Mari

Phonology

The vowel inventories are:

• Meadow Mari /a e i o u ü ö/
• Hill Mari /a e i o u ü ö ä ə ɤ/
• NW dialects also /ʊ ʏ/
  • NB: /ə ɤ/ are more accurately [ə̟ ə̠], or perhaps [e̽ o̽].

The latest reconstruction of Mari vocalism available is Aikio (2014):

• *a *e *i *o *u *ü *ö > branches agree
  • *e > Hill Mari /ä/ / _{k ŋ r}_
  • *i *ü > e ö / _r
• *å *ä > Hill /a ä/; Meadow /o a/
• ""reduced high"" vowels: *ĭ *ü̆ *ŭ > Hill (Western) Mari /ə ə ɤ/, Meadow (Eastern) Mari /i y u/

Phonetically, vowel reduction probably occurred only in Hill Mari, which implies sound values along the lines of:

• *ĭ *ü̆ *ŭ = [i y u], unchanged in Me.
• *i *ü *u = [e ö o], raised in both
• *e *å *o = [æ ɑ ɒ], raised in both, save for *å in Hi. Probably *[ɑ] > *[ɒ] occurred early on in Me.
• *ä *a = [ə̟ ə̠], lowered in both

Etymology notes

The development *e_ə → *ĭ appears to be limited to loanwords (so not common inheritance after all?):

• *ĭšte- "to be in time" < *eštə-; in Permic may be a BF loan
• *lĭštaš "leaf" < *leštə ← IE
• *šĭm "7" < #śeććəmə ← IE? NB irregular medial loss (but could be secondary haplology)

(more frequent in *e_ä-roots, but note *rĭwəž "fox" < *repä ← II)

Palatalization

• *kĭćke- "to harness" < *ki/ütkə- (Ms. *kät- ~ H. köt!)
• *šü̆ć "rust" < #sïta
• *wĭć "5" < *wĭt < #wittə
• *tić "full" < (??) *tejət < *täwðətä

but not in:

• *jü̆t "night" < *jEtɜ
• *kit "hand" < *kätə
• *wü̆t "water" < *wetə
• *tütka- "to spread" < *tütkə-

Denasalization

Apparently *mp, *nč → *p, *č (despite *nt, *ŋk → *nd, *ŋg):

• *mp → *p/*w:
  • *lop "depression" < *lëmpɜ
  • *liwə "warm" < *lämpə
  • *kowə "wave" < *kompa
  • *tup "back" ~ U tɨbɨr
• *mt → *md:
  • *komdəš "lid" < *kamtə
  • *kŭmda "wide" < *kumtə
• *nt → *ð (< Permic?):
  • *oðar "shoot" ← II *andʰas
  • *lŭðə "goose" < #lunta
  • *šeðäŋ "wheat" < #šäŋtɜ
• *nt → *nd:
  • *kande- "to carry" < *kanə-ta-
  • *kində "grain" ~ P *kɨd
  • *pandə "stick" < *pontə
  • *pŭndaš "bottom" ~ P *pɨdes
  • *šandə "dung" ~ F *sonta
  • *šĭnde- "to stretch" ~ S *sɤntē-
• *nč → *č:
  • *kĭčala- "to search" < *kenčä-
  • *kučə "worm" ~ OU *kuunč
  • *kü̆č "nail" < *künčə
  • *pač "tail" < *pončə
  • *pača- "to open" < *panča-
  • *wač "root" < *wanča
• *nś → *ž:
  • *ažnə "early" ~ P *wåådź
  • *kiže- "to become cold" ~ P *ke/ɤdźɨt
  • *kŭž "urine" < *kunśə
  • *nö/üštəla- "to knead" ~ U. /nadź-/
  • *užaš "part" < *onśa
  • *wažəla- "to be ashamed" ~ U. /vodźɨt/ (& Mo. *viź-ďə-?)
• *ŋt → *nd:
  • undə "sting" < *oŋtə
• *ŋk → *ŋg:
  • *oŋgə "hook" < *oŋkə
  • *moŋgər "body" < *moŋkɜ
  • *poŋgə "mushroom" < *pëŋka
  • *šeŋgə "dry wood" ~ F. säŋki?
  • *šeŋgel "behind" < *śäŋkɜ
  • *šoŋgə "old" < *šoŋka
  • *šü̆ŋgä "hill" < *ćüŋkä

No reflexes: *ëmta-, *omtə, *tumtə-; *jäntə, *kënta, *konta, *küntə, *piNtä-; *jäŋtä-; *jäŋkä, *këŋkar

The distribution of *a vs. *o

These two vowels appear basically in the same contexts with not much respect for etymological origin; regularly from *a and *ë_a, slightly less regularly from *o_ə, sporadically from *o_a and *ë_ə. Let's see if the distribution has any relation to the consonant environment:

	*a	*o
*a-heavy
*p-	default *a *pač "spot" < #pačɜ "variegated" *pač "tail" < *pončə *pača "to open" < *panča- *pačaš "layer" < #pëča? *pačke- "to shake" ~ K. pɨškɨ- "id." *pandə "stick" < *pontə *pańəža- "to fry" ? < *pënə- "to put" *parema- "to recover" < *para *parmə "gadfly" < *parəma *pašə- "to grow" ~ P. *puušjɨ- "to sprout" *pat "pot" < *pata	*o / _[+BACK] *pokte- "to pursue" ~ EU *pʊktɜ- *poNəš "bosom" < *poŋə *poŋgə "mushroom" < *pëŋka ← IE
*w-	default *a *wače "shoulder" ~ K. voč "ключица" *wačkalt- "to hit" < *wačka- *wačkə "tub" < *wočkə *waðar "udder" ← IE *wakta- "to peel" < *watka- *wale- "to leave" < *wëlka- *walɣəðə "light" < *wëlkəta *wanče- "to step over" < *wanča- *waštalte- "to exchange" ~ P. *vöštɨ- "id." *waštar "maple" < *wakštəra *waštareš "opposite" < *wasta- *waštər "twig" < *wasta (!) *wat "fishing line" < *wata (← Gmc) *waźa- "to fall" < #waśa- *waźe "twig" < #waśə *waž "branch" < *waša *waž "root" < *wanča *-waž "metal" < #wäśkä *wažəla- "to be ashamed" < #wV(n)ćV-	(no examples!)
*j-	*jaða- "to ask" ~ P. juual- "id." *jal "foot" < *jalka *jama- "to get lost" < *jama- *jaŋəž "bow" < *joŋsə *jaŋəže- "to grind" < *jaŋša-	*jož "remaining sno" ~ P. *juuž "id." (*joɣe- "to flow" ← Chuv. jox-)
*o-heavy
∅-	*a / _Ć *anće- "to blink" ~ P *addźɨ- "to see" *aškəl "step" < *aśkəl *ažnə "early" ~ P *våådź "id."	default *o *oðar "shoot" < II *andʰas *omə "sleep" < *aðəma *oŋəlaš "chin" < #VŋVlV *oŋgə "hook" < *oŋkə ← IE *opte- "to bark" < *apta- *opte- "to put up" < *ëkta- *ošə "white" < *akš/ška *owə "father-in-law" < *ëppə *ožə "stallion" ~ P *uuž < #ačɜ? ← II *aćwa
unclear
*ć-		*ćolɣəža- "to shimmer" < #ćɜlkɜ-
*č-	*čakata "thick" < *čokkə *čaŋe- "to hit" < #čaŋɜ
*l-	*laðə "notch" < *latɜ ← B. *landaka "lowland" ~ *lëmtɜ (← IE?) *laksə "ditch" < #lVkśV *lap(te) "low, flat" < *lappɜ	*lo "gap" < *lowə *loɣe- "to push w/ horns" < *ĺokka- (?) *lokšənća- "to chop" < *lakśə- *lom "bird cherry" < *ĺëmə *lom(p)əž "ash" ~ P. *luum "heat", H. laaŋg "flame" *loŋa- "to winnow" < *loŋə- "to throw away" (?) *lop "valley" ~ *lëmpa "bog, pond"
*m-	*ma "what" *mača "weir" ~ Sk. #maašə "net" *maana- (!) "to say" < *mana-	*moa- "to find" < *moja- *mokš "liver" < *mëksa *molə "other" < #mu- *moŋgər "body" < *mOŋka
*n-	*načkə "wet" < *ńAčkə *nalə "sap" < *ńula *našmə "gills" < *ńëkćəm(ə)	*noje- "to tire" ~ SKh nuuj(ɣ)ə- "id." *nolɣə "elm" ~ U. *ńulo "id."
*r-	*ranće- "to destroy" < #rAnćɜ- *raška "brittle" < #roškɜ *raž "hole" ~ K. roź, H. reeš	*o in hiatus? *roe- "to hack" ~ Ug *ro/ʊɣ- "to cut"
*š-	chiefly in loans + original CVCCV roots? *šača- "to be born" < *ć/čačə- *šaj- "behind" < Ir. *šakta- "to shift" < *saktə- (?) *šakte- "to play music" < *sojə-kta- *šalɣ- "to stand" < *sAlka- *šandə "dung" < *sonta *šapki- "aspen" < #šapa ← Gmc, thru F *šapə "sour" < *šappa *šapə "pale" < *čappɜ *šaptər "currant" ~ P. su/eter "id." *šapš "spool" < *sApśə *šapšar "pole" ~ K. sɨrs (or same as prev.?) *šara- "to shit" ~ Ug. #sar- *šarə "rake" ~ F. *hara *šarðə "deer" < *śarta *šarkenćə "nits" < #śajɜr-kV-	chiefly in original CVCV roots? *šo- "to arrive" < *saxə- *šoðə "lung" ~ S. *sōvtē "gills" / K. šɤĺ "swimbladder"? *šoe "duck" < *śoð(ka) *šokš "sleeve" < *soja-ks(ə) *šolə "thief" < *sala *šolə "intestine" < *śalə *šolə "elm" < *śëlə (?) *šoŋgə "old" < *šoŋka *šor(ž) "span" ~ Ug. *ɬarəs "id." *šož "barley" < *ča/ošə
*t-	*ta "this" < *ta *tara "distant" < #tara *tatə "tench" < *totkə	*tola- "to come" < *tolə- *toŋ/m "kernel" < *tuNa *tošta- "to dare" < *toštə- *torle- "to scold" < *tora-lə- *torəš "width" < *toraks *toš "back of axe/knife" < *taškɜ
*k-

Labial coloring

In theory this could be a West Mari innovation from PMa *u, but this makes better phonetic sense as an earlier change *o → *u.

o → ŭ / _m_ *mŭška- "to wash" < *mośkə- *mŭčə "hill" ~ P. *muuč, < *močča *lŭmej "midge" < *ĺomɜ *kŭməš "birch bark" ~ S. *kōlmɤs, < *kolməs maybe *kŭm "3" < *kOlmɜ	exceptions etc. *tumə "oak" < *tåmmə?
o → ŭ / _p_ *pul ~ *pŭl "knee" < *polwə? *kŭp "mold" < *koppə *kŭwə "bark" < *kopa *kŭwəlćə "grouse hen" < *koppala maybe *ŭrweźə "youngster" < *orpa-? maybe *lŭp "wet" < *lOppa maybe *lŭpə "fallen tree" ~ K. *lɤɤp, H. laap, Ms. *luupɤɤ	exceptions etc. *puləš "shoulder" ~ Mo. *pulə "tail" *pü "boy" < *pojə; umlauted to *ë? (cf. Ugric) *pučə ~ *püčə "reindeer" < *poča; later IE loan?! *šuwəš "sack" ~ P. *śepɨs (vowel mismatch) *upšə "hat" ~ P. *uźɨ (medial mismatch)
o > ŭ / w_ *wŭče- "to wait" < *woča- *ŭrɣe- "to sew", wŭrɣəm "cloth" < *worka- *wŭža "price" < *wosa-	exceptions etc.

The development of *ð, *ðʲ, *t

*ð- > l- *lepə "spleen" < *ðäpðä (*läpðä?)	*ðʲ- > l- *leŋəš "bucket" < *ðʲäŋɜsɜ *lom "bird cherry" < *ðʲëmə /loɣe-/ "to push" < *ðʲokka- ? /lümö/ "glue" (which dialect?) < *ðʲümä	*t- > t- [abundant examples, not included]
*-ð- → ∅ *om "sleep" < *að(ə)ma *kooe- "to weave" < *kuða- *lepə "spleen" < *ðäpðä (*läpðä?) *šooe "duck" < *śoðka *šüm "hart" < *šêðäm(ə) *weem "marrow" < *wiðəm(ə)	-ðʲə → ∅ *šü(j) "coal" < *śüðʲə (or *śüðə) *u "new" < *wuðʲə	*-t- → ∅ (*müj "honey" < *metə; or better ~ Kh. *määɣ)
(no examples of *ð → ð/t!)	*-ðʲa → -ð- *koðe- "to leave" < *kaðʲa- *šuðe- "to curse" < *śoðʲa- possibly also: *kŭðaša- "to take off" < *koðʲɜ- *mooðə "berry" < ? *meðʲɜ *šoðə "lung" ~ K. šɤĺ (or ~ S. *sōvtē?)	*-ta → -ð- *jaða- "to ask" < *jata- *lööðə "" < *rita *nuðə "younger sis-in-law" < *nato *kuðə "house" < *kota *laðə "" < *latu *šü̆ðəkš "" < *sitoks (West only, *ð/*ðʲ also poss.) *wiðe- "to lead" < *wetä- *wüðe- "" < *wetä- "sow" *piðə- "to bind" ~ H fűz- "id." *šüð-ər "axle" < *sëtə *šüðə "100" ← IE *waðar "udder" ← IE (independantly of FMo *uTar)
	*-ðʲ- → -t possibly: *kot "time" < *koð⁽ʲ⁾wa (or *-tw-)	*-tə → -t *kit "hand" < *kätə *wü̆t "water" < *wetə *jü̆t "" < *jEti *kut "6" < #kuxti
		*-ta → -t *pat "pot" < *pata *wat "fishing line" < *wata rot "brittle" < *rotV

Exceptions: *kəl "handle" < *käwðə "rope", probably from Permic (note also irregular *ə)