Assibilation

/əˌsɪbɪˈleɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The phonetic process or result of converting a sound into a sibilant (hissing) sound.

Etymology

From assibilate + -tion suffix (from Latin -tio). This noun describes the actual linguistic phenomenon of sound transformation.

Kelly Says

Assibilation is why English 'ti' in 'nation' sounds like 'sh'—it's a real phonetic change happening in real time, and linguists can track exactly how sounds shift across generations of speakers.

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