Back to Matrix [u] → [ui] Edit this Data

[ui]→[u]Certainty: 4/5Commonality: 3/5

Allophony Monophthongization Romance Germanic

Diphthong ui to Close back rounded vowel

Monophthongization of the diphthong [ui] to the close back rounded vowel [u] is a common vowel reduction process where the glide element is absorbed into the vocalic part. This process is well-documented in Romance and Germanic languages and represents one of the most frequent diphthong reductions.

Phonetic Effects

Monophthongization

Language Examples

Portuguese Romance

[ui]→[u]— Monophthongization in word-medial and word-final position, particularly in casual speech and certain dialects.

Spanish (dialectal) Romance

[ui]→[u]— Reduction of diphthong to single vowel in southwestern Spanish varieties and rapid speech.

English Germanic

[ui]→[u]— Monophthongization in words like 'pursue' where [ui] merges with [u].

French (historical) Romance

[ui]→[u]— Historical monophthongization in Old French → Middle French transition.

Related Transformations

Reverse: diphthongization

More Romance Shifts

[ã] → [õ] — Raising [a] → [ã] — Assimilatory Nasalization [a] → [∅] — Elision [a] → [ʔ] — Glottalization [a] → [ə] — Vowel Reduction

Sources & References

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