Affrication in Canadian French

In Canadian French, affrication occurs with the plosives /d/ and /t/. However, they must be preceded by a high front vowel. This process does not apply to Acadian French, but is common in the rest of Canada.

The following words have affrication of the /d/ and /t/:

tulipe (tulip)
produit (product)
dix (ten)
duc (duke)
petit (small)
aujourd'hui (today)
peinture (painting)
tu (you)
distance (distance)
titre (title)

Affrication of the alveolar plosives /d/ and /t/ is typical of Canadian French. It only occurs before high front vowels. Another name for affrication is assibilation. This phonological process is a subclass of assimilation.