Back to Matrix [e] → [ei] Edit this Data

[ei]→[e]Certainty: 5/5Commonality: 5/5

Monophthongization Vowel Reduction Diphthong Simplification Germanic Romance Norse Hellenic Koreanic North Germanic

Diphthong ei to Close-mid front unrounded vowel

Monophthongization is a common phonological process where a diphthong, a vowel sound that involves a glide from one vowel quality to another, simplifies into a single, pure vowel sound (monophthong). This often occurs through the reduction or loss of one of the diphthong's elements, resulting in a more streamlined vowel system. The shift from the diphthong /ei/ to the monophthong /e/ is a classic example of this phenomenon, observed across various language families and historical periods.

Phonetic Effects

Monophthongization, Vowel Reduction, Diphthong Simplification, Loss of Off-glide

Language Examples

Ancient Greek Hellenic

/ei/→/eː/— Around the 5th century BCE, affecting most dialects including Attic.

Middle Korean Koreanic

/ei/→/e/— Merged by the early 17th century.

Old East Norse North Germanic

stæin /stæin/→sten /sten/— A change from /æi/ to /e/ is reflected in runic inscriptions.

Anglo-Norman French Romance

faire /fɛirə/→fere /fɛrə/— Reduction of diphthong 'ei' to 'e'.

ciel /sjɛil/→cel /sɛl/— Reduction of diphthong 'ei' to 'e'.

Southern European Portuguese Romance

ceifar /sej.ˈfaɾ/→ceifar /se.ˈfaɾ/— Monophthongization of /ej/ in <ei> to /e/ in dialects like Estremenho, Alentejan, and Algarvian Portuguese.

feito /ˈfej.tu/→feito /ˈfe.tu/— Monophthongization of /ej/ in <ei> to /e/ in dialects like Estremenho, Alentejan, and Algarvian Portuguese.

Southwestern Norwegian North Germanic

/ei/ [æɪ]→/e/ [eː]— Monophthongization of /ei/ to /e/ (specifically [eː]) is a prevalent feature in the Central Eastern Norwegian variety.

English Germanic

/seɪz/ (says)→/sez/ (says)— The shortening of 'ei' to 'e' in words like 'says', 'said', and 'saith' is documented from the 17th century, likely due to their frequent unstressed use.

/seɪd/ (said)→/sed/ (said)— The shortening of 'ei' to 'e' in words like 'says', 'said', and 'saith' is documented from the 17th century, likely due to their frequent unstressed use.

Related Transformations

Reverse

More Romance Shifts

[ã] → [õ] — Raising [a] → [ã] — Assimilatory Nasalization [a] → [∅] — Elision [a] → [ʔ] — Glottalization [a] → [ə] — Vowel Reduction

Sources & References

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