Relative chronology of a series of phonetic changes in Old Indo-Aryan clusters based on data from the Kullui language / Относительная хронология ряда фонетических изменений древнеиндийских кластеров на материале языка куллуи

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p> In this study I attempt to reconstruct the relative chronology of phonetic changes affecting Old Indo-Aryan consonant clusters in the Kullui language (Himachali). Analysis confirms the preservation of archaic clusters like those with <jats:italic>r</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>kṣ</jats:italic> , the latter shifting to <jats:italic>tʃʰ</jats:italic> independently from the Southern Indo-Aryan languages. The relative sequence of changes including <jats:italic>-</jats:italic> <jats:italic>mr- &gt; -mb-</jats:italic> , NT &gt; ND, and (limited) ND &gt; NN is examined. Bloch’s replication (anticipation) theory for <jats:italic>r</jats:italic> -metathesis is supported over Morgenstierne’s; the rule of assimilation of the second non-homorganic cluster is derived. Two potential chronological models for these shifts are proposed based on Kullui evidence. </jats:p>