839. The present stem of denominatives is formed by attaching a variable
vowel #{-o|e-}#, for an older #-i{o|e-}#, to a theme consisting of a
noun stem: as,
UNCONTRACTED PRESENT STEM. VERB. FROM THEME.
cēna{o|e-} cēnō, _dine_ cēnā-
flōre{o|e-} flōreō, _blossom_ flōre-
vesti{o|e-} vestiō, _dress_ vesti-
acu{o|e-} acuō, _point_ acu-
The noun stem ending is often slightly modified in forming the theme:
thus, #laud-# becomes #laudā-# in #laudō# for #*laudā-ō#, and #flōr-#
becomes #flōre-# in #flōre-ō#.
840. In many of the forms, the final vowel of the theme is contracted
with the variable vowel: as,
#plantō#, #plantās# (118, 3) for #*plantāi̭ō#, #*plantāi̭es# (153, 2);
#monēs# for #*monēi̭es# (118, 1), #audīs# for #*audīi̭es# (118, 3). The
long #ā#, #ē#, or #ī#, is regularly shortened in some of the forms: as,
#scit#, #arat#, #habet#, for Plautine #scīt#, #arāt#, #habēt#. In a few
forms no contraction occurs: as, #moneō#, #audiō#, #audiu-nt#,
#audie-ntis#, &c., #audie-ndus#, &c. (114). Denominatives from stems in
#-u-#, as #acuō#, are not contracted, and so have the forms of verbs in
#-ere# (367).