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did my best to clarify the Q, the OP is unreponsive to comments.
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Cascabel_StandWithUkraine_
Cascabel_StandWithUkraine_
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I was looking up "seesaw" on Wiktionary"seesaw" on Wiktionary , and I noticed all their examples of ablaut reduplication "such as teeter-totter, zigzag, flip-flop, ping pong, etc." have "ee" or "i" in the first word, replaced by "o" or "a" in the second word:

  • seesaw
  • teeter-totter
  • zigzag
  • flip-flop
  • ping pong
  • sing-song
  • kitty-cat

Is there a process by which this kind of reduplication that involves only a vowel change ensures that the first vowel is front/close and the second vowel is back/open?

I was looking up "seesaw" on Wiktionary, and I noticed all their examples of reduplication "such as teeter-totter, zigzag, flip-flop, ping pong, etc." have "ee" or "i" in the first word, replaced by "o" or "a" in the second word:

  • seesaw
  • teeter-totter
  • zigzag
  • flip-flop
  • ping pong
  • sing-song
  • kitty-cat

Is there a process by which reduplication that involves only a vowel change ensures that the first vowel is front/close and the second vowel is back/open?

I was looking up "seesaw" on Wiktionary , and I noticed all their examples of ablaut reduplication "such as teeter-totter, zigzag, flip-flop, ping pong, etc." have "ee" or "i" in the first word, replaced by "o" or "a" in the second word:

  • seesaw
  • teeter-totter
  • zigzag
  • flip-flop
  • ping pong
  • sing-song
  • kitty-cat

Is there a process by which this kind of reduplication that involves only a vowel change ensures that the first vowel is front/close and the second vowel is back/open?

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CJ Dennis
CJ Dennis
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Does reduplication always place the front/close vowel before the back/open vowel?

I was looking up "seesaw" on Wiktionary, and I noticed all their examples of reduplication "such as teeter-totter, zigzag, flip-flop, ping pong, etc." have "ee" or "i" in the first word, replaced by "o" or "a" in the second word:

  • seesaw
  • teeter-totter
  • zigzag
  • flip-flop
  • ping pong
  • sing-song
  • kitty-cat

Is there a process by which reduplication that involves only a vowel change ensures that the first vowel is front/close and the second vowel is back/open?