[s]→[i]Certainty: 5/5Commonality: 3/5
Voiceless alveolar fricative to Close front unrounded vowel
The shift from the alveolar fricative [s] to the high-front vowel [i] (or palatal glide [j]) is a form of vocalization. It typically occurs in syllable codas where the sibilant friction weakens and is replaced by a palatal off-glide, often as an intermediate step toward total elision.
Phonetic Effects
Vocalization, Diphthongization, Lenition
Language Examples
três [s]→[tɾejs]— Syllable-final sibilants often trigger the insertion of a palatal glide, effectively vocalizing the consonant into a diphthong.
isla [s]→île [iː]— The historical sibilant was lost, but its vocalic resonance contributed to the lengthening and stabilization of the preceding vowel.
Related Transformations
More Romance Shifts
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