Re: A sound change question...

> On Tue, 5 Aug 2003 16:17:32 -0400 "E. Notagain" <ecg321@...> writes:
> > This has probably been asked before, but what is /w/ most likely to
> > turn into?
> > -- Erin Notagain --
> -
Some more real world examples (Malayo-Polynesian) in addition to those cited
by Steg Belsky--

Of the 4 vowels reconstructed for MP, *w only occurred--
initially before a, i -- not before u or schwa
medially between any sequences involving a or i, not in sequences involving
u or schwa.
finally after a and i, not after u or schwa.  The fate of *w depends on its
position.
Initially-  very often lost, or vocalized > u or o; 2 lgs. I can think of
show w > [j]; one I know of has w > gw (though that may result from a
Spanish spelling/mis-hearing). Also w- > h in a few cases.
Medial-- retained usually; sometimes vocalized; one group of languages
retains it in awa, but loses it in iwa and awi. In a few languages it blends
with a preceding a to give o
Final-- -aw can be retained, or > o, or the w is dropped;
-iw usu. > i, but some languages, and some individual words, undergo a
change of syllabicity, so that iw > [ju].