§ 27. Beside the vowel-signs discust in the foregoing paragrafs, a
few consonant-signs may likewise discharge the function of vowels,
for the Gothic liquids =l=, =r= and the nasals =m=, =n= ar very often
vocalic (i. e. syllabic) at the end of a word after a consonant. Here
an original suffixal vowel was lost in most cases, and in its place the
following liquid or nasal became the bearer of the accent. Thus the
Gothic has dissyllabic words with vocalic liquids or vocalic nasals
(sonant liquids or sonant nasals); as, =ak~r~s=, _field_; =fug~l~s=,
_bird_; =taik~n~s=, _token_; =maiþ~m~s=, _present_.
NOTE In the West Germanic languages a new vowel (OHG. a) has
developt from these vocalic liquids and nasals; e. g., OHG. akkar,
fogal, zeihhan, OS. mêþom. Cp. ahd. gr., § 65, and Brgm., I, 190.
237.