Phonetic processes in consonant clusters (based on the Ossetian language)

The aim of the research is to identify all potential consonant clusters in the modern Ossetian literary language where assimilative and dissimilative changes are possible. The article discusses a detailed algorithm aimed at creating a theoretical basis for an orthoepic dictionary of the Ossetian literary language. The research is novel in that it is the first to obtain data on all possible assimilative and dissimilative processes in the Ossetian literary language. Consonant clusters were identified using a representative corpus of Ossetian texts presented on the Internet and consisting of 836,593 words. As a result of the study of 819 consonant clusters, such combinations were found in which, based on data on the phonemes of the Ossetian literary language, assimilative processes could be expected. In particular, this refers to consonant clusters where voiced and voiceless consonants meet at the boundaries of morphemes, voiced consonants in the final position and voiced consonants at the boundaries of morphemes. To determine the phonetic processes that occur in these clusters (progressive assimilation for voicing/devoicing, regressive assimilation for voicing/devoicing), words containing such clusters were included in the instrumental analysis program.