Back to Matrix [v] → [l] Edit this Data

[l]→[v]Certainty: 5/5Commonality: 4/5

Vocalization Labialization Slavic Germanic

Alveolar lateral approximant to Voiced labiodental fricative

The shift from the lateral approximant [l] to the labiodental fricative [v] (or more commonly the labial semivowel [w]) is a widespread form of L-vocalization. In Slavic languages, the historical 'dark L' [ɫ] frequently vocalized into a sound that became phonologically identified with /v/ or /w/, particularly in word-final or preconsonantal positions.

Phonetic Effects

L-vocalization, Labialization, Velarization Loss

Language Examples

był [ɫ]→[biw]— Historical dark L (ł) shifted to [w] in all positions.

mały [ɫ]→[mawɨ]— The letter ł is now phonetically identical to the English 'w'.

Ukrainian Slavic

vovk [ɫ]→[vɔwk]— Corresponds to Russian 'volk' (wolf).

buv [ɫ]→[buw]— Corresponds to Russian 'byl' (was).

Serbo-Croatian Slavic

belo [l]→beo [o/w]— Masculine past tense and some adjectives show shift of word-final l to o.

Dutch Dialects Germanic

twaalf [ɫ]→[tʋaːv] -> [tʋaːf]— Interaction between vocalized liquids and labial fricatives in terminal clusters.

Related Transformations

Reverse Shift to semivowel Vocalization to vowel

More Germanic Shifts

[a] → [ã] — Assimilatory Nasalization [a] → [∅] — Elision [a] → [ʔ] — Glottalization [a] → [ə] — Vowel Reduction [ʕ] → [a] — Vocalization

Sources & References

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