[z]→[ɣ]Certainty: 4/5Commonality: 1/5

Voiced alveolar fricative to Voiced velar fricative

The shift from the voiced alveolar fricative [z] to the voiced velar fricative [ɣ] is a process of backing or retraction. This transformation is relatively rare but occurs in specific phonotactic environments or as part of systemic consonant shifts in languages with high dorsal activity.

Phonetic Effects

Backing, Retraction

Language Examples

Northwest Caucasian Languages Northwest Caucasian

/z/→[ɣ]— Retraction of sibilants in certain morphophonemic environments or historical developments.

Related Transformations

Inverse: Fronting

More Backing Shifts

[ã] → [õ] — Raising [ʕ] → [a] — Vocalization [ʕ] → [ʔ] — De-pharyngealization [e] → [o] — Backing [g] → [q] — Retraction

Sources & References

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