satem language group

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The satem language group is a classification within the Indo-European language family. This group is characterized by a specific historical sound change where Proto-Indo-European palatal stops evolved into palatal or alveolar fricatives. This distinction is exemplified by the word for "hundred" in Avestan, satəm, which gives the group its name.1

Languages in the satem group, such as Sanskrit, Iranian, and Slavic, contrast with the centum group, which includes languages like Latin and Greek. The satem languages are spoken primarily in Eastern Europe and parts of Asia. The Baltic languages, including Latvian and Lithuanian, are closely related to the satem languages.23

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Indo-European languages
Changes in phonology
…or affricates are known as “satem” languages, from the Avestan word satəm ‘hundred’ (Proto-Indo-European *kmtóm), which illustrates the change. The languages that preserve the palatal stops as k-like sounds are known as “centum” languages, from centum (/kentum/), the corresponding word in Latin. The satem languages are not geographically separated from…
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…or affricates are known as “satem” languages, from the Avestan word satəm ‘hundred’ (Proto-Indo-European *kmtóm), which illustrates the change. The languages that preserve the palatal stops as k-like sounds are known as “centum” languages, from centum (/kentum/), the corresponding word in Latin. The satem languages are not geographically separated from…
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linguistics
Proto-Indo-European reconstruction
…Slavic, and others—is called the satem (satəm) group. (The words centum and satem come from Latin and Iranian, respectively, and mean “hundred.” They exemplify, with their initial consonant, the two different treatments of the Proto-Indo-European simple velars.) Nowadays less importance is attached to the centum–satem distinction. But it is still…
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…Slavic, and others—is called the satem (satəm) group. (The words centum and satem come from Latin and Iranian, respectively, and mean “hundred.” They exemplify, with their initial consonant, the two different treatments of the Proto-Indo-European simple velars.) Nowadays less importance is attached to the centum–satem distinction. But it is still…
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Slavic languages
Innovations
…the eastern Indo-European languages (called satem languages) the same change of Indo-European palatal ḱ and ǵ sounds (consonants produced by bringing the blade, or front, of the tongue up to or toward the hard palate, as in English cue, argue) into spirants of the s and z type (for example,…
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…the eastern Indo-European languages (called satem languages) the same change of Indo-European palatal ḱ and ǵ sounds (consonants produced by bringing the blade, or front, of the tongue up to or toward the hard palate, as in English cue, argue) into spirants of the s and z type (for example,…
Read More