Open Access
American Research Journal of English and Literature
ISSN (Online): 2378-9026
DOI: 10.46568/arjel
Assimilation and Elision of Lateral and Nasal Sounds in English
Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Osman Alteyp, “Assimilation and Elision of Lateral and Nasal Sounds in English”, American Research
Journal of English and Literature, Vol 9, no. 1, 2023, pp. 139-142.
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.
