Back to Matrix [c] → [ts] Edit this Data

[ts]→[c]Certainty: 5/5Commonality: 3/5

Palatalization Affricate Simplification Sino-Tibetan Salishan

Voiceless alveolar affricate to Voiceless palatal plosive

The transformation from a voiceless alveolar affricate ([ts]) to a voiceless palatal plosive ([c]) is a phonetic shift characterized by both a change in the place of articulation and a simplification of the manner of articulation. This process typically involves the alveolar closure of the affricate moving backward and upward to the palatal region, while simultaneously losing its fricative release component, resulting in a pure stop. This shift is often a result of palatalization, where the sound becomes more palatal due to the influence of neighboring sounds, and affricate simplification, where the complex affricate articulation reduces to a simpler plosive.

Phonetic Effects

Palatalization, Affricate Simplification, Place Assimilation

Language Examples

Jingpo Sino-Tibetan

Proto-*ts-→/c-/— In Northeastern Jingpo dialects, proto-*ts- shifted to /c-/.

Hakka Sino-Tibetan

ts→c— The Hoi-luk-fung dialect of Hakka consistently turns 'ts' to 'c'.

Spokan Salishan

//ts//→/c/— A rule in Spokan dictates that /ts/ becomes /c/ before a vowel.

Related Transformations

Reverse Palatalization to postalveolar affricate Palatalization of velar stop

More Palatalization Shifts

[b] → [bʲ] — Palatalization [b] → [p] — Voice Loss [tɕ] → [ɕ] — Lenition [dʲ] → [dʒ] — Affrication [d] → [dʲ] — Palatalization

Sources & References

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