ease of articulation principle

linguistics

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June 25, 2026

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The "ease of articulation" principle in linguistics suggests that speakers tend to simplify pronunciation to make speech easier. This can involve sound changes like assimilation, where one sound becomes more like a neighboring sound, or dissimilation, where sounds become less alike. These changes can occur to make pronunciation smoother or to avoid difficult sound combinations. For example, the word "cupboard" likely evolved to be pronounced with an easier sound sequence than its original form. This principle is a factor in how languages change over time.1

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linguistics
Sound change
…under the principle of “ease of articulation.” This is clearly applicable in typical instances of assimilation. It is less obvious how or why a succession of unlike sounds in contiguous syllables should be easier to pronounce than a succession of identical or similar sounds. But a better understanding of…
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…under the principle of “ease of articulation.” This is clearly applicable in typical instances of assimilation. It is less obvious how or why a succession of unlike sounds in contiguous syllables should be easier to pronounce than a succession of identical or similar sounds. But a better understanding of…
Read More