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Does anyone know of a sound change like this:
z > z\ > j / V _ {C, #}
i.e. [z] becomes palatalized and ultimately
becomes a palatal fricative/approximant if
preceded by a vowel and folowed by a consonant
a pause.
An unconditioned change like this seems possible
enough. It is rather the condition, with
[z] / V _ V, and [z] / # _ V remaining unaffected
which worries me.
I'm guessing that a non-prevocalic [z] might
become lax, a grooved[^1] alveolar approximant if
such a thing is possible, which then would become
palatal. It seems to me that when pronouncing an
alveolar approximant the dorsum tends to be
spontaneously raised. Perhaps also an [r\] arising
in a language which already has contrasting /r/
and /4/ would be likely to tend to be
'derhoticized' in some way. The weakening of non-
prevocalic [z] in the first place may in fact be
a bigger preblem.
What do you think?
/BP
[^1]:
<http://books.google.com/books?id=bSxjt1irqh4C&pg=PA212>