[ã]→[õ]Certainty: 4/5Commonality: 5/5
Nasalized open front unrounded vowel to Nasalized close-mid back rounded vowel
The phonetic transformation from a nasalized open front unrounded vowel (ã) to a nasalized close-mid back rounded vowel (õ) involves a complex set of articulatory changes, including raising, backing, and rounding, while maintaining nasality. This shift is attested in the historical development of certain languages, particularly in the context of broader nasal vowel system evolution.
Phonetic Effects
Raising, Backing, Rounding, Nasalization
Language Examples
ã→õ— A regular shift of stressed nasalized open front unrounded vowel to nasalized close-mid back rounded vowel occurred in Phoenician.
ã→õ— In Portuguese, low vowels, including /a/ (which, when nasalized, is often realized as [ɐ̃] or [ɜ̃], a nasalized open-mid central or front unrounded vowel), are regularly raised to [õ] when nasalized before /N/. For instance, the nasal vowel in 'ânimo' [ˈɐ̃nimu] is an example of a low nasal vowel shifting towards a mid-back rounded nasal vowel.
Related Transformations
More Nasalization Shifts
Sources & References
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