Increase, N+K

Question

Yes, I am still obsessed by assimilation!
INCREASE: Do you say ?nkris or ??kris? (in chris or ing chris?)
UNCUT: ?nk?t or ??k?t? (un cut or ung kut?)

I suppose those who don't say umbelievable don't turn N+K into NG+K either. Anyway, I have been told that such assimilation is very common in the UK.
Any comments? I hate assimilation.

Thanks.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

KooyeenI hate assimilation.

Tsk, tsk. And it always says such nice things about you!

No assimilation: uncut, unkind, unkempt, ..., unbelievable, unbending, ...
Assimilation probably only rarely in fast speech: increase
(This should be taken as data that applies to me alone, not to people generally, although I believe I am close to the norm for AmE on this point.)

It seems to me that these junctures sometimes result in a sound that is not quite as strong as "ng" but tends toward it -- a sort of incomplete "ng" that happens when the mouth shapes itself for the upcoming /k/ instead of finishing off the /n/ completely.

CJ

Increase, N+K

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