Assibilation for Dummies

Assibilation is a fascinating word that you might not have come across before, but don't worry, I'm here to explain it to you in a simple way! So, imagine you have some really sticky food on your fingers, and when you try to snap your fingers, it doesn't make a clear and crisp sound. Instead, it sounds a bit muffled or mushy. Well, that's like what happens with words when we talk about assibilation!

Assibilation refers to a sound change that occurs in language when a non-sibilant sound like a 't' or a 'd' becomes a sibilant sound like 's' or 'z'. It's kind of like when you have a cookie that's soft and chewy in the middle, but then when you bite into it, it becomes crunchy on the outside. When assibilation happens, a sound loses its original identity and takes on the characteristics of a sibilant sound, making words sound different.

But that's not all! Assibilation can also refer to the process of pronouncing a sound with a greater amount of sibilance, which is like adding more 's' or 'z' sound to it. It's a bit like when you are playing a musical instrument and you decide to pluck the strings harder, making the sound more intense and pronounced. In the case of assibilation, it means making a sound, particularly a non-sibilant one, more hissy or sizzly.

Assibilation is an interesting concept because it shows how languages evolve and change over time. It's like a language having its own little adventure, where sounds transform and take on new characteristics, just as the world around us changes and adapts. So, the next time you hear someone talk about assibilation, you'll know it's all about sounds shifting and becoming more sibilant or hissy in language. It's like a magical transformation happening right before your ears!