Vowels rearrange to an 8 vowel system eliminating length distinction.
- /i, iː/ and /u, uː/ merge.
- /ä/ becomes /æ/, and /äː/ becomes /ɑ/
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The 3-Umlauts rearrange the vowel system
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i-umlaut affects /æ/, /ɑ/, /ɔ/, /o/, /u/
- /æ/ > /ɛ/
- /ɑ/ > /æ/
- /ɔ/ > /œ/
- /o/ > /ø/
- /u/ > /y/
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a-umlaut affects /ɛ/, /e/, /u/
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u-umlaut affects /ɑ/, /æ/, /ɛ/, /e/, /i/
- /æ/ > /ä/
- /ɑ/ > /ɔ/
- /ɛ/ > /œ/
- /e/ > /ø/
- /i/ > /y/
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/i/ and /u/ diphthongise in open syllables
- /i/ > /əi/ > /ɛi/
- /u/ > /əu/ > /ɔu/
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/e/ and /o/ close in open syllables
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/e/ and /ɛ/, and /o/ and /ɔ/ merge in closed syllables
- /e, ɛ/ > /e/
- /o, ɔ/ > /o/
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/ɑ/ rounds triggering a slight raising in /ɔ/
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All front rounded vowels become centralised
- The distinction between these two is preserved in some dialects.
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