The palatal approximant and palatalization are phonologically distinct in Slavic languages
the verdict
INSUFFICIENT LEANING
refutedsupported
the weight of evidence
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Retrieved linguistic literature discusses palatalization and the palatal approximant in Slavic languages as related phonetic and phonological processes, but does not fully establish that they are phonologically distinct categories in the manner asserted.
Slavic languages more than any other languages contribute to the understanding of palatalization processes (see also CHAPTER 71: PALATALIZATION). The historical source language – Common Slavic – exhibited several different types of palatalization, and these are reflected in the phonology of its descendants. Palatalization can affect all consonants, producing changes that are either allophonic or phonemic. The determination of whether a change is allophonic or phonemic depends on the system of contrasts in a given language. Looking at /s z t d/ as examples, the identical outcomes have a different status in Russian and Polish. I call the type of palatalization exhibited in (1) Surface Palatalization. The environments are discussed in §2.
Iotation
In Slavic languages, iotation (/joʊˈteɪʃən/ yoh-TAY-shən or/ˌaɪ.oʊˈteɪʃən/ EYE-oh-TAY-shən) is a form of palatalization that occurs when a consonant comes into contact with the palatal approximant/j/ from the succeeding phoneme. The /j/ is represented by iota(ι) in the early Cyrillic alphabet and the Greek alphabet on which it is based. For example, ni in English onion has the sound of iotated n. Iotation is a phenomenon distinct from Slavic first palatalization in which only the front vowels are involved, but the final result is similar.
## Sound change
Iotation occurs when a labial (/m/, /b/), dental (/n/, /s/, /l/) or velar (/k/, /ɡ/, /x/) consonant comes into contact with an iotated vowel, i.e. one preceded by a palatal glide /j/. As a result, the consonant becomes partially or completely palatalized. In many Slavic languages, iotated consonants are called "soft" and the process of iotation is called "softening".
Iotation can result in a partial palatalization so the centre of the tongue is raised during, and sometimes after, the articulation of the consonant. There can also be a complete sound change to a palatal or alveolo-palatal consonant. This table summarizes
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