[ɭ]→[ɾ]Certainty: 4/5Commonality: 3/5

Voiced retroflex lateral approximant to Voiced alveolar flap

The transformation from a retroflex lateral approximant to an alveolar flap is a common process of delateralization and rhoticization, often seen as an 'unmarking' shift where complex retroflex gestures simplify into more common alveolar rhotics.

Phonetic Effects

Delateralization, Rhoticization, Fronting

Language Examples

Marathi Indo-Aryan

ɭ→ɽ/ɾ— In various dialects, the retroflex lateral is interchanged with retroflex or alveolar flaps.

Telugu Dravidian

ɭ→r— Historical shift where intervocalic retroflex sounds were reinterpreted as alveolar rhotics.

Related Transformations

Reverse Delateralization Fronting

More Indo-Aryan Shifts

[ai] → [e] — Monophthongization [kʰ] → [tʃ] — Palatalization [p] → [b] — Voicing [ai] → [ɛ] — Monophthongization [bʱ] → [b] — Deaspiration

Sources & References

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