Proto-Samic

Vowel changes

Possibly original Proto-Uralic: *e → *ɪ / _i (see *ê)

Shared with Mordvinic & Nenets (!!)

• *ü → *i
• *i u → *ɪ *ʊ (*iː *uː remain)

Remainder

• V → Vː / [-HIGH]
• a-umlaut: *eː *äː *oː → *ea *aa *oa / _C{aː, oː} (note that this *aː = <á> is distinct from *ɑː!)
• *äː *ɑː → *eː *oː (shared with Finnic) / [+STR]
• *aː → *eː / [-STR]
• *ɪ *ʊ → *ɤ *o (a late change - consider eg the northern Lappland toponym*ɤnárɤš → Finnish Inari)

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This results in the following inventory:

• long vowels */iː eː ea aː oa oː uː/ <í é ea á oa ó ú>
• short vowels */ɤ o/ <ë o>

The shortening of *iː *uː → *i *u and the diphthongization *eː *oː → *ie *uo may postdate Proto-Samic.

Consonant changes

Proto-Uralic to Pre-Samic (≈ "Finno-Volgaic")

• Vx → Vː / _C
• w → ∅ / _{y u o} (shared with Finnic, Mordvinic, Mari)
• j → ∅ / _{i e} (not sure about this)

Pre-Samic to Proto-Samic

• x, ŋ → *w / _t (*xt only occurring in newer derivativs)
• x → k
• ðʲ → ð (also lʲ → l, if it exists separately)
• sʲ <ś> → tɕ <č>
• tʃ ʃ <č š> → ts s <c s>
• ∅ → j / #_eː
• ∅ → v / #_oː (these after the splitting off of *oa *ea)
• w → v (even syllable-finally)