The Universal Atlas of Phonetic Evolution
Back to Matrix [u] → [ã] Edit this Data

[ã]→[u]Certainty: 5/5Commonality: 3/5

Nasalized open front unrounded vowel to Close back rounded vowel

The phonetic transformation from a nasalized open front unrounded vowel (ã) to a close back rounded vowel (u) involves a complex series of articulatory adjustments. This shift encompasses denasalization, where the velum is raised to block airflow through the nasal cavity, alongside significant changes in oral vowel quality. Specifically, the vowel undergoes raising (from open to close), backing (from front to back), and rounding (from unrounded to rounded). While individual components of this shift are common in various languages, their simultaneous occurrence in a direct, regular historical transformation is less frequently documented.

Phonetic Effects

Denasalization, Vowel Raising, Vowel Backing, Vowel Rounding

Language Examples

*χa͂hw→*-χuw-— This shift is observed as part of a larger phonological development in Lycian personal names, where a nasalized open front vowel (ã) transitions to a close back rounded vowel (u) within a sequence, eventually leading to forms like *-g/ko-.

Related Transformations

More Vowel Shift Shifts

Sources & References

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