Labiovelar loss and the rounding of syllabic liquids in Indo-Iranian

Abstract This paper analyzes and supports the claim that Vedic Sanskrit preserves traces of contrast between Indo-European labiovelars plain velars—a striking archaism in Indo-Iranian family, which otherwise collapsed two velar series. These labiovelar vestiges emerge because pervasive labialization syllabic consonantal rhotics at all attested stages family. Two rhotic environments are examined Indo-Aryan Iranian: after labial(ized) consonants or before syllables containing u w . Furthermore, this explains unexpected development bimoraic Proto-Indo-European * Ḷ μ H .C to trimoraic Ū μμ r by examining phonetic characteristics labializable rhotics.