English translation by Bruna Pogliano
Besides the vowel changes which have already been described, further vowel changes can occur in the formation of words, in the declension of nouns and adjectives, as well as in the inflection of verbs.
- Shortening: an originally long vowel can be shortened notably in the following cases:
- when followed by a dark timbre vowel (shortening in hiatus);
examples:
βασιλήων >βασιλέων, of the kings;
ληός > λεώς, people; this word exemplifies also quantitative metathesis;
- when a long vowel is followed by Ϝ, λ, μ, ν, ρ followed in turn by another consonant (Osthoff's law);
example: *γνωντες >γνόντες, those knowing;
Osthoff's law does not apply to 3rd person plural of the subjunctive middle voice:
example: the form λύωνται, 3rd person plural subjunctive middle voice, does not change to λύονται in order to retain the distinction between subjunctive and indicative middle forms;
- when a long vowel is the first vowel in a diphthong followed by a consonant:
example *λυθηιμεν > λυθεῖμεν, we would have been released.
- Quantitative metathesis: from Greek μετάθεσις, transposition;
two adjacent vowels exchange their quantities, or lengths, as a result
of shortening in hiatus; the following vocalic groups are involved:
- ηᾰ > εᾱ; ex. βασιλῆα > βασιλέα, king (accusative);
- ηο > εω; es. νηός > νεώς, of the ship.
-
Synizesis: from Greek
συνίζησις,
combination; this phenomenon was originated by
metrical requirements in poetry. It occurs when two consecutive vowels, the first of which is usually short, are considered as a single long vowel, even though they do not form a diphthong.
example: πόλεων, of cities, could be considered as ˘ ˉ instead of ˘ ˘ ˉ for metrical purposes, as such it would involve synizesis.
- Syncope: from συγκοπή, cut off. It consists in the loss of a vowel within a word.
It is rather rare in prose, as it is mostly originated by metrical patterns. The loss of a vowel often involves changes in the consonants
which come into contact.
example: κατέλιπον, I left, becomes*κάτλιπον, which in turn becomes κάλλιπον as a result of regressive assimilation.
- Apocope: from ἀποκοπή, cut off.
This is another frequent phenomenon in poetry, originated by metrical pattern demands, whereas it is altogether missing in prose. Apocope consists in the loss of a short vowel from the end of a word; instances are almost always prepositions.
example: κατά > κάτ; παρά > πάρ.
- Prothesis: from προτίθημι, I place before. Prothesis consists in adding a short vowel (ᾰ, ε or ο), called prothetic vowel, at the beginning of some words which start with λ, ρ, μ, ν, Ϝ.
This phenomenon is related neither to word declension nor to verb inflection; instead, it took place when Greek evolved from Indo-European, as shown by the comparison of some Greek words with their Latin equivalents. See the table below:
| Greek |
Latin |
Translation |
ἐ-ρυθρός |
ruber |
red |
ἐ-λεύθερος |
liber |
free |
ἀ-μέλγω |
mulgeo |
I milk |
ἀ-νεψιός |
nepos |
grandson |
ἐ-Ϝικοσι > εἴκοσι |
viginti |
twenty |