonological process under which the sound /l/ loses its lateral feature.