The phonological process where one of two similar or identical sounds or syllables in close proximity is dropped, simplifying pronunciation.
From Greek haplos (single) + -logy (study or discourse). Coined by linguists in the late 19th century to describe a widespread pattern in language sound-change.
Haplology explains why 'worcestershire' is pronounced 'wuster-sher'—that double '-r-' gets reduced to one, and this same process has reshaped thousands of words across all human languages!
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