Palatalising

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

  1. The process of modifying a consonant sound by raising the body of the tongue toward the hard palate during pronunciation, often changing the original sound's quality; the act of softening or fronting consonants by adjusting tongue placement; the phonetic or phonological alteration involving a palatal articulation in speech
  2. A linguistic operation where consonants are pronounced with a closer approach of the tongue to the roof of the mouth, creating a palatal quality; notating or applying a softening effect on consonants typically by moving the articulation point forward; the speech modification characterized by a shift toward a palatal sound in phonology
  3. The articulation change in which consonantal sounds become closer to or involve the palate, resulting in a softer or altered consonant sound; the mechanism of producing speech with a raised tongue near the palate causing palatal consonant formation; the phonetic process involving palatalization of consonants in various languages affecting pronunciation and sometimes meaning

Etymology: "Palatalising" is the present participle of "palatalise", which is built from "palatal" and the verb-forming suffix "-ise". The base adjective "palatal" describes sounds made with the middle of the tongue raised toward the hard palate, the arched roof of the mouth, and it is the element that carries the meaning here. The suffix "-ise", spelled "-ize" in American English, turns that adjective into a verb meaning to make or treat something in a particular way, so "palatalise" means to make a consonant palatal. In practice, the process is most familiar from the history of sounds rather than from a single word. When a consonant is pronounced with the tongue body pushed forward and up toward the palate, it often shifts in quality, and over long periods such shifts can change how a sound is heard and written. Describing this change needs a verb, and "palatalise" supplies it, which is why the form appears in linguistic writing about sound change.

Synonyms: palatalizing, softening

Antonyms: depalatalizing, hardening