dissimilatsioon

Dissimilation is a linguistic process where dissimilar sounds within a word become even more distinct from each other. This happens as a way to make pronunciation easier. For example, if a word contains two identical or very similar sounds in close proximity, one of them might change to a different sound to avoid the awkwardness of repeating it. This is the opposite of assimilation, where sounds become more similar.

A classic example of dissimilation can be seen in the word "pulver" from Latin, which became "poudre" in French. The two 'l' sounds in the original word were replaced by different sounds to ease pronunciation. Another common instance is the dissimilation of liquid consonants. For example, in the word "librarian," if it were spoken very quickly or informally, the two 'r' sounds might undergo dissimilation, with one potentially becoming a different consonant or even being omitted, although this is less common in standard English pronunciation.

Dissimilation can occur in various ways, including changes in place of articulation, manner of articulation, or voicing. It is a natural phenomenon that occurs over time in spoken languages, contributing to the evolution of vocabulary and pronunciation. While it might seem like a minor change, dissimilation plays a role in the overall phonetic landscape of a language and can sometimes lead to the creation of entirely new word forms across different languages or dialects.