Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing cover image

509 GG Charlie Chaplin Grammar. S-Backing.

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

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Assimilation Doesn't Work That Way

Linguist David Durian argues that the S is assimilating to a sound that comes earlier. Michelle Obama does a lot of S-backing, which she pronounced as parents trying. In addition to spreading to different phonetic contexts, there's also a social aspect to how sound changes spread.

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