This article describes the sound changes from Proto-Nautli to Ancient Ljen. The stages are named for the most distinguishable sound changes taking place in that time.
Emergence of penultimate fixed stress[]
σ → σ́ /_σ#
Lenition between Unstressed Vowels I[]
ɮ → l
ɻ → w
{p t k kʷ s l} → {f s x xʷ h j}/V̀_V̀
{pˤ tˤ sˤ lˤ} → {fˤ sˤ ʕ jˤ}/V̀_V̀
V → Ṽ /σ̀_][Nσ̀
{n ŋ ŋʷ} → {z ɣ ɣʷ}/V̀_V̀
{nˤ} → {zˤ}/V̀_V̀
Lowering of high lax vowels and merger of non-high non-back lax vowels[]
{ɪ ʊ ɪ̃ ʊ̃} → {e o ẽ õ}
{ɛ ɐ}→ æ
{ɛ̃ ɐ̃}→ æ̃
Word final Vowel Deletion[]
V → ∅/VC_#
Palatalization of Consonants before Front Vowels[]
{p t k n s l} → {pʲ tʲ kʲ nʲ sʲ lʲ}/_{i,e,æ}
Lenition between Unstressed Vowels II[]
{h z ɣ j} → ∅/V̀_V̀
{f s x} → h/V̀_V̀
{fˤ sˤ zˤ jˤ} → ʕ/V̀_V̀
{xʷ ɣʷ} → w/V̀_V̀
{æ æ̃ }→ {ɛ ɛ̃ }
Loss of Pharyngealization and Retroflexes, Labialization of Vowels[]
Cˤ → C
{ʈ ʂ} → {t s}
{i e ɛ a ĩ ẽ ɛ̃ ã} → {u o ɔ ɔ ũ õ ɔ̃ ɔ̃}/{Cʷ,w}_
w → ∅ /_{u,o,ɔ,ɔ,ũ,õ,ɔ̃,ɔ̃} Cʷ → C /_{u,o,ɔ,ɔ,ũ,õ,ɔ̃,ɔ̃}