Editing Palatalization (phonetics) (section)

==Sound changes==
{{main|Palatalization (sound change)}}
In some languages, allophonic palatalization developed into phonemic palatalization by [[phonemic split]]. In other languages, phonemes that were originally phonetically palatalized changed further: palatal secondary place of articulation developed into changes in manner of articulation or primary place of articulation.

Phonetic palatalization of a consonant sometimes causes surrounding vowels to change by [[coarticulation]] or [[assimilation (linguistics)|assimilation]]. In Russian, "soft" (palatalized) consonants are usually followed by vowels that are relatively more [[front vowel|front]] (that is, closer to {{IPA|[i]}} or {{IPA|[y]}}), and vowels following "hard" (unpalatalized) consonants are further [[back vowel|back]]. See {{section link|Russian phonology|Allophony}} for more information.