The pronunciation (-ns´t-tst) is an example of assimilation, a phonological process that involves one sound being influenced by another sound, usually a following sound, so that the sounds become more alike or identical. In the case of anesthetist, the (th) becomes (t) by assimilating to the following (t), with the result that the sound segment (t) occurs twice. In careful speech the word should properly be pronounced (-ns´th-tst).
-n
s´t
-t
