peívají

Peívají is a term used in some linguistic discussions to describe a hypothetical morphophonological pattern in which the vowel of a suffix interacts with the stem vowel to produce systematic alternations across a word boundary. In this usage, a suffix that begins with a vowel can influence the quality or quantity of the stem vowel, leading to patterns reminiscent of vowel harmony or vowel raising across morpheme boundaries. The exact formulation of peívají varies among authors, but the core idea is the cross-boundary influence of suffixal vowels on the preceding stem.

The term is not part of established phonology; it appears mostly in introductory texts, online discussions, and certain speculative scenarios used to teach morphophonology. It is often presented as a thought experiment or illustrative shorthand rather than a widely adopted technical category. Consequently, definitions and examples differ across sources, and the term may be considered informal or provisional.

As an illustrative device, peívají helps describe how suffixal vowels can trigger systematic changes in stem vowels, a phenomenon related to morphophonology and vowel harmony. Real-world languages exhibit analogous processes, such as suffix-initiated vowel alternations or epenthetic adjustments, though the specific pattern labeled peívají is not widely documented as a formal typology. See also: vowel harmony, morphophonology, epenthesis.