The change cluster Consonat+L > Consonant+R in
Portuguese is not normal. It occurs in anomalous conditions:
BL- > L- eg: Latin blastimare > Port.
lastimar "to lament"; but Latin blancus > Port. branco
GL- > L- eg: Latin glattire > Port.
latir "to bark"
PL- > CH- (spelled sh) eg: Latin plorare >
Port. chorar "to cry"; but Latin platta > Port prata "silver"
FL- CH- eg: Latin flamma > Porto chama "flame";
but Latin flaccu > Port fraco "weak"
CL- > CH eg: Latin clavis > Port. chave
"key"; but Latin clavu > Port cravo "horseshoe nail"
-cl- > -lh- (palatal L) Latin ovicula >
Port ovelha "ewe"
So compare the variants:
Latin plicare > Portuguese
pregar "to nail" and chegar "to
arrive"
Latin regula /*regla > Portuguese
regua "ruler", regra "rule" and
relha.
Latin macula > Portuguese magoa
"grief", malha "spot" and mancha "spot"
(<*ma(n)cula)
Joao SL
Rio de Janeiro
Other "Portugoid" features include the
replacement of /l/ with /r/ in clusters, as in praza
'square', branco 'white' or igrexa 'church'
(cf. Castilian iglesia, Portuguese
igreja).
Piotr