Proto-Samoyedic

Soundchanges from Proto-Uralic:

Proto-Uralic to Proto-Ugric

It appears that all of the shared Ugric innovations are also applicable to Samoyedic.

• *ðʲ → *lʲ (further shared with Permic; possibly a pseudo-sound change, the case for PU *lʲ is weak, and this may point to *ðʲ being [lʲ])
• *k, *x, *w → ɣ / V_i (all eventually lost in Smy; Permic is similar here, too)
• *s, *š → *θ ([ɬ] per Khanty?)
• *sʲ → *s
• *Ck, kC → *ɣC? / C = *θ, *s (no direct evidence of this belonging together due to later loss in Smy)
• *Ck → *C / C = *t, *č (check! ought to be later per open/close issues)
• *ɤ → *ɯ / _C(C)a (most general condition; also in *ëni, *lëmpi; exceptions *tëka, *lëpa (FSM vs. Smy only), *ëńa)
• perhaps some other vowel splits? (if not rather Finno-Permic mergers)

Proto-Ugric to Proto-Samoyedic

• *x → *ə (probably common Uralic, but tends to disappear elsewhere)
• *e → *i / _C(C)a (shared with Mansi)
• *ŋ → *n / _θ (*jOŋsi only)
• *m → *p / _θ ? (*pImsimi only; fairly ad hoc cluster)
• *θ → *t (counterbleeds the previous two — *mt *ŋt remain)
• *tsʲ → *s
• *o → *a (feeds fronting to *ä in some cases; *tolwa → *tälwä, *tåjwä both)
• *ü → *i (feeds the next)
• *i, *u → *ə / _Ca (block'd by an original cluster, possible exception *kurki → *kərö)
• *u → *o / _Ci (counterfeeds *o → *a, block'd by an original cluster, exception *kulki- → *kəj-)

(an inefficiently asymmetric set of sound changes!)

• *l → *lʲ / _C, _#_, _i(C)#
  • Word-initial development is clear, tho exceptions happen (*lëmpi, *lëmti, *lëpa, *lëpsi - all back unrounded?)
  • *-lw- → *-jw- is clear
  • *-lt-, *-alm- unchanged (*kulta-, *kalma; both potential derivativs)
  • *-ilm- → *-əjm-, *-lki → *-j and *-li → *-j may be due to coda position or palatalization
• possibly: *e → *ɪ / _C(C)i (no phonemical significance)
• *ä → *e ([ɛ] or [e]? depends on the previous)
• *a → *ä [æ]? / before a coda palatal (sometimes elsewhere)
• Unstress'd (generally, final) vowels:
  • *a → *a [ɑ]? / after front vowels or a lateral (sometimes elsewhere)
  • *a → *ə / sometimes (*jupta, *konta, *kuma, *sʲala, *sʲoðʲa, *tora)
  • *a → *å [ɒ] / elsewhere
  • *i → *ə / _# (perhaps not feasible as PUg per palatalization of *l)
  • *ə → ∅ / VC_# (postcedes x-vocalization, exceptions *juri, *sʲüðʲi)
• *lʲ → *j (counterbleeds *a → *ä, feeds the next)
• *i → *ə / _j
• *ð → *r
• *e → *ü / _Cw (*käðwi, *jäwji; but not in *täwði?)
• *w → *m / _lʲ ? (*käðʲwa only - apparently South Smy. only)
• *ɣ → ∅
• *k → ∅ / _C_ (except *-ŋk-) (counterbleeds *ə → ∅, cf. next)
• *w → ∅ / in a 2nd syllable (counterbleeds *ə → ∅; *jäwji, *käliw, *täwði, etc. Remains *täwiw → *tiwə, also in *-jw- of either origin (suggesting interm. *ɣ?))