Dissimilaatiokäyrän

Dissimilaatiokäyrä is a Finnish term that translates to "dissimilation curve." In linguistics, it refers to a graphical representation or theoretical concept illustrating the process of dissimilation. Dissimilation is a phonological process where two sounds in a word that are similar or identical become less similar or distinct. This typically occurs when two identical or nearly identical sounds are close to each other within a word, leading to one of them changing to avoid the perceived monotony or difficulty in articulation.

The dissimilation curve, as a conceptual tool, might depict the likelihood or intensity of dissimilation occurring based on factors such as the distance between the sounds, their specific phonetic properties, and perhaps the frequency of the word. While not a universally standardized mathematical curve found in all linguistic literature, the idea behind a dissimilation curve is to visualize how the tendency for dissimilation might vary. For instance, sounds closer together might be more prone to dissimilation than those further apart, and this could be represented as a steeper slope or a more pronounced peak in a hypothetical curve. The concept helps linguists analyze patterns of sound change and understand the phonological pressures that shape language.