View source for Palatalization (phonetics)

{{Short description|Phonetic feature}}
{{about|the phonetic feature|the sound change|Palatalization (sound change)}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2021}}{{Infobox IPA
| above      = Palatalized
| ipa symbol = ◌ʲ
| ipa number = 421
| decimal1   = 690
}}
In [[phonetics]], '''palatalization''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|p|æ|l|ə|t|ə|l|aɪ|ˈ|z|eɪ|ʃ|ən|audio=LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-palatalization.wav}}, {{IPAc-en|USalso|-|l|ɪ|-}}) or '''palatization''' is a way of pronouncing a consonant in which part of the tongue is moved close to the [[hard palate]]. Consonants pronounced this way are said to be '''palatalized''' and are transcribed in the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]] by affixing a superscript ''j'' ⟨ʲ⟩ to the base consonant. Palatalization is not [[Phonemic contrast|phonemic]] in English, but it is in Slavic languages such as [[Russian language|Russian]] and [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]], Finnic languages such as [[Estonian language|Estonian]], [[Karelian language|Karelian]], and [[Võro language|Võro]], and other languages such as [[Irish language|Irish]], [[Marshallese language|Marshallese]], [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], and [[Japanese language|Japanese]].

==Types==
In technical terms, palatalization refers to the [[secondary articulation]] of [[consonant]]s by which the body of the [[tongue]] is raised toward the [[hard palate]] and the [[alveolar ridge]] during the articulation of the consonant. Such consonants are phonetically palatalized. "Pure" palatalization is a modification to the articulation of a consonant, where the middle of the tongue is raised, and nothing else. It may produce a [[laminal consonant|laminal]] articulation of otherwise [[apical consonant|apical]] consonants such as {{IPA|/t/}} and {{IPA|/s/}}.

Phonetically palatalized consonants may vary in their exact realization. Some languages add [[semivowel]]s before or after the palatalized consonant (onglides or offglides). In such cases, the vowel (especially a non-front vowel) following a palatalized consonant typically has a palatal onglide. In [[Russian language|Russian]], both plain and palatalized consonant phonemes are found in words like {{lang|ru|большой}} {{IPA|ru|bɐlʲˈʂoj||Ru-большой.ogg}}, {{lang|ru|царь}} {{IPA|ru|tsarʲ||Ru-царь.ogg}} and {{lang|ru|Катя}} {{IPA|ru|ˈkatʲə||Ru-Катя.ogg}}. In [[Hupa language|Hupa]], on the other hand, the palatalization is heard as both an onglide and an offglide. In some cases, the realization of palatalization may change without any corresponding phonemic change. For example, according to Thurneysen,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Thurneysen |first1=Rudolf |title=A Grammar of Old Irish |publisher=Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies |page=55 |edition=Fifth |url=https://archive.org/details/thurneysen-a-grammar-of-old-irish/page/54/mode/2up?q=palatal&view=theater |access-date=28 October 2024}}</ref> palatalized consonants at the end of a syllable in [[Old Irish]] had a corresponding onglide (reflected as {{angbr|i}} in the spelling), which was no longer present in [[Middle Irish]] (based on explicit testimony of grammarians of the time).

In a few languages, including [[Skolt Sami language|Skolt Sami]] and many of the [[Central Chadic languages]], palatalization is a [[suprasegmental feature]] that affects the pronunciation of an entire syllable, and it may cause certain vowels to be pronounced [[front vowel|more front]] and consonants to be slightly palatalized. In [[Skolt Sami]] and its relatives ([[Kildin Sami language|Kildin Sami]] and [[Ter Sami language|Ter Sami]]), suprasegmental palatalization contrasts with segmental palatal articulation (palatal consonants).

==Transcription==
In the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]] (IPA), palatalized consonants are marked by the [[Phonetic symbols in Unicode#Spacing Modifier Letters (U+02B0–02FF)|modifier letter]] {{angbr|ʲ}}, a [[subscript and superscript|superscript version]] of the symbol for the [[palatal approximant]] {{angbr IPA|j}}. For instance, {{angbr IPA|tʲ}} represents the palatalized form of the [[voiceless alveolar stop]] {{IPA|[t]}}. [[Obsolete and nonstandard symbols in the International Phonetic Alphabet|Prior to 1989]], a subscript diacritic was used in the IPA: {{angbr IPA|ᶀ ᶈ ᶆ ᶂ ᶌ ƫ ᶁ ᶇ ᶊ ᶎ ᶅ 𝼓 ᶉ 𝼖 𝼕 ᶄ ᶃ 𝼔 ᶍ ꞕ}}, apart from two palatalized fricatives which were written instead with curly-tailed variants, namely {{angbr IPA|ʆ}} for {{IPA|[ʃʲ]}} and {{angbr IPA|ʓ}} for {{IPA|[ʒʲ]}}. (See [[palatal hook]].) The [[Uralic Phonetic Alphabet]] marks palatalized consonants by an [[acute accent]], as do some Finnic languages using the Latin alphabet, as in [[Võro language|Võro]] {{angbr|[[ś]]}}. Others use an apostrophe, as in [[Karelian language|Karelian]] {{angbr|s'}}; or digraphs in ''j'', as in the [[Savonian dialects]] of [[Finnish language|Finnish]], {{angbr|sj}}.

==Phonology==
Palatalization has varying [[phonological]] significance in different languages. It is [[allophonic]] in English, but [[phonemic]] in others. In English, consonants are palatalized when they occur before front vowels or the palatal approximant (and in a few other cases), but no words are distinguished by palatalization ([[complementary distribution]]), whereas in some of the other languages, the difference between palatalized consonants and plain un-palatalized consonants [[distinctive feature|distinguish]]<nowiki/>es between words, appearing in a [[contrastive distribution]] (where one of the two versions, palatalized or not, appears in the same environment as the other).

=== Allophonic palatalization ===
In some languages, like Hindustani, palatalization is [[allophonic]]. Some [[phoneme]]s have palatalized allophones in certain contexts, typically before [[front vowel]]s and unpalatalized allophones elsewhere. Because it is allophonic, palatalization of this type does not [[distinctive feature|distinguish]] words and often goes unnoticed by native speakers. Phonetic palatalization occurs in American English. Stops are palatalized before the front vowel {{IPA|/i/}} and not palatalized in other cases.<!-- Palatalization might occur after /eɪ/ as well. -->

=== Phonemic palatalization ===
In some languages, palatalization is a [[distinctive feature]] that distinguishes two consonant [[phoneme]]s. This feature occurs in [[Russian language|Russian]], [[Irish language|Irish]], and [[Scottish Gaelic]], among others.

Phonemic palatalization may be contrasted with either plain or [[velarization|velarized]] articulation. In many of the [[Slavic languages]], and some of the [[Baltic languages|Baltic]] and [[Finnic languages]], palatalized consonants contrast with plain consonants, but in [[Irish language|Irish]] they contrast with velarized consonants.
* Russian {{wikt-lang|ru|нос}} {{audio-IPA|Ru-нос.ogg|/nos/|help=no}} "nose" (unpalatalized {{IPA|/n/}})
: {{wikt-lang|ru|нести|нёс}} {{audio-IPA|Ru-нёс.ogg|/nʲos/|help=no}} [nʲɵs] "(he) carried" (palatalized {{IPA|/nʲ/}})
* Irish {{wikt-lang|ga|bó}} {{audio-IPA|ga-bó.ogg|/bˠoː/|help=no}} "cow" (velarized ''b'')
: {{wikt-lang|ga|beo}} {{audio-IPA|ga-beo.ogg|/bʲoː/|help=no}} "alive" (palatalized ''b'')

Some palatalized phonemes undergo change beyond phonetic palatalization. For instance, the unpalatalized sibilant (Irish {{IPA|/sˠ/}}, Scottish {{IPA|/s̪/}}) has a palatalized counterpart that is actually [[postalveolar]] {{IPA|[ʃ]}}, not phonetically palatalized {{IPA|[sʲ]}}, and the velar fricative {{IPA|/x/}} in both languages has a palatalized counterpart that is actually palatal {{IPA|[ç]}} rather than palatalized velar {{IPA|[xʲ]}}. These shifts in primary [[place of articulation]] are examples of the sound change of [[Palatalization (sound change)|palatalization]].

===Morphophonemic===
{{listen|type=speech|filename=Ro-ban-bani.ogg|title=Romanian ''ban'', ''bani'' ("coin, coins")|description={{IPA|[ban banʲ]}}}}
In some languages, palatalization is used as a [[morpheme]] or part of a morpheme. In some cases, a vowel caused a consonant to become palatalized, and then this vowel was lost by [[elision]]. Here, there appears to be a [[phonemic contrast]] when analysis of the [[deep structure]] shows it to be allophonic.

In [[Romanian language|Romanian]], consonants are palatalized before {{IPA|/i/}}. Palatalized consonants appear at the end of the word, and mark the plural in nouns and adjectives, and the second person singular in verbs.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Chițoran|2001|p=11}}</ref> On the surface, it would appear then that {{lang|ro|ban}} {{IPA|[ban]}} "coin" forms a [[minimal pair]] with {{lang|ro|bani}} {{IPA|[banʲ]}}. The interpretation commonly taken, however, is that an underlying morpheme {{IPA|{{!}}-i{{!}}}} palatalizes the consonant and is subsequently deleted.

Palatalization may also occur as a [[morphology (linguistics)|morphological]] feature. For example, although Russian makes phonemic contrasts between palatalized and unpalatalized consonants, alternations across morpheme boundaries are normal:<ref>See {{Harvcoltxt|Lightner|1972|pp=9–11, 12–13}} for a fuller list of examples.</ref>
* {{lang|ru|ответ}} {{audio-IPA|Ru-ответ.ogg|[ɐˈtvʲe'''t''']|help=no}} ('answer') vs. {{lang|ru|ответить}} {{audio-IPA|Ru-ответить.ogg|[ɐˈtvʲe'''tʲ'''ɪtʲ]|help=no}} ('to answer')
* {{lang|ru|несу}} {{audio-IPA|Ru-я несу.ogg|[nʲɪˈ'''s'''u]|help=no}} ('[I] carry') vs. {{lang|ru|несёт}} {{audio-IPA|Ru-несёт.ogg|[nʲɪˈ'''sʲ'''ɵt]|help=no}} ('carries')
* {{lang|ru|голод}} {{audio-IPA|Ru-голод.ogg|[ˈɡolə'''t''']|help=no}} ('hunger') vs. {{lang|ru|голоден}} {{IPA|[ˈɡolə'''dʲ'''ɪn]}} ('hungry' masc.)

==Sound changes==
{{main|Palatalization (sound change)}}
In some languages, allophonic palatalization developed into phonemic palatalization by [[phonemic split]]. In other languages, phonemes that were originally phonetically palatalized changed further: palatal secondary place of articulation developed into changes in manner of articulation or primary place of articulation.

Phonetic palatalization of a consonant sometimes causes surrounding vowels to change by [[coarticulation]] or [[assimilation (linguistics)|assimilation]]. In Russian, "soft" (palatalized) consonants are usually followed by vowels that are relatively more [[front vowel|front]] (that is, closer to {{IPA|[i]}} or {{IPA|[y]}}), and vowels following "hard" (unpalatalized) consonants are further [[back vowel|back]]. See {{section link|Russian phonology|Allophony}} for more information.

==Examples==
===Slavic languages===
In many [[Slavic languages]], palatal or palatalized consonants are called '''soft''', and others are called '''hard'''. Some of them, like [[Russian phonology|Russian]], have numerous pairs of palatalized and unpalatalized consonant phonemes.

[[Russian Cyrillic]] has pairs of vowel letters that mark whether the consonant preceding them is hard/soft:
{{angbr|{{lang|ru|[[а]]}}}}/{{angbr|{{lang|ru|[[я]]}}}},
{{angbr|{{lang|ru|[[э]]}}}}/{{angbr|{{lang|ru|[[е]]}}}},
{{angbr|{{lang|ru|[[ы]]}}}}/{{angbr|{{lang|ru|[[и]]}}}},
{{angbr|{{lang|ru|[[о]]}}}}/{{angbr|{{lang|ru|[[ё]]}}}}, and
{{angbr|{{lang|ru|[[у]]}}}}/{{angbr|{{lang|ru|[[ю]]}}}}.
The otherwise [[silent letter|silent]] [[soft sign]] {{angbr|{{lang|ru|ь}}}} also indicates that the previous consonant is soft.

===Goidelic===
{{main|Irish phonology#Consonants|Scottish Gaelic phonology#Consonants}}
[[Irish language|Irish]] and [[Scottish Gaelic]] have pairs of palatalized (''slender'') and unpalatalized (''broad'') consonant phonemes. In Irish, most broad consonants are [[velarized]]. In Scottish Gaelic, the only velarized consonants are {{IPA|[n̪ˠ]}} and {{IPA|[l̪ˠ]}}; {{IPA|[r]}} is sometimes described as velarized as well.<ref>Bauer, Michael. ''Blas na Gàidhlig: The Practical Guide to Gaelic Pronunciation.'' Glasgow: Akerbeltz, 2011.</ref><ref>Nance, C., McLeod, W., [[Bernadette O'Rourke|O'Rourke, B.]] and Dunmore, S. (2016), Identity, accent aim, and motivation in second language users: New Scottish Gaelic speakers' use of phonetic variation. J Sociolinguistics, 20: 164–191. {{doi|10.1111/josl.12173}}</ref>

===Japanese===
{{main|Yōon}}
''[[Yōon]]'' are [[Japanese language|Japanese]] moras formed with an added {{IPAblink|j}} sound between the initial consonant and the vowel. For example, 今日 (''kyō'', "today") is written きょう [{{Transliteration|ja|italic=no|kʲoo}}], using a small version of [[よ]], while 器用 (''kiyō'', "skillful") is written きよう [{{Transliteration|ja|italic=no|kijoo}}], with a full-sized よ. [[historical kana orthography|Historically]], ''yōon'' were not distinguished with the smaller kana and had to be determined by context.

===Marshallese===
In the [[Marshallese language#Phonology|Marshallese language]], each consonant has some type of secondary articulation (palatalization, velarization, or [[Labialization|labiovelarization]]). The palatalized consonants are regarded as "light", and the velarized and rounded consonants are regarded as "heavy", with the rounded consonants being both velarized and labialized.

===Norwegian===
Many [[Norwegian dialects]] have phonemic palatalized consonants. In many parts of Northern Norway and many areas of Møre og Romsdal, for example, the words {{IPA|/hɑnː/}} ('hand') and /hɑnʲː/ ('he') are differentiated only by the palatalization of the final consonant. Palatalization is generally realised only on stressed syllables, but speakers of the Sør-Trøndelag dialects will generally palatalize the coda of a determined plural as well: e.g. {{IPA|/hunʲː.ɑnʲ/}} or, in other areas, {{IPA|/hʉnʲː.ɑn/}} ('the dogs'), rather than *{{IPA|/hunʲː.ɑn/}}. Norwegian dialects utilizing palatalization will generally palatalize {{IPA|/d/}}, {{IPA|/l/}}, {{IPA|/n/}} and {{IPA|/t/}}.

== See also ==
* [[Iotation]], a related process in [[Slavic languages]]
* [[Manner of articulation]]
* [[Labialization]]
* [[Labio-palatalization]]
* [[List of phonetics topics]]
* [[Palatal hook]]
* [[Palatalization in the Romance languages]]
* [[Soft sign]], a [[Cyrillic script|Cyrillic]] grapheme indicating palatalization
* [[Yōon]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Bynon, Theodora. ''Historical Linguistics''. Cambridge University Press, 1977. {{ISBN|0-521-21582-X}} (hardback) or {{ISBN|978-0-521-29188-0}} (paperback).
* {{citation
|last=Bhat
|first=D.N.S.
|year=1978
|title=A General Study of Palatalization
|journal=Universals of Human Language
|volume=2
|pages=47–92
}}
* {{citation
|last=Buckley
|first=E.
|year=2003
|chapter=The Phonetic Origin and Phonological Extension of Gallo-Roman Palatalization
|title=Proceedings of the North American Phonology Conferences 1 and 2
|citeseerx = 10.1.1.81.4003
}}
* {{citation
|last=Chițoran
|first=Ioana
|year=2001
|title=The Phonology of Romanian: A Constraint-based Approach
|place=Berlin & New York
|publisher=Mouton de Gruyter
|isbn=3-11-016766-2
}}
* Crowley, Terry. (1997) ''An Introduction to Historical Linguistics.'' 3rd edition. Oxford University Press.
* {{citation
|last =Lightner
|first= Theodore M.
|year= 1972
|title= Problems in the Theory of Phonology, I: Russian phonology and Turkish phonology
|place=Edmonton
|publisher=Linguistic Research, inc
}}
* {{cite book
|last=Pullum
|first=Geoffrey K.
|author-link=Geoffrey K. Pullum
|last2=Ladusaw
|first2=William A.
|year=1996
|title=[[Phonetic Symbol Guide]]
|publisher=University of Chicago Press
}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050415185822/http://www.internetix.ofw.fi/opinnot/opintojaksot/8kieletkirjallisuus/aidinkieli/murteet/koprina.html Erkki Savolainen, Internetix 1998. ''Suomen murteet – Koprinan murretta''.] (with a sound sample with palatalized t')
* [http://www.oocities.org/ekfrysk/ASHYP5b2.htm Frisian assibilation as a hypercorrect effect due to a substrate language]

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[[Category:Phonetics]]
[[Category:Palatal consonants]]
[[Category:Secondary articulation]]