Editing Xhosa language (section)

====Consonant changes with palatalisation====

[[Palatalization (sound change)|Palatalisation]] is a change that affects labial consonants whenever they are immediately followed by {{IPA|/j/}}. While palatalisation occurred historically, it is still productive, as is shown by palatalization before the passive suffix /-w/ and before diminutive suffix /-ana/. This process can skip rightwards to non-local syllables (i.e. uku-sebenz-is-el + wa -> ukusetyenziselwa "be used for"), but does not affect morpheme-initial consonants (i.e. uku-bhal+wa -> ukubhalwa "to be written", instead of illicit *ukujalwa). The palatalization process only applies once, as evidenced by ukuphuphumisa+wa -> ukuphuphunyiswa "to be made to overflow", instead of the illicit alternative, *ukuphutshunyiswa.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ List of consonant changes with palatalisation
! Original<br/>consonant
! Palatalised<br/>consonant
! Examples
|-
| {{IPA|p}}
| {{IPA|tʃ}}
| style="text-align: left;" |
*''uku-'' + ''kopa'' + ''-wa'' ''→ ukukotshwa'' [ukukot͡ʃʷa] (to be copied)
|-
| {{IPA|pʰ}}
| {{IPA|tʃʰ}}
| style="text-align: left;" |
*''uku-'' + ''phuph'' + ''-wa → ukuphutshwa'' [ukupʰut͡ʃʰʷa] (to be dreamt)
|-
| {{IPA|b̥ʱ}}
| {{IPA|d̥ʒʱ}}
| style="text-align: left;" |
*''uku- + gab + wa → ukugajwa'' [ukuga{{IPA|d̥ʒʱ}}ʷa] (to be thrown up)
|-
| {{IPA|ɓ}}
| {{IPA|t̠ʲ}}
| style="text-align: left;" |
* ''ubu-'' + ''-ala'' → ''utywala'' [ut̠ʲʷala] (alcohol)
*sebenz + -is + -el +wa -> setyenziselwa [set̠ʲenziselwa] (used for)
|-
| {{IPA|m}}
| {{IPA|n̠ʲ}}
| style="text-align: left;" |
*''uku-'' + ''zam + -wa → zanywa'' [ukuzan̠ʲʷa] (to be tried on)
|-
| {{IPA|mp}}
| {{IPA|ntʃ}}
| style="text-align: left;" |
*''uku-'' + ''krwemp'' + ''wa → ukukrwentshwa'' [ukukχʷ'ɛntʃʷa] (to be scratched)
|-
| {{IPA|mb̥ʱ}}
| {{IPA|nd̥ʒʱ}}
| style="text-align: left;" |
*''uku'' + ''bamb'' + ''wa'' ''→ ukubanjwa'' [ukuɓa{{IPA|nd̥ʒʱ}}ʷa] (to be caught)
|}