reciprocal (adj.)

A term used in PHONETICS and PHONOLOGY as part of the classification of types of ASSIMILATION. In reciprocal (or ‘coalescent’) assimilation, each of two adjacent ARTICULATIONS influences the other. An example is the fusion of [d] and [j] to produce  in such phrases as could you.

(recip) In some models of GRAMMATICAL description, the term is used to refer to classes which express the meaning of mutual relationship, e.g. reciprocal pronouns such as each other, or reciprocal verbs such as meet. In GOVERNMENT-BINDING THEORY, reciprocal pronouns, along with REFLEXIVE pronouns and NP-TRACES, form the class of ANAPHORS.