[i]→[ə]Certainty: 5/5Commonality: 5/5
Close front unrounded vowel to Mid central vowel
Vowel reduction of [i] to the neutral schwa [ə] is a near-universal process in unstressed syllables, where the specific vowel quality is lost to a central, relaxed articulation.
Phonetic Effects
Reduction, Centralization, Lenition
Language Examples
i (non-final unstressed)→[ə]— In Hausa, short /i/ in non-final unstressed syllables is often realized as a reduced central vowel approaching schwa; e.g., 'gida' (house) with reduced first vowel in rapid speech.
sanity [ˈsænɪti]→[ˈsænəti]— Reduction of the high front vowel in the second syllable.
/i/ in short unstressed syllable→[ə]— In Central Atlas Tamazight, short /i/ in unstressed syllables may reduce to the neutral schwa [ə]. This parallels the reduction of /a/ to [ə] in the same contexts. In Tashlhiyt Berber (southern Morocco), short /i/ in some proto-forms corresponds to a lexical schwa or is deleted entirely, allowing pure consonant syllables.
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