[ɢ]→[χ]Certainty: 5/5Commonality: 3/5

Lenition Spirantization Devoicing Indo-Iranian

Voiced uvular plosive to Voiceless uvular fricative

The transformation from a voiced uvular plosive /ɢ/ to a voiceless uvular fricative /χ/ is a phonetic shift characterized by lenition, specifically involving both spirantization (the change from a plosive to a fricative) and devoicing (the loss of vocal cord vibration). This process typically occurs in specific phonological environments, such as within consonant clusters.

Phonetic Effects

Lenition, Spirantization, Devoicing

Language Examples

Persian Indo-Iranian

/ɢ/→[χ]— In word-medial consonant clusters, the voiced uvular plosive /ɢ/ can undergo spirantization and devoicing to become a voiceless uvular fricative [χ], as seen in words like /motɢan/ becoming [moˈtχan] 'solid'.

Related Transformations

Reverse

More Indo-Iranian Shifts

[a] → [ã] — Assimilatory Nasalization [a] → [∅] — Elision [b] → [p] — Voice Loss [b] → [v] — Spirantization [tɕ] → [ʃ] — De-affrication

Sources & References

Spotted a mistake or have a better example?

EchoDrift is community-driven. You can suggest a change directly through GitHub.

Propose an Edit on GitHub