Slavic First Palatalization - Dating

Dating

The results of the first palatalization were the same in all Slavic languages, which shows that it was probably conducted before the migration of Slavs in their historical settlements, and that means probably before 500 CE. As it was mentioned, it also operated on Gothic borrowings which were probably borrowed before or not long after the fall of Gothic Empire by the Huns in 375 CE. This all shows that it operated throughout the 5th century.

Further evidence on that date are the toponymy and the hydronymy of the upper Dnieper river which Slavs colonized probably in the latter half of the 5th century. Before their arrival, that region was populated by the Baltic speakers, and the Baltic river names such as Vilkesà, Akesa, Laukesà and Merkys yielded Russian equivalents Volčesa, Očesa, Lučesa, and Mereč'. This shows that the palatalization was operable in the latter half of the 5th century.

By the time Slavs reached the south of Greece and the Adriatic coastline, in the 6th and the 7th century, palatalization was no longer operable. That can be seen from the fact that Slavic words were borrowed into Middle Greek in palatalized form, and also from the fact that Romance toponyms on the Adriatic undergo the second, not the first palatalization.

On the basis of this data, and on the basis of the fact that for the sound change to be complete at least three generations are needed, i.e. ca 75 years, Arnošt Lemprecht concluded that that palatalization operated approximately 400-475 CE, ±25 years.