Coarticulate

/koʊˌɑɹˈtɪkjəleɪt/ verb

Definition

To pronounce two speech sounds together as a single unit, where the positions of the mouth and tongue overlap or blend.

Etymology

From 'co-' (together) and 'articulate' (to make clear or form joints). Used in linguistics and phonetics to describe how sounds in speech are produced simultaneously rather than separately.

Kelly Says

When you say 'ship,' the 's' and 'h' coarticulate because your mouth is already forming the 'h' shape while making the 's'—your speech organs are constantly doing multi-tasking to save time!

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