[s]→[k]Certainty: 3/5Commonality: 5/5

Fortition Retraction Cluster Simplification Germanic

Voiceless alveolar fricative to Voiceless velar plosive

The shift from an alveolar fricative [s] to a velar stop [k] is an unusual but attested sound change. It typically arises in specific cluster environments (like [sk] → [k]) or in dissimilation contexts where an [s] is retracted and strengthened to a stop. It can also occur in borrowings or lexical accidents.

Phonetic Effects

Retraction, Fortition, Deletion of Fricative Component

Language Examples

English (Historical Spelling/Sound) Germanic

ask [æsk]→ax [æsk] (dialectal)— The /sk/ cluster simplified to /k/ in some dialects, effectively reducing /s/ in the cluster

Related Transformations

Palatalization/Assibilation (common reverse)

More Germanic Shifts

[a] → [ã] — Assimilatory Nasalization [a] → [∅] — Elision [a] → [ʔ] — Glottalization [a] → [ə] — Vowel Reduction [æ] → [ɛ] — Vowel Raising

Sources & References

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