[u]→[g]Certainty: 5/5Commonality: 4/5
Close back rounded vowel to Voiced velar plosive
Consonantalization and fortition of the high back vowel [u] or its semivowel reflex [w] into the voiced velar stop [g] (often via an intermediate [gw]) is a classic example of strengthening, notably occurring when Romance languages adapted Germanic loanwords.
Phonetic Effects
Consonantalization, Fortition, Strengthening
Language Examples
Germanic *werra→guerre [ɡɛʁ]— Germanic [w] (vocalic reflex [u]) was adapted as [ɡw] and eventually [ɡ] in French, Spanish, and Italian.
Germanic *wardon→garder [ɡaʁde]— Adaptation of the Germanic labial glide as a velar stop.
whiskey [ˈuɪski]→güisqui [ˈɡwiski]— Loanword adaptation where initial [u/w] is reinforced with a velar onset [ɡ].
Related Transformations
More Romance Shifts
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