What happens during the process of coarticulation?

Coarticulation refers to the phenomenon where the articulation of a sound is influenced by the surrounding sounds, leading to a blending or overlapping of articulatory gestures. This process occurs naturally as speakers transition from one sound to another in speech. When producing connected speech, the movements of the articulators (like the tongue, lips, and jaw) for one sound can adjust to anticipatory or retentive properties of adjacent sounds, resulting in a smoother and more efficient production.

For instance, when saying the word "green," the positioning of the tongue for the /g/ sound is affected by the following /r/ sound, which may result in a less distinct articulation of the beginning sound. This merging allows for quicker and more fluid speech, which reflects how spoken language operates in everyday communication. Understanding coarticulation is essential for comprehending speech production and perception, and it highlights the connected nature of spoken language rather than treating each sound in isolation.