Определение и Значение "neutralization"

What is "neutralization"?

Neutralization is a phonological process in which differences between phonemes become less distinct or disappear in certain contexts, leading to the loss of a phonemic contrast. This often occurs in specific environments, such as unstressed syllables or at the end of words, where certain sounds may become indistinguishable. For example, in English, the distinction between the voiced /z/ and voiceless /s/ sounds can be neutralized in plural forms, where both may be pronounced as /s/ in rapid speech. Neutralization is important in linguistics because it helps explain variations in pronunciation and how phonemic distinctions can be affected by context, providing insight into the nature of sound systems in languages.