INVESTIGATING ASSIMILATION AND METHATHESIS PROCESSES IN MAZANDARANI LANGUAGE, MARZOUN KOLA VARIETY

The present study aims at analyzing assimilation and methathesis processes in Mazandarani dialect of Marzoun Kola, located 5 kilometers away from Amol city. This area has been under the rule of Iran since Sasanuan dynasty. Hence, the effect of Sasanian Pahlavi Language on Tabari language has been more than any other language. The question presented in this paper is how are different kinds of assimilation and methathesis in Mazani dialect? It is a field study which has been done through interviews with speakers in this area. The results indicate that all kinds of assimilation are seen in Mazani dialect: vowel to vowel assimilation, and vowel to consonant assimilation are seen more frequently than consonant to consonant assimilation. Progressive assimilation is more frequent than retrogressive assimilation. Complete and incomplete assimilation and assimilation regarding neighborhood and non-neighborhood are equal. Also methathesis phonological process is seen in this variety which is bolder in the discourse of uneducated people. Investigation of phonological processes of Mazani dialect is closely related to standard Persian.