[u]→[m]Certainty: 4/5Commonality: 1/5

Fortition Consonantalization Nakh-Dagestani

Close back rounded vowel to Bilabial nasal

The transformation of the high back rounded vowel [u] into the bilabial nasal [m] is a rare form of fortition (strengthening), typically occurring via an intermediate labial glide [w] and subsequent consonantalization.

Phonetic Effects

Fortition, Consonantalization, Labialization

Language Examples

Bats (Tsova-Tush) Nakh-Dagestani

Historical rounded vowels [u, o]→[m, b, p]— Documented gradual shift of rounded vowels to labial approximants and then to bilabial consonants.

Related Transformations

Reverse Velar fortition Fricativization

More Fortition Shifts

[j] → [dʒ] — Fortition [j] → [dʑ] — Fortition [j] → [z] — Fortition [j] → [ʑ] — Fortition [s] → [k] — Retraction

Sources & References

Spotted a mistake or have a better example?

EchoDrift is community-driven. You can suggest a change directly through GitHub.

Propose an Edit on GitHub