'non-palatalization' originates from English, specifically the prefix 'non-' + the noun 'palatalization', where 'non-' meant 'not' and 'palatalization' meant 'the process of becoming palatal (related to the palate)'.

'palatalization' ultimately derives from Latin 'palatum' meaning 'palate'; from this developed the adjective 'palatal' in English (via Medieval/Modern Latin and French influence), then the verb 'palatalize' and the noun-forming suffix '-ation' produced 'palatalization'; English then formed the negated compound 'non-palatalization'.

Initially related to the physical 'palate' ('palatum'), the term came to denote a phonetic process ('to become palatal') and now 'non-palatalization' specifically denotes the absence or prevention of that phonetic change.