Features of the evolution of the vowels of the first syllable of Finno-Ugric stem in the Mordovian languages

Abstract

The phonetic system is one of the most important aspects of the language. The study of the structure and features of this system allows tracing both the current state and the history of the development of a language. The development of the phonetic structure of Finno-Ugric word stem in Mordovian languages is considered with the help of a comparative and historical method. The system of vowels of the first syllable in the words of modern Mordovian languages is compared with the reconstructed forms of the stem, which go back to the Finno-Ugric pro-linguistic unity (Uralic, Finno-Ugric, Finno-Permian and Finno-Volga) and their etymological correspondences in the Finnish and Estonian languages. The article presents an analysis of the evolution of vowels of the first syllable of the Finno-Ugric word in Mordovian (Moksha and Erzya) languages. On the basis of the achievements of modern Finno-Ugric studies, phonetic processes are observed in the field of vowels of the first syllable that transformed the primary basis of the word. The description of the features of the vocalism of the first syllable in Mordovian languages is carried out in terms of comparison with the reconstructed forms of the Finno-Ugric original language and comparison with etymological correspondences in the Finnish and Estonian languages. A comparative analysis of the vowel system of the first syllable of the Finno-Ugric word stem in modern Mordovian languages with their etymological correspondences in the Finnish and Estonian languages allowed us to detect phonetic processes that changed the structure of some languages. In some cases, these are minor changes, while in other cases, they are rather significant.