Editing Samogitian language (section)

== Phonology ==
Samogitian and its subdialects preserved many features of the Curonian language, for example:
*widening of proto Baltic short ''i'' (i → ė sometimes e)
*widening of proto Baltic short ''u'' (u → o)
*preservation of West Baltic diphthong ''ei'' (standard Lithuanian {{lang|mis|ie}} → Samogitian ''ėi'')
*no t' d' palatalization to č dž (Latvian š, ž)
*specific lexis, like cīrulis (lark), pīle (duck), leitis (Lithuanian) etc.
*retraction of stress
*shortening of ending -as to -s like in [[Latvian language|Latvian]] and [[Old Prussian]] ([[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] [[o-stem]])
as well as various other features not listed here.

The earliest writings in Samogitian language appeared in the 16th century ([[Catechism of Martynas Mažvydas]] has been written mostly in south Samogtian dialect), more in 18th century (starting with "Ziwatas Pona Yr Diewa Musu Jezusa Christusa" written in 1759 in north Samogitian dialect).

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
! colspan=2|[[Front vowel|Front]]
! colspan=2|[[Central vowel|Central]]
! colspan=3|[[Back vowel|Back]]
|- align=center
![[Close vowel|High]]
| {{IPA link|i}} || {{IPA link|ɪ}} || colspan=2| || rowspan="2" | ({{IPA link|ɤ}})|| colspan=2|{{IPA link|u}}
|- align=center
![[Mid vowel|Mid]]
| {{IPA link|e}} || {{IPA link|e̞}} || colspan=2| || {{IPA link|ɔ}} || {{IPA link|o}}
|- align=center
![[Open vowel|Low]]
| {{IPA link|æ}} || {{IPA link|ɛ}} || {{IPA link|ɐ}} || {{IPA link|ä|a}} || colspan=3|
|}

({{IPA link|ɤ}}) ė may be retracted in some sub-dialects to form ({{IPA link|ɤ}}) represented by the letter õ. Tėkrus → tõkrus, lėngvus → lõngvus, tėn → tõn. The vowel can be realized as close-mid central [ɘ] or close-mid back [ɤ], depending on the speaker.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|- 
! colspan="2" |
! [[Labial consonant|Labial]]
! [[Dental consonant|Dental]]/<br/>[[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
! [[Postalveolar consonant|Postalveolar]]/<br/>[[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
! [[Velar consonant|Velar]]
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
| {{IPA link|m}}
| {{IPA link|n̪|n}}
| {{IPA link|ɲ}}
|
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Stop consonant|Stop]]
! {{small|voiceless}}
| {{IPA link|p}}
| {{IPA link|t̪|t}}
| {{IPA link|c}}
| {{IPA link|k}}
|-
! {{small|voiced}}
| {{IPA link|b}}
| {{IPA link|d̪|d}}
| {{IPA link|ɟ}}
| {{IPA link|ɡ}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Affricate consonant|Affricate]]
! {{small|voiceless}}
|
| {{IPA link|t̪͡s̪|t͡s}}
| {{IPA link|t͡ʃ}}
|
|-
! {{small|voiced}}
|
| {{IPA link|d̪͡z̪|d͡z}}
| {{IPA link|d͡ʒ}}
|
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
! {{small|voiceless}}
| ({{IPA link|f}})
| {{IPA link|s̪|s}}
| {{IPA link|ʃ}}
| ({{IPA link|x}})
|-
! {{small|voiced}}
| {{IPA link|v}}
| {{IPA link|z̪|z}}
| {{IPA link|ʒ}}
| ({{IPA link|ɣ}})
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
|
| {{IPA link|l̪|l}}
| {{IPA link|ʎ}}
|
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Trill consonant|Trill]]
|
| {{IPA link|r}}
|
|
|}