Phonetic change "f → h" in Spanish

The phonetic sound change /f/ → [h], followed by a phonemic restructuring resulting in the complete loss of the sound (/f/ > /Ø/), represents a significant development in the phonological history of the Spanish language. This change is also observed in various Romance languages, including Gascon, Aromanian, Moldavian, and Transylvanian Romanian, as well as sporadically in other Romance languages. Under specific phonological conditions, the initial Latin /f/ evolved to [h], which eventually disappeared in standard Spanish. However, its pronunciation persists in some words across certain dialects, particularly in parts of Andalusia, Extremadura, and Latin America. It is also maintained in transitional dialects such as Cantabro and Extremaduran. An example of this phenomenon is the Latin word FARĪNA, which evolved to /aˈrina/ in Spanish (with the <h> retained in the spelling harina) compared to the Italian /faˈrina/ for "flour").

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