original_query: What is consonant mutation and how does it occur in words?
query: What is consonant mutation and how does it occur in words?
answer: Consonant mutation is a change in a consonant within a word based on its morphological or syntactic environment.  It occurs in many languages worldwide and can affect initial, medial, or final consonants, changing their voicing, place of articulation, or other features depending on the surrounding sounds and grammatical context.