mutation?

On Sun, 15 Aug 1999, Steg Belsky wrote:

> I'm not sure what the difference is between a mutation and a "normal
> sound change".
> Hebrew /b/ is pronounced as [v]:
> 1. at the end of a syllable, i.e. [HErEv]
> 2. after a 'long' vowel, i.e. [SOvaT]
> 3. following a shva-na`, i.e. [l@vaD]
Mutation is an alternation among consonants which is primarily
morphological, and for which little or no phonological conditioning can
be found (although it may be historically recoverable). Celtic abounds
with mutations. Hebrew doesn't have any. The term I've most frequently
encountered for the Hebrew alternations is spirantization, which is a
fine way to describe these changes.

Dirk

--
Dirk Elzinga
dirk.elzinga@m.cc.utah.edu                   "All grammars leak."
http://www.u.arizona.edu/~elzinga/                 -Edward Sapir