87. Dissimilation, like the other irregular phenomena, affects mainly
liquids and nasals, particularly r; it is not, however, entirely
confined to these classes. The two nasals, m and n, are similar enough
to undergo dissimilation. Some of the cases go back to Vulgar Latin,
while others are peculiar to Provençal or to Provençal and French.
In the table below, a dash indicates the total disappearance of the
consonant in question.
β + β ＞ β + -- (v + --): _habēbam_ ＞ ✱_aβēa_ ＞ avia, ✱_vivāciārium_ ＞
viacier, _vivācius_ ＞ viatz. _Vianda_, whatever its ultimate origin may
be, was probably borrowed from French.
kw + kw ＞ k + kw: _quīnque_ ＞ _cīnque_ ＞ cinc.
l + l ＞ r + l, -- + l, d + l: _calamĕllum_ ＞ calamęl caramęl,
✱_umbilīcŭlum_ ＞ emborígol, _flēbĭlem_ ＞ flẹble frẹble fẹble,
_ŭlulāre_ ＞ ulular udolar. Perhaps püs = plüs ＜ _plūs_ is to be
explained by dissimilation, occurring in such phrases as _plus larc_,
_plus lonc_.
m + m ＞ n + m: _memorāre_ ＞ membrar nembrar (renembransa).
m + n ＞ m + r: ✱_comĭnicāre_ ＞ comenegar comergar, ✱_indomĭnicātum_ ＞
endomeniat endomergat, _mancĭpium_ ＞ mansip massip marsip, _manĭcum_ ＞
margue, _mŏnăchum_ ＞ mongue morgue.
n + m ＞ r + m: _anĭma_ ＞ anma arma, ✱_mĭnimāre_ ＞ mermar.
n + n ＞ n + r, r + n; ? d + n: _canŏnĭcum_ ＞ canónegue canorgue,
_venēnum_ ＞ verin; _nec ūnum_ ＞ negün degün? (cf. Andalusian and
Asturian _dengun_, Catalan _dingu_, apparently from _nec ūnum_ +
_nĭngŭlum_).
r + r ＞ r + --, -- + r, l + r: ✱_Bernhardum_ ＞ Bernart Bernat,
_marmor_ ＞ marbre marme, _prŏprium_ ＞ prǫpri prǫpi; _dīe Mércūrī_
(influenced by _dīe Vénĕris_) ＞ dimęrcres dimęcres, _grandem_ _rem_ ＞
granrẹ ganrẹ, _pr(eh)ĕndĕre_ ＞ prenre penre, _prĕsby̆ter_ ＞ pręstre
pęstre; _arbĭtrium_ ＞ albire, ✱_Arvĕrnium_ ＞ Alvęrnhe, _peregrīnus_ ＞
_pele(g)rīnus_ ＞ peleris, _pŭrpŭra_ ＞ pọlpra.
s + s ＞ -- + s: ✱_spasmāre_ ＞ (espasme) pasmar (cf. French _pâmer_),
perhaps through confusion of the initial es- with the prefix ex-.
t + t? ＞ -- + t: _statiōnem_? ＞ sazọ (cf. French _saison_, Spanish
_sazon_).
y + y ＞ y + --: ✱_disjejūnāre_ ＞ ✱_disjeunāre_ ＞ ✱_disy’nāre_ ＞ dis´nar
disnar.