LELA10172 Introduction to Historical Linguistics

This exercise is about the relative chronology of sound changes, i.e. the order in which they happen. The IPA forms in the table on the left illustrate a number of sound changes between an earlier and a later stage of hypothetical language Lul.

On the right hand side, a number of possible sound changes are given. Click and drag the relevant ones into the correct order in the boxes on the right. (You need to have JavaScript enabled in order for this to work.) There are five changes in total. When you get the order right, a message will pop up.

  Old Lul Modern Lul  
1) gɑbid ɣɔβɛr 'to ice-skate'
2) druz zrɔr 'idiot'
3) gɑbig ɣeβiɣ 'turtleneck'
4) irɑdid ɛrɔzɛr 'to worsen'
5) ɑligɑ eliɣɔ 'mammoth'
6) lurinu lɔrinu 'aubergine'
7) bɑdri βɔzri 'yellow'
8) nɑri neri 'purple'

Sound changes

  • z > r / __ #
  • p > pf / __ #
  • i, u > ɛ, ɔ / __ r
  • ɑ > ɔ
  • ɑ > e / __ Ci
  • b, d, g > β, z, ɣ / V __ V
  • b, d, g > β, z, ɣ
  • ɔ > e / __ Ci
  • d > r / __ #
  • h > q
  • ɑ > e / __ CCi
  • i > ɛ

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        This exercise is based on a script by Alf Magne Kalleland and found at dhtmlgoodies.com. Thanks, Alf. (Thalf.)

        My main website is here.

         
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