The alveolar stop [t] precedes a bilabial stop [b] and [p] or nasal [m].

The change of [t] to

[p] is an instance of place assimilation which the alveolar stop sound becomes a bilabial
stop in anticipation of a bilabial sound that follows or a regressive assimilation.
1.1 Place Assimilation Velarisation of Alveolar sounds
It involves the alveolar stop [t] changing to a velar stop [k] to match velar sound example
[k] or [g] following it. Example in Table 2:
Utterance

Description

credit card [krdit kard]

smart card [smart kard]

[krdit kard] [kredit kard]

[smark kard] [smart kard]

great cook [gret kuk]

[grk kuk] [grk kuk]

Table 2

The alveolar stop [t] precedes a velar stop [k] or [g].The change of [t] to a [k] is an
instance in which it becomes a velar stop in anticipation of a velor sound that follows.
This is an example of regressive assimilation. The changes of [d] to a [g] sound in
segments example good cook, good girl, red guitar, and hard copy. The voiced alveolar
stop [d]assimilates into stop [g] in all these instances. The alveolar nasal [n] becomes a

velar nasal [ ] before a velar [k] or [g] in segments example town clerk, golden gate, tin
can, and human capital.
1.2 Place Assimilation Palatalisation of Alveolar Sounds
The sound alveolar ficatives [s] and [z] is palatalised as [] and [] before the palatal
sounds [] and [j]. Example in Table 3.
Utterance
dress shop [dres p]

Description

space shuttle [speis tl]

[drs p] [dr p]
[speis tl] [spei tl]

bus shelter [bas eltr]

[bas eltr] [ba ltr]

Table 3