Which term describes the process of causing one sound to become more like an adjacent sound?

• A. Assimilation
• B. Elision
• C. Liaison
• D. Juncture

Answer: (A)

Assimilation is when a sound shifts to become more like a neighboring sound, making speech smoother in connected speech. A classic example is handbag pronounced as hambag: the nasal n changes its place of articulation to match the following bilabial b, so the sequence uses a bilabial nasal [m] instead of an alveolar [n]. This shows how one sound adjusts to resemble the adjacent sound, which is exactly what assimilation describes.

Elision would be dropping a sound, not changing it. Liaison is about linking or connecting sounds across word boundaries, not altering a sound to resemble its neighbor. Juncture refers to the boundary or pause between sounds or words.