vowel change

27. Quantitative Vowel Gradation.– In the formation and inflection of words a short vowel often interchanges with its corresponding long vowel. Thus

28. Difference in quantity between Attic and Epic words is due chiefly either to (1) metrical lengthening, or to (2) different phonetic treatment, as καλϜός, τίνϜω become Epic κᾱλός fair, τί̄νω I pay (37 D. 1), Attic κᾰλός, τῐ́νω.

29. The initial short vowel of a word forming the second part of a compound is often lengthened: στρατηγός general (στρατός army + ἄγειν to lead 887 d).

30. Attic η, ᾱ. – Attic has η for original ᾱ of the earlier period, as φήμη report (Lat. fama). Ionic also has η for original ᾱ.  Doric and Aeolic retain original ᾱ (φά̄μᾱ).

¹⁵

a. This is true also of the ᾱ which is the result of early compensative lengthening, by which -ανς-, -ασλ-, -ασμ-, and -ασν- changed to -ᾱσ-, -ᾱλ-, -ᾱμ-, and -ᾱν-.  (See 37 b.) But in a few cases like τά̄ς for τάνς, and in πᾶσα for πάνσα (113) where the combination ανς arose at a later period, ᾱ was not changed to η. ὑφᾶναι for ὑφῆναι to weave follows τετρᾶναι to pierce.

b. Original ᾱ became η after υ, as φυή.  In some words, however, we find ᾱ.

31. In Attic alone this η was changed back to ᾱ:

1. When preceded by a ρ; as ἡμέρᾱ day, χωρᾱ country. This appears to have taken place even though an ο intervened: as ἀκρόᾱμα a musical piece, ἀθρόᾱ collected.

EXCEPTIONS: (a) But ρϜη was changed to ρη:  as κόρη for κορϜη  maiden. (b) Likewise ρη, when the result of contraction of ρεα, remained: as ὄρη from ὄρεα mountains. (c) And ρση was changed to ρρη:  as κόρρη for κόρση (79) one of the temples.

2. When preceded by ε or ι:  as γενέᾱ generation, σκιά̄ shadow.

This change takes place even when the η is the result of the contraction of εα:  as ὑγιᾶ healthy, ἐνδεᾶ lacking, for ὑγιῆ from ὑγιε(σ)α, ἐνδεῆ from ἐνδεε(σ)α; also, if originally a Ϝ intervened, as νέᾱ for νεϜᾱ young (Lat. nova).

EXCEPTIONS: Some exceptions are due to analogy: ὑγιῆ healthy, εὐφυῆ shapely (292 d) follow σαφῆ clear.

32. In the choruses of tragedy Doric ᾱ is often used for η.  Thus, μά̄τηρ mother, ψῡχά̄ soul, γᾶ earth, δῡστᾱνος wretched, ἔβᾱν went.

33. The dialects frequently show vowel sounds that do not occur in the corresponding Attic words.

34. Transfer of Quantity. – ηο, ηα often exchange quantities, becoming εω, εᾱ. Thus, ληός (Epic λᾱός folk) becomes λεώς, as πόληος becomes πόλεως of a city; τεθνηότος τεθνεῶτος dead; βασιλῆα βασιλέᾱ king.

35. Qualitative Vowel Gradation. – In the same root or suffix we find an interchange among different vowels (and diphthongs) similar to the interchange in sing, sang, sung.

¹⁶

a. This variation appears in strong grades and in a weak grade (including actual expulsion of a vowel – in diphthongs, of the first vowel). Thus, φέρ-ω I carry, φόρ-ο-ς tribute, φώρ thief, φαρ-έ-τρᾱ quiver, δι-φρ-ο-ς chariot (twocarrier), λείπ-ω I leave, λέ-λοιπ-α I have left, λιπ-εῖν to leave. The interchange is quantitative in φόρ-ο-ς φώρ (cp. 27).

b. When, by the expulsion of a vowel in the weak grade, an unpronounceable combination of consonants resulted, a vowel sound was developed to render pronunciation possible. Thus, ρα or αρ was developed from ρ between consonants, as in πα-τρά-σι from πατρ̮-σι (262); and α from ν, as in αὐτό-μα-το-ν for αὐτο-μν-τον automaton (acting of its own will), cp. μέν-ο-ς rage, μέ-μον-α I yearn. So in ὀνομαίνω name for ὀνομ̥-ι̯ω; cp. ὄνομα.

c. A vowel may also take the place of an original liquid or nasal after a consonant; as ἔλῡσα for ἐλυσμ̥.  This ρ, λ, μ, ν in b and c is called sonant liquid or sonant nasal.

36.                                    table of the chief vowel grades

COMPENSATORY LENGTHENING

37. Compensatory lengthening is the lengthening of a short vowel to make up for the omission of a consonant.

¹⁷

a. Thus are formed κτείνω I kill for κτεν-ι̯ω, φθειρω I destroy for φθερ-ι̯ω, δότειρα giver for δοτερ-ι̯α, κλί̄νω I lean for κλιν-ι̯ω, ὀλοφύ̄ρω I lament for ὀλοφυρ-ι̯ω.

b. α becomes η in the σ- aorist of verbs whose stems end in λ, ρ, or ν, when not preceded by ι or ρ.  Thus, φαν-σα becomes έ-φηνα I showed, but περαν-σα becomes ἐπέρᾱνα I finished. So σελήϜη moon for σελας-νη (σέλας gleam).

c. The diphthongs ει and ου due to this lengthening are spurious (6).

38.  ᾱ arises from  αι upon the loss of its  ι (43) in ἀ̄εί always (from αἰεί), ἀ̄ετός eagle (αἰετός), κλά̄ει weeps (κλαίει), ἐλά̄ᾱ olive-tree (ἐλαία, cp. Lat. oliva).

a. This change took place only when αι was followed by Ϝ (αἰϜει, αἰϜετός from ἀϜιετος, κλαιϜει from κλαϜιει, 111, 128) or ι (Θηβᾱίς the Thebaïd from Θηβαιίς); and only when Ϝ or ι was not followed by ο.

SHORTENING, ADDITION, AND OTHER VOWEL CHANGES

39. Shortening. – A long vowel may be shortened before another long vowel: βασιλέων from βασιλήων of kings, νεῶν from νηῶν of ships, τεθνεώς from τεθνηώς dead.

40. A long vowel before ι, υ, a nasal, or a liquid + a following consonant was regularly shortened:  νᾰῦς from original νᾱυς ship, ἐμίγεν from ἐ-μιγη-ντ were mixed. The long vowel was often introduced again, as Ion. νηῦς ship.

41. Addition. – α, ε, ο are sometimes prefixed before  λ, μ, ρ, Ϝ (prothetic vowels). Thus,  ἀ-λείφω anoint with oil,  λίπος fat; ἐ-ρυθρός red (cp. Lat. ruber), ἐ-είκοσι from ἐ-(Ϝ)είκοσι; ὀ-μόρνῡμι �-(wipe; ἐ-χθές and χθές yesterday, ἴ-κτις weasel (κτιδέη weasel-skin helmet) are doubtful cases.

42. Development. – A medial vowel is sometimes developed from λ or ν between two consonants; thus αλ, λα; αρ, ρα; αν (35 b). Also (rarely) in forms like Ion. βάραγχος = Att. βράγχος hoarseness.

¹⁸

43. Disappearance. – The ι and υ of diphthongs often disappear before a following vowel. Thus, ὑός from υἱός son, βο-ος genitive of βοῦ-ς ox, cow.  ι and υ here became semivowels (ι̯, υ̯), which are not written. Cp. 148 D. 3.

44. a. The disappearance of ε before a vowel is often called hyphaeresis (ὑφαίρεσις omission). Thus Ionic νοσσός chick for νεοσσός, ὁρτή for ἑορτή festival; ἀδεῶς fearlessly for ἀδειως.  Here ε was sounded nearly like y and was not written.

b. The disappearance of a short vowel between consonants is called syncope συγκοπή cutting up). Thus πί̄πτω fall for πι-πετ-ω, πατρός father for πατέρος.  Syncopated forms show the weak grade of vowel gradation (35, 36).

45. Assimilation. – A vowel may be assimilated to the vowel standing in the following syllable:  βιβλίον book from βυβλίον (βύβλος papyrus).

a. On assimilation in distracted verbs (ὁρόω see, etc.), see 643 ff., 652.

EUPHONY OF VOWELS

contract of vowels and hiatus

46. Attic more than any other dialect disliked the immediate succession of two vowel sounds in adjoining syllables. To avoid such succession, which often arose in the formation and inflection of words, various means were employed: contraction (48 ff.), when the vowels collided in the middle of a word; or, when the succession occurred between two words (hiatus), by crasis (62 ff.), elision (70 ff.), aphaeresis (76), or by affixing a movable consonant at the end of the former word (134).

47. Hiatus is usually avoided in prose writers by elision (70 ff.); but in cases where elision is not possible, hiatus is allowed to remain by different writers in different degrees, commonly after short words, such as ὦ, εἰ, ἤ, καί, μή, and the forms of the article.

¹⁹

contraction

48. Contraction unites in a single long vowel or diphthong two vowels or a vowel and a diphthong standing next each other in successive syllables in the same word.

a. Occasion for contraction is made especially by the concurrence of vowel sounds which were once separated by σ, υ̯, (Ϝ), and ι ̯(17, 20 a).

The following are the chief rules governing contraction:

49. (I) Two vowels which can form a diphthong (5) unite to form that diphthong: γένεϊ = γένει, αἰδόϊ = αἰδοῖ, κλήϊθρον = κλῃθρον.

50. (II) Like Vowels. – Like vowels, whether short or long, unite in the common long; εε, οο become ει, ου (6): γέραα = γέρᾶ, φιλετητε = φιλῆτε; ἐφίλεε = ἐφίλει, δηλάομεν = δηλοῦμεν.

a. ι is rarely contracted with ι (ὀφι + ιδιον = ὀφί ^̄διον small snake) or υ with υ (ὕ^̄ς son in inscriptions, from ὑ(ι)ύς = υἱός, 43).

51. (III) Unlike Vowels. – Unlike vowels are assimilated, either the second to the first (progressive assimilation) or the first to the second (regressive assimilation).

a. An o sound always prevails over an a or e sound: ο or ω before or after α, and before η, forms ω. οε and εο form ου (a spurious diphthong, 6). Thus, τι¯μάομεν = τιμῶμεν, αἰδόα = αἰδῶ, ἥρωα = ἥρω, τι¯μάω = τι¯μῶ, δηλόητε = δηλῶτε; but φιλέομεν = φιλοῦμεν, δηλόετον = δηλοῦτον.

b. When α and ε or j come together the vowel sound that precedes prevails, and we have ᾱ or η : ὅραε = ὅρᾱ, τι¯μάητε = τί¯μᾶτε, ὄρεα = ὄρη.

c. υ rarely contracts: υ + ι = ῡ in ἰχθύ^̄διον from ἰχθυί¯διον from small fish;υ + ε strictly never becomes ῡ  (273).

52. (IV) Vowels and Diphthongs. – A vowel disappears before a diphthong beginning with the same sound: μνάαι = μναῖ, φιλέει = φιλεῖ, δηλόοι = δηλοῖ.

53. A vowel before a diphthong not beginning with the same sound generally contracts with the first vowel of the diphthong; the last vowel, if ι, is subscript (5): τι¯μόει = τι¯μᾷ τι¯μάοιμεν = τι¯μῷμεν, λείπεαι = λείπῃ, μεμνηοίμην = μεμῴμην.

a. But ε + οι becomes οι : δηλόει = δηλοῖ, δηλόῃ = δηλοῖ.

54. Spurious ει and ου are treated like ε and ο : τι¯μόειν = τι¯μᾶν, δηλόειν = δηλοῦν, τι¯μάουσι = τι¯μῶσι (but τι¯μάει = τι¯μᾷ and δηλόει = δηλοῖ, since ει is here genuine; 6).

²⁰

55. (V) Three Vowels. – When three vowels come together, the last two unite first, and the resulting diphthong may be contracted with the first vowel: thus, τι¯μᾷ is from τι¯μα-ῃ out of τι¯μα-ε(σ)αι; but Περικλέους from Περικλέεος.

56. Irregularities. – A short vowel preceding α or any long vowel or diphthong, in contracts of the first and second declensions, is apparently absorbed (235, 290): χρύ̄σεα = χρῡσᾶ (not χρῡσῆ), ἁπλόα = ἁπλᾶ (not ἁπλῶ), by analogy to the α which marks the neuter plural, χρῡσέαις = χρῡσαῖς.  ἡμέας = ἡμᾶς to show the -ας of the accus. pl.) Only in the singular of the first declension does εᾱ become η (or ᾱ after a vowel or ρ): χρῡσέας = χρῡσῆς, ἀργυρέᾳ = ἀργυρᾷ.  In the third declension εεα becomes εα (265); ιεα or υεα becomes ιᾱ (υᾱ) or ιη (υη). See 292 d.

Various special cases will be considered under their appropriate sections.

57. The contraction of a long vowel with a short vowel sometimes does not occur by reason of analogy. Thus, νηΐ (two syllables) follows νηός, the older form of νεώς (275). Sometimes the long vowel was shortened (39) or transfer of quantity took place (34).

58. Vowels that were once separated by σ or ι ̯ (20) are often not contracted in dissyllabic forms, but contracted in polysyllabic forms. Thus, θε(σ)ός god, but Θουκῡδίδης Thucydides (θεός, κῦδος glory).

59.

TABLE OF VOWEL CONTRACTIONS

[After ει or ου, gen. means genuine, sp. means spurious.]

²¹

N.– The forms of ῥι¯γόω shiver contract from the stem ῥι¯γω- (yielding ω or ῳ).