[e]→[u]Certainty: 3/5Commonality: 2/5
Close-mid front unrounded vowel to Close back rounded vowel
A direct shift from [e] to [u] is rare as it requires both backing and raising. However, it occurs historically through intermediate steps of diphthongization and rounding, particularly when influenced by labial or velar consonants.
Phonetic Effects
Backing, Raising, Rounding
Language Examples
passe [e] (final unstressed)→[pasu] (final -e → -u)— In Brazilian Portuguese, unstressed word-final /e/ is commonly realized as [u], a backing and raising process: e.g., 'passe' [ˈpasɨ] (EP) → [ˈpasu] (BP).
meum [e] (my, Latin)→meu [eu] → moi [wa]— Latin /e/ diphthongized to /eu/ in early Old French, passing through a stage with [u] as second element. Note: the final result [wa] is not [u]; the e→u path is only an intermediate stage.
Related Transformations
More Backing Shifts
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