Editing Consonant gradation (section)

==Historical connections==
There is no consensus view on the ultimate origin of consonant gradation in the Uralic languages. Three broad positions may be distinguished:<ref>{{cite book|author-first=Paavo|author-last=Ravila|author-link=Paavo Ravila|chapter=Kantakieli kielihistorian peruskäsitteenä|orig-year=1959|title=Nykysuomen rakenne ja kehitys|pages=27–38|editor1-first=Heikki|editor1-last=Paunonen|editor2-first=Päivi|editor2-last=Rintala|year=1984|publisher=[[Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura]]|isbn=951-717-360-1}}</ref>
* Gradation in Finnic, Samic and Samoyedic are all connected to one another.
* Gradation in Finnic and Samic are connected; gradation in Samoyedic is an unrelated phenomenon.
* There is no connection between gradation in any of the three language groups, and the similarities are accidental.

In all three groups, consonant gradation has the same conditioning, the distinction between open and closed syllables. In this light, and in the absence of any evidence of the same system having existed in any unrelated language in the world, Helimski (1995) has argued that the latter two options should be rejected as implausible.<ref name="EH95"/>

If a connection exists, it is also disputed what its nature may be, again allowing for three broad positions:
* Gradation is common inheritance (from either Proto-Uralic or Proto-Finno-Samic).
* Gradation is an areal phenomenon that has developed through [[language contact]].
* Gradation has developed independently in Finnic, Samic, and Samoyedic, based on a set of common [[wiktionary:precondition|precondition]]s inherited from Proto-Uralic.
The great geographical distance between the Finnic and Samic peoples on one hand, and the Nganasans on the other, leads Helimski to reject the second option of these.