Proto-Hlou-Shum

[To order...]

Spirantization

• /pʰ tʰ ŧʰ kʰ qʰ/ > /ɸ θ ʃ x χ/

Radicalization of Uvulars

• /q ʁ χ/ > /ʡ ʕ ħ/

Vowel changes

• Radical-coloring: /e i o u y/ > /a e a o e/ _C[+radical]
• /ēj/ > /ie/
• /oj uj/ > /y/, /ōj ūj/ > /ȳ/ / _C

(De)labialization

• /*çCw/ > /vC/ # V_V
• /w/ > /v/ / otherwise

Contraction/loss of final vowels

• /a e i o u y/ > Ø / _#
• /ā ē ī ō ū ȳ/ > /a e i o u y/ / _#
• /ajV ejV/ (V short) > /ai ei/ _#
• /ēh/ > /ie/ _#
• /ēj, ējh/ > /i/ or /ie/ _#

Word-final compensatory lengthening

• /e i o u y ē ī ō ū ȳ/ > /ā ie ā ua ȳ ā ē ā ua ē/ _/ħ ʡ/# and /ħ ʡ/ > Ø _#
• /a e i o u/ > /ā ē ī ō ū/ _h#, h > Ø _#

Medial vowel contraction and loss of /w j h ʔ/

• /*ahu *aju/ > /*au/, /*ahi *aji/ > /*ai/

Miscellaneous coloring

• /*u *ū/ > /*y *ȳ/ _C[+coronal], sometimes when occuring after the downstep

Tone correspondences

• *-ʔ: downstep alternates between the internal syllable and the ending
• no *-ʔ: downstep is fixed

2ndary rhotacization

/z/ > /r/ / _C[+voiced, not /z/]