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Palatalisation

This website uses symbols to transcribe phonemes (sounds). For an explanation of what these symbols represent, click here: vowels, consonants. The following special symbols are used:
ə Λ ā ē ī ō ū ű œ θ δ š ž č ĵ ŋ
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Note: an apostrophe ' is placed before the accented vowel.

Palatalisation is the influence of /j/ on a preceding consonant to change its pronunciation. /j/ affects four consonants in this way:

/s/ + /j/ > /š/
/z/ + /j/ > /ž/
/t/ + /j/ > /č/
/d/ + /j/ > /ĵ/

The phonemes /š/, /č/ and /ĵ/ are sounds that already existed in English. But /ž/ exists only in recent loan-words and as a result of the palatalisation of /z/.

In some words, palatalisation has become so entrenched that it is probably best to regard it as phonemic: it is simpler to transcribe the phonemes of sure and treasure as /šūr/ and /trežər/ rather than as /sjūr/ and /trezjər/.

But palatalisation is still a living process. Many speakers pronounce /ű/ as /jū/, which palatalises preceding consonants. This happens in foreign names containing vowels that resemble /ű/, such as Zurich. In English, the name Zurich is pronounced /z'űrik/; many speakers convert this from /z'űrik/ to /zj'ūrik/ to /ž'ūrik/. (They also apply the sound change /ū/ + /r/ > /or/, leading to the final prounciation /ž'orik/.)

The ending -ure

The underlying form of -ure is /űr/, but in many words its pronunciation has changed /űr/ > /jūr/ > /jər/. This may palatalise a root to which it is attached:
close /kl'ōz/ + -ure > closure /kl'ōžər/
press /pr'es/ + -ure > pressure /pr'ešər/
rapt /r'apt/ + -ure > rapture /r'apčər/
dental /d'entəl/ vs. dentures /d'enčərz/

The -eur in grandeur has the same pronunciation:
grand /gr'and/ + -eur > grandeur /gr'anĵər/

The ending -ion (in -sion, -tion, -gion)

The underlying form of -ion is /jən/. This is added to many verbs, bringing on palatalisation:
fuse /f'űz/ + -ion > fusion /f'űzjən/ > /f'űžən/

With verbs ending in /t/, the result is spelt -tion but pronounced /šən/, with /š/ not /č/:

act /'akt/ + -ion > action /'akšən/
erupt /ir'Λpt/ + -ion > eruption /ir'Λpšən/
rotate /rōt'ēt/ + -ion > rotation /rōt'ēšən/
complete /kəmpl'īt/ + -ion > completion /kəmpl'īšən/
emit /im'it/ + -ion > emission /im'išən/

The results are always accented on the syllable before -tion. This can mean that the accent shifts:
calculate /k'alkjūlēt/ + -ion > calculation /kalkjūl'ēšən/
meditate /m'editēt/ + -ion > meditation /medit'ēšən/

Similarly, verbs ending in /d/, have -sion pronounced /žən/, with /ž/ not /ĵ/:
collide /kəl'aid/ + -ion > collision /kəl'ižən/
erode /ir'ōd/ + -ion > erosion /ir'ōžən/
intrude /intr'ūd/ + -ion > intrusion /intr'ūžən/

Some verbs add -ation /'ēšən/ which is always accented:
degrade /digr'ēd/ + -ion > degradation /degrəd'ēšən/
mature /mətj'ūr/ + -ion > maturation /matjər'ēšən/

Verbs in -vert produce -version, pronounced /šən/ or /žən/ by different speakers:
convert /kənv'œrt/ + -ion > conversion /kənv'œršən/~/kənv'œržən/
invert /inv'œrt/ + -ion > inversion /inv'œršən/~/inv'œržən/

There is a word version /v'œršən/~/v'œržən/, but this does not come from a verb **vert.

A few words end in -gion /ĵən/: legion /l'īĵən/, region /r'īĵən/.

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