Editing Assamese language (section)

===Voiceless velar fricative===
Assamese is unusual among Eastern Indo-Aryan languages for the presence of {{IPA|/x/}} (realised as {{IPAblink|x}} or {{IPAblink|χ}}, depending on the speaker and speech register), due historically to the MIA sibilants' [[lenition]] to {{IPA|/x/}} (initially) and {{IPA|/h/}} (non-initially).<ref>The word "hare", for example: ''śaśka'' (OIA) > ''χɔhā'' (hare). {{harv|Masica|1993|p=206}}</ref> The use of the voiceless velar fricative is heavy in the eastern Assamese dialects and decreases progressively to the west—from [[Kamrupi dialects|Kamrupi]]<ref>Goswami, Upendranath (1970), ''A Study on Kamrupi'', p.xiii {{IPA|/x/}} does not occur finally in Kamrupi. But in St. Coll. it occurs. In non-initial positions O.I.A sibilants became {{IPA|/kʰ/}} and also {{IPA|/h/}} whereas in St. Coll. they become {{IPA|/x/}}.</ref> to eastern [[Goalpariya dialects|Goalparia]], and disappears completely in western Goalpariya.<ref>B Datta (1982), ''Linguistic situation in north-east India'', the distinctive h sound of Assamese is absent in the West Goalpariya dialect</ref><ref>Whereas most fricatives become sibilants in Eastern Goalpariya (''sukh'', ''santi'', ''asa'' in Eastern Goalpariya; ''xukh'', ''xanti'', ''axa'' in western Kamrupi) {{harv|Dutta|1995|p=286}}; some use of the fricative is seen as in the word ''xi'' (for both "he" and "she") {{harv|Dutta|1995|p=287}} and ''xap khar'' (the snake) {{harv|Dutta|1995|p=288}}. The {{IPAslink|x}} is completely absent in Western Goalpariya {{harv|Dutta|1995|p=290}}</ref> The change of {{IPA|/s/}} to {{IPA|/h/}} and then to {{IPA|/x/}} has been attributed to Tibeto-Burman influence by [[Suniti Kumar Chatterji|Suniti Kumar Chatterjee]].<ref>Chatterjee, Suniti Kumar, ''Kirata Jana Krti'', p. 54.</ref>

In some cases, {{IPA|/kʰ/}} can even merge with {{IPA|/χ/}} or {{IPA|/x/}} (''akhɔr'' → ''axɔr'' "a letter (of an alphabet)").{{sfn|Mahanta|2012|p=219}}