[j]→[ɣ]Certainty: 4/5Commonality: 3/5
Voiced palatal approximant to Voiced velar fricative
The sound change from a 'y' sound (voiced palatal approximant, [j]) to a guttural 'gh' sound (voiced velar fricative, [ɣ]) involves both a strengthening of the consonant and a shift in its articulation further back in the mouth. This transformation is a form of fortition, where a less obstructed sound becomes more obstructed, and backing, where the point of articulation moves from the palate towards the velum.
Phonetic Effects
Fortition, Backing, Approximant to Fricative
Language Examples
trojise→troɣise— This shift occurred before front vowels due to analogical leveling, regularizing verb paradigms.
Related Transformations
More Backing Shifts
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