Devocalization

/ˌdiːˌvoʊkəlɪˈzeɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The removal or loss of vowel sounds from words or speech, either as a linguistic process or a medical procedure.

Etymology

From de- + vocalization, the noun form describing the action or result of devokalizing. It combines Latin roots with English morphology.

Kelly Says

In some African languages, tone is so important that devokalizing actually preserves meaning—the pitch pattern carries all the information you need without the vowels!

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