CHAPTER II
THE PRIMITIVE GERMANIC EQUIVALENTS OF THE INDO-GERMANIC VOWEL-SOUNDS
§ 35. The parent Indo-Germanic language had the following vowel-system:—
| Short vowels | a, e, i, o, u, ǝ |
| Long„ | ā, ē, ī, ō, ū |
| Short diphthongs | ai, ei, oi, au, eu, ou |
| Long„ | āi, ēi, ōi, āu, ēu, ōu |
| Short vocalic | l, m, n, r |
Note.—1. The short vowels i, u, ǝ, the long vowels ī, ū, and vocalic l, m, n, r occurred originally only in syllables which did not bear the principal accent of the word.
The short vowels i, u, and vocalic l, m, n, r arose from the loss of e in the strong forms ei, eu, el, em, en, er, which was caused by the principal accent having been shifted to some other syllable in the word.
ǝ, the quality of which cannot be precisely defined, arose from the weakening of an original ā, ē, or ō, caused by the loss of accent. It is generally pronounced like the final vowel in German Gabe.
ī and ū were contractions of weak diphthongs which arose from the strong forms eiǝ, āi, ēi, ōi; euǝ, āu, ēu, ōu through the loss of accent. The e in eiǝ, euǝ had disappeared before the contraction took place. See § 32.
2. The long diphthongs āi, ēi, &c., were of rare occurrence in the parent language, and their history in the prehistoric period of the various branches of the Indo-Germanic languages, except when final, is still somewhat obscure. In stem-syllables they were generally either shortened to ai, ei, &c., or the second element (i, u) disappeared. In final syllables they were generally shortened to ai, ei, &c. In this book no further account will be taken of the Indg. long diphthongs in stem-syllables. For their treatment in final syllables in Primitive Germanic, see § 89.
3. Upon theoretical grounds it is generally assumed that the parent language contained long vocalic l, m, n, r. But their history in the various Indg. languages is still uncertain. In any case they were of very rare occurrence, and are therefore left out of consideration in this book.
§ 36. a (Lat. a, Gr. α) remained, as Lat. ager, Gr. ἀγρός, Skr. ájras, Goth. akrs, O.Icel. akr, OS. akkar, OHG. ackar, OE. æcer, field, acre; Gr. ἅλς, Lat. gen. salis, Goth. O.Icel. OS. salt, OHG. salz, OE. sealt, salt; Lat. aqua, Goth. aƕa, OS. OHG. aha, OE. ēa from *eahu, older *ahu, water, river; Lat. alius, Gr. ἄλλος, Goth. aljis, other.
§ 37. e (Lat. e, Gr. ε) remained, as Lat. ferō, Gr. φέρω, 18I bear, O.Icel. bera, OS. OHG. OE. beran, to bear; Lat. edō, Gr. ἔδομαι, Skr. ádmi, I eat, O.Icel. eta, OHG. eȥȥan, OS. OE. etan, to eat; Lat. pellis, Gr. πέλλα, OS. OHG. fel, OE. fell, skin, hide.
§ 38. i (Lat. i, Gr. ι) remained, as Gr. Hom. ϝίδμεν, Skr. vidmá, Goth. witum, O.Icel. vitum, OS. witun, OHG. wiȥȥum, OE. witon, we know, cp. Lat. vidēre, to see; Lat. piscis, Goth. fisks, O.Icel. fiskr, OS. fisk, OHG. OE. fisc, fish; Lat. vidua (adj. fem.), bereft of, deprived of, Goth. widuwō, OS. widowa, OHG. wituwa, OE. widewe, widow.
§ 39. o (Lat. o, Gr. ο) became a in stem-syllables, as Lat. octō, Gr. ὀκτώ, Goth. ahtáu, OS. OHG. ahto, OE. eahta, eight; Lat. hostis, stranger, enemy, Goth. gasts, OS. OHG. gast, OE. giest, guest; Lat. quod, Goth. ƕa, O.Icel. hvat, OS. hwat, OHG. hwaȥ, OE. hwæt, what; Skr. kás, who?
Note.—o remained later in unaccented syllables in prim. Germanic than in accented syllables, but became a in Gothic, as baíram = Gr. Doric φέρομες, we bear; baírand = Dor. φέροντι, they bear.
§ 40. u (Lat. u, Gr. υ) remained, as Gr. κυνός (gen. sing.), Goth. hunds, O.Icel. hundr, OHG. hunt, OS. OE. hund, dog, hound; Gr. θύρᾱ, OS. duri, OHG. turi, OE. duru, door; Skr. bu-budhimá, we watched, Gr. πέ-πυσται, he has inquired, Goth. budum, O.Icel. buðum, OS. budun, OHG. butum, OE. budon, we announced, offered.
§ 41. ǝ became a in all the Indo-Germanic languages, except in the Aryan branch, where it became i, as Lat. pater, Gr. πατήρ, O.Ir. athir, Goth. fadar, O.Icel. faðir, OS. fader, OHG. fater, OE. fæder, father, Skr. pitár- (from *pətér-), father; Lat. status, Gr. στατός, Skr. sthitás, standing, Goth. staþs, O.Icel. staðr, OS. stad, OHG. stat, OE. stede, prim. Germanic *stađiz, place.
§ 42. ā (Lat. ā, Gr. Doric ᾱ, Attic, Ionic η) became ō, as 19 Lat. māter, Gr. Dor. μᾱ́τηρ, O.Icel. mōðir, OS. mōdar, OHG. muoter, OE. mōdor, mother; Gr. Dor. φρᾱ́τηρ, member of a clan, Lat. frāter, Skr. bhrā́tar-, Goth. brōþar, O.Icel. brōðir, OS. brōthar, OHG. bruoder, OE. brōþor, brother; Lat. fāgus, beech, Gr. Dor. φᾱγός, a kind of oak, Goth. bōka, letter of the alphabet, O.Icel. OS. bōk, book, OE. bōc-trēow, beech-tree.
§ 43. ē (Lat. ē, Gr. η) remained, but it is generally written ǣ (= Goth. ē, O.Icel. OS. OHG. ā, OE. ǣ) in works on Germanic philology, as Lat. ēdimus, Skr. ādmá, Goth. ētum, O.Icel. ātum, OS. ātun, OHG. āȥum, OE. ǣton, we ate; Lat. mēnsis, Gr. μήν, month, Goth. mēna, O.Icel. māne, OS. OHG. māno, OE. mōna, moon; Goth. gadēþs, O.Icel. dāð, OS. dād, OHG. tāt, OE. dǣd, deed, related to Gr. θή-σω, I shall place.
§ 44. ī (Lat. ī, Gr. ῑ) remained, as Lat. su-īnus (adj.), belonging to a pig, Goth. swein, O.Icel. svīn, OS. OHG. OE. swīn, swine, pig; cp. Skr. nav-ī́nas, new; Lat. sīmus, OS. sīn, OHG. sīm, OE. sī-en, we may be; Lat. velīmus = Goth. wileima (§ 343).
§ 45. ō (Lat. ō, Gr. ω) remained, as Gr. πλωτός, swimming, Goth. flōdus, O.Icel. flōð, OHG. fluot, OS. OE. flōd, flood, tide, cp. Lat. plōrāre, to weep aloud; Gr. Dor. πώς, Skr. pā́t, Goth. fōtus, O.Icel. fōtr, OHG. fuoȥ, OS. OE. fōt, foot; Goth. dōms, O.Icel. dōmr, OHG. tuom, OS. OE. dōm, judgment, sentence, related to Gr. θωμός, heap; Lat. flōs, Goth. OE. blōma, OS. blōmo, OHG. bluoma, blossom, flower.
§ 46. ū (Lat. ū, Gr. ῡ) remained, as Lat. mūs, Gr. μῦς, Skr. mūṣ̌-, O.Icel. OHG. OE. mūs, mouse; Lat. sūs, Gr. -ὗς, OHG. OE. sū, sow, pig; Goth. fūls, O.Icel. fūll, OHG. OE. fūl, foul, related to Lat. pūteō, I smell bad, Gr. πῡ́θω, I make to rot.
§ 47. ai (Lat. ae (ē), Gr. αι, Goth. ái, O.Icel. ei, OS. ē, OHG. ei (ē), OE. ā) remained, as Lat. aedēs, sanctuary, 20originally fire-place, hearth, Skr. ḗdhas, firewood, Gr. αἴθω, I burn, OHG. eit, OE. ād, funeral pile, ignis, rogus; Lat. aes, Goth. áiz, O.Icel. eir, OHG. ēr, OE. ār, brass, metal, money; Lat. caedō, I hew, cut down, Goth. skáidan, OS. skēdan, skēđan, OHG. sceidan, OE. scādan, sceādan, to divide, sever.
§ 48. ei (Lat. ī (older ei), Gr. ει) became ī, as Gr. στείχω, I go, Goth. steigan (ei = ī), O.Icel. stīga, OS. OHG. OE. stīgan, to ascend; Gr. λείπω, I leave, Goth. leiƕan, OS. OHG. līhan, OE. lēon from *līohan, older *līhan, to lend; Lat. dīcō, I say, tell, Gr. δείκνῡμι, I show, Goth. ga-teihan, to tell, declare, OS. af-tīhan, to deny, OHG. zīhan, OE. tēon, to accuse; Skr. bhḗdati, he splits, Goth. beitan, OE. OS. bītan, OHG. bīȥȥan, to bite.
§ 49. oi (O.Lat. oi (later ū), Gr. οι) became ai (cp. § 39), as Gr. οἶδε, Skr. vḗda, Goth. wáit, O.Icel. veit, OS. wēt, OHG. weiȥ, OE. wāt, he knows; O.Lat. oinos, later ūnus, Goth. áins, O.Icel. einn, OS. ēn, OHG. ein, OE. ān, one, cp. Gr. οἰνή, the one on dice; Gr. πέ-ποιθε, he trusts, Goth. báiþ, O.Icel. beið, OS. bēd, OHG. beit, OE. bād, he waited for; Gr. τοί = Goth. þái (§ 265).
§ 50. au (Lat. au, Gr. αυ, Goth. áu, O.Icel. au, OS. ō, OHG. ou (ō), OE. ēa) remained, as Lat. auris, Goth. áusō, OS. OHG. ōra, OE. ēare, ear; Lat. augeō, Gr. αὐξάνω, I increase, Goth. áukan, O.Icel. auka, OS. ōkian, OHG. ouhhōn, OE. ēacian, to add, increase; cp. Skr. ṓjas-, strength.
§ 51. eu (Lat. ou (later ū), Gr. ευ, Goth. iu, O.Icel. jō (jū), OS. OHG. io, OE. ēo) remained, as Gr. γεύω, I give a taste of, Goth. kiusan, O.Icel. kjōsa, OS. OHG. kiosan, OE. cēosan, to test, choose; Gr. πεύθομαι, I inquire, Skr. bṓdhati, he is awake, learns, Goth. ana-biudan, to order, command, O.Icel. bjōða, OS. biodan, OHG. biotan, OE. bēodan, to offer; Lat. doucō (dūcō), I lead, Goth. tiuhan, OS. tiohan, OHG. ziohan, to lead, draw. See § 63.
21§ 52. ou (Lat. ou (later ū), Gr. ου) became au (cp. § 39), as prim. Indg. *roudhos, Goth. ráuþs, O.Icel. rauðr, OS. rōd, OHG. rōt, OE. rēad, red, cp. Lat. rūfus, red; prim. Indg. *bhe-bhoudhe, Skr. bubṓdha, has waked, Goth. báuþ, O.Icel. bauð, OS. bōd, OHG. bōt, OE. bēad, has offered.
§ 53. m (Lat. em, Gr. α, αμ) became um, as Gr. ἁμο- (in ἀμόθεν, from some place or other), Goth. sums, O.Icel. sumr, OS. OHG. OE. sum, some one; Gr. ἑκατόν, Lat. centum (with n from m by assimilation, and similarly in the Germanic languages), Goth. OE. OS. hund, OHG. hunt, hundred, all from a prim. form *kmtóm.
§ 54. n (Lat. en, Gr. α, αν) became un, as Lat. commentus (pp.), invented, devised, Gr. αὐτό-ματος, acting of one’s own will, Goth. ga-munds, OHG. gi-munt, OE. ge-mynd, remembrance, prim. form *mntós (pp.) from root men-, think; OS. wundar, OHG. wuntar, OE. wundor, wonder, cp. Gr. ἀθρέω from *ϝαθρέω, I gaze at.
§ 55. r (Lat. or, Gr. αρ, ρα) became ur, ru, as OHG. gi-turrum, OE. durron, we dare, cp. Gr. θαρσύς (θρασύς), bold, θαρσέω, I am of good courage; dat. pl. Gr. πατράσι, Goth. fadrum, OHG. faterum, OE. fæd(e)rum, to fathers; Lat. porca, the ridge between two furrows, OHG. furuh, OE. furh, furrow.
§ 56. l (Lat. ol, Gr. αλ, λα) became ul, lu, as Goth. fulls, O.Icel. fullr, OHG. vol, OS. OE. full, prim. form *plnós, full; Goth. wulfs, O.Icel. ulfr, OHG. wolf, OS. OE. wulf, prim. form *wlqos, wolf.
Note.—1. If we summarize the vowel-changes which have been stated in this chapter, it will be seen that the following vowel-sounds fell together:—a, o, and ə; original u and the u which arose from Indg. vocalic l, m, n, r; ī and ei; ā and ō; ai and oi; au and ou.
2. As we shall sometimes have occasion to use examples from Sanskrit, it may be well to note that Indg. ī̌, ū̌ remained in this language, but that the following vowel-sounds fell together, viz. a, e, o in a; i, ə in i; ā, ē, ō in ā; tautosyllabic ai, ei, oi, in ē; and tautosyllabic au, eu, ou in ō.