View Message

Re palatalization: needs an explanation. The sound is actually retroflex, but retroflex sibilant in most of north India has moved over either to a velar sound (in a few conjuncts) or a palatal (and the phonological contrast between retroflex and palatal sibilants has thereby been lost). In East India, the process proceeds and only one sibilant is heard, which is either dental or palatal depending on the dialect, but in the west a two way: palatal/dental distinction remains.