assimilation
assimilation — noun
1. the process by which a person or group from a different background becomes part
the process by which a person or group from a different background becomes part of a larger community, gradually adopting its customs, language, and daily way of life.
The city offered free language classes to support the assimilation of refugee families.
assimilation of refugee families
Diego's parents valued their traditions but also wanted a smooth assimilation into their new country.
assimilation into their new country
For many first-generation children, assimilation at school happens faster than their parents expect.
Critics argue that forced assimilation can erase the unique identity of minority groups.
The community centre ran workshops on assimilation while encouraging families to keep their original languages alive.
- integration
softer tone; suggests mutual adjustment rather than one-sided adoption
- absorption
more passive; implies the group loses its separate identity
- acculturation
more academic; focuses on cultural exchange rather than full blending
- segregation
keeping groups separate rather than merging them
- exclusion
preventing a group from becoming part of the community
文法句型
assimilation of [group] into [society]
用法筆記
Commonly used with 'into' to specify the target community, or with 'of' to specify the group being absorbed. Frequently discussed in sociology, immigration policy, and education.
常見錯誤
2. the biological process in which a living body takes up nutrients from digested f
the biological process in which a living body takes up nutrients from digested food and converts them into energy, tissue, or stored materials.
The small intestine is where most nutrient assimilation takes place after digestion.
nutrient assimilation
Doctors told Jamal that his body's assimilation of iron had improved since he started eating more leafy greens.
assimilation of iron
In plants, the assimilation of carbon dioxide happens during photosynthesis.
Dr. Yuna Chen told Mateo that his calcium assimilation had dropped sharply, so she prescribed vitamin D supplements.
Kwame's doctor diagnosed a digestive disorder that slowed his nutrient assimilation, leaving him weak and underweight.
- absorption
overlapping but narrower; refers only to nutrients entering cells, not their conversion into tissue
- incorporation
formal; emphasises the nutrients becoming part of the body's structure
- excretion
the removal of waste materials the body cannot use
文法句型
assimilation of [nutrient] by [organism]
用法筆記
In biology, 'assimilation' is distinct from 'digestion' (breaking food down) and 'absorption' (taking nutrients into cells). Assimilation refers specifically to the conversion of absorbed nutrients into living tissue.
常見錯誤
3. the process in spoken language where one speech sound becomes more similar to a
the process in spoken language where one speech sound becomes more similar to a sound that comes before or after it, often making pronunciation smoother and faster.
In rapid speech, the /n/ in 'ten pounds' often changes to /m/ through assimilation.
assimilation — /n/ → /m/
Linguistics students study assimilation to understand why spoken words sometimes sound different from their spelling.
The word 'handbag' is often pronounced 'hambag' because of assimilation between the /n/ and /b/ sounds.
Samira noticed that assimilation happens naturally when native speakers talk quickly in everyday conversation.
In Spanish, the /n/ in 'inferior' changes to /m/ through assimilation, just like the /n/ in the English word 'input.'
- coarticulation
broader term for any influence between neighbouring speech sounds
- sound harmony
used in descriptions of vowel systems where vowels within a word become similar
- dissimilation
the opposite process where sounds become less similar to each other
文法句型
assimilation of [sound] to [neighbouring sound]
用法筆記
Assimilation can be 'regressive' (a later sound affecting an earlier one) or 'progressive' (an earlier sound affecting a later one). The /n/ → /m/ change in 'ten pounds' is regressive because the following /p/ pulls the /n/ backward.
4. the mental process of taking in new information or experiences and fitting them
the mental process of taking in new information or experiences and fitting them into what you already know and understand, without changing your basic mental categories.
In Piaget's theory, assimilation is how a child fits a new experience into an existing mental category.
Piaget's theory
When a toddler calls every four-legged animal 'doggy,' she is using assimilation to make sense of the world.
Arjun found that assimilation of complex grammar rules was easier when teachers connected them to ideas he already knew.
In biology class, Ms. Amara helped Noor assimilate the idea of photosynthesis by comparing it to how plants get energy from sunlight.
The new data did not fit her existing models, so the scientist revised her theory beyond simple assimilation.
- incorporation
general term for including new material into a system
- integration
suggests the new and old knowledge combine into a unified whole
- accommodation
the complementary process of changing mental categories to fit new information
文法句型
assimilation of [new knowledge] into [existing framework]
用法筆記
In Piaget's developmental psychology, assimilation is paired with 'accommodation' (modifying existing mental categories). Assimilation alone cannot explain learning when the new information fundamentally conflicts with prior knowledge.