[θ]→[ʃ]Certainty: 5/5Commonality: 3/5

Araucanian Palatalization Merger Semitic Algonquian

Voiceless dental fricative to Voiceless postalveolar fricative

Palatalization of the voiceless dental fricative [θ] to the voiceless post-alveolar fricative [ʃ] (represented here as 'sh') occurs in specific phonetic environments, particularly before high vowels or as part of expressive phonological systems.

Phonetic Effects

Palatalization, Expressive Palatalization

Language Examples

Proto-Semitic to Hebrew & Akkadian Semitic

Proto-Semitic *θalāθ- (three)→Hebrew šalōš (שָׁלוֹשׁ), Akkadian šalāšu— Regular sound change where the interdental fricative *θ merged with sibilants and shifted to the postalveolar position [ʃ]. Arabic preserved the original [θ] (thalāth).

Mapuche (Araucanian) Araucanian

[θ]→[ʃ]— Used in 'expressive palatalization' to convey smallness or emotional value (e.g., in diminutives).

Proto-Algonquian (Historical) Algonquian

Historical *θ→[ʃ]— The reconstructed phoneme *θ shifted to [ʃ] before high front vowels (*i, *iː) and palatal glides.

Related Transformations

Reverse Affrication Alveolarization

More Semitic Shifts

[ã] → [õ] — Raising [ʕ] → [a] — Vocalization [ʕ] → [ʔ] — De-pharyngealization [b] → [bʲ] — Palatalization [b] → [v] — Spirantization

Sources & References

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