[u]→[f]Certainty: 5/5Commonality: 1/5
Close back rounded vowel to Voiceless labiodental fricative
The transformation of the close back rounded vowel /u/ into the voiceless labiodental fricative /f/ is a rare but attested phonetic shift, primarily observed as a form of high vowel fricativization. This change involves the vowel losing its vocalic quality and acquiring a fricative manner of articulation, while retaining a labial feature.
Phonetic Effects
Fricativization, Consonantization, Labialization, Loss of Vocalic Quality
Language Examples
uşak→fšáx— Derived from Turkish 'uşak' (child).
ta utjá→ta ftjá— Plural of 'ear', from earlier 'ta otjá'.
uşak→fšáxi— Derived from Turkish 'uşak' (boy).
Related Transformations
More Hellenic Shifts
Sources & References
- Janse, M., & Vandewalle, J. (2019). The history and etymology of Cappadocian fšáx 'child' Pharasiot fšáxi 'boy'. In M. Janse, B. D. Joseph, & A. Ralli (Eds.), Contact Morphology in Modern Greek Dialects (pp. 1-14).
- Janse, M., & Vandewalle, J. (2019). High Vowel Fricativization and Chain Shift. ResearchGate.
- Janse, M., & Vandewalle, J. (2020). Contact Morphology in Modern Greek Dialects. ResearchGate.
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