"THE PECULIARITIES OF ASSIMILATION IN THE UZBEK AND ENGLISH LANGUAGES"

Abstract

This article presents a comparative phonetic analysis of assimilation processes in English and Uzbek languages. Assimilation, as a phonological phenomenon, involves the modification of speech sounds due to the influence of adjacent sounds. The study reviews relevant theoretical foundations provided by scholars such as V.A Vassilyev, A.A Abduazizov, R.A Alimardonov, and others, and categorizes assimilation into regressive, progressive, and reciprocal types. Through selected examples, the paper highlights that regressive assimilation is more prevalent in English, especially in fast and connected speech, whereas progressive assimilation is dominant in Uzbek due to its rule-based phonological structure. The paper concludes that understanding assimilation contributes significantly to language teaching and acquisition, particularly in developing fluent and natural pronunciation.