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making changes, be sure to include the period after "Sec." and the
brackets surrounding all letters or letter groups.
Sec. section symbol, or use pilcrow (paragraph symbol)
Secs. two section symbols
[ae] ae ligature
[oe] oe ligature
[a] a with macron (overline, "long" mark)
If macron is unavailable, use a-circumflex instead
[e] [i] [o] [u] (same for e, i, o, u)
[a:] [e:] [o:] [u:] a, e, o, u with umlaut
['a] ['e] a, e with acute accent
[e.] e with dot under, used in reading selections
If you have nothing suitable, replace with plain e
[i.] same as above; rare
[z] z with hook at end of bottom line
[zz] two of these z's (often used in pairs)
If this character is unavailable, try z with cedilla.
As a last resort, replace with plain "z" after reading Sec. 19
carefully.
[A] [E] [I] [O] [U] [U:] (capital letters as above; rare)
A few additional characters are used mainly in the historical
introduction, along with two or three Greek words, here transliterated
and shown between +marks+. They can be disregarded.
[)a] [)e] [)i] [)o]
a, e, i, o with both macron and breve ("long" and "short" mark)
[-u:] u-umlaut with macron
[-ae] ae ligature with macron
[th] thorn
[dh] edh
[bh] b with line through stem
[zh] ezh
[ch] Greek letter chi
[ng] eng ("n" with curve below line)
Italics are marked with _lines_. Boldface type is shown with {braces}.
Boldface markings have generally been omitted from tables to aid
readability.
Punctuation in the Glossary has been silently regularized. Other
typographical errors are listed at the end of the text.]
* * * * *
* * * *
* * * * *
A
MIDDLE HIGH GERMAN
PRIMER
with
Grammar, Notes, And Glossary
by
JOSEPH WRIGHT
M.A., Ph.D., D.C.L., LL.D., Litt.D.
Fellow of the British Academy
Corpus Christi Professor of Comparative Philology
in the University of Oxford
THIRD EDITION
Re-Written And Enlarged
OXFORD
AT THE CLARENDON PRESS
1917
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
London Edinburgh Glasgow New York
Toronto Melbourne Bombay
HUMPHREY MILFORD
Publisher to the University
EXTRACTS FROM THE PREFACES
TO THE FIRST AND SECOND EDITIONS
The present book has been written in the hope that it will serve as an
elementary introduction to the larger German works on the subject from
which I have appropriated whatever seemed necessary for the purpose. In
the grammar much aid has been derived from Paul's _Mittelhochdeutsche
Grammatik_, second edition, Halle, 1884, and Weinhold's
_Mittelhochdeutsche Grammatik_, second edition, Paderborn, 1883. The
former work, besides containing by far the most complete syntax, is also
the only Middle High German Grammar which is based on the present state
of German Philology.... I believe that the day is not far distant when
English students will take a much more lively interest in the study of
their own and the other Germanic languages (especially German and Old
Norse) than has hitherto been the case. And if this little book should
contribute anything towards furthering the cause, it will have amply
fulfilled its purpose.
LONDON: _January, 1888._
When I wrote the preface to the first edition of this primer in 1888,
I ventured to predict that the interest of English students in the
subject would grow and develop as time went on, but I hardly expected
that it would grow so much that a second edition of the book would be
required within so short a period. It has been revised throughout, and
several changes have been made in the phonology, but I have not thought
it advisable to alter the general plan and scope of the former edition.
After many years of personal experience as a teacher and examiner in the
older periods of the German language, I have become firmly convinced
that the larger books on the subject contain too many details for
beginners. I feel sure that the easiest and best way to acquire a
thorough knowledge of Middle High German is to start with an elementary
book like the present, and then to learn the details of the grammar,
especially the phonology of the various dialects, from a more advanced
work.
OXFORD: _December, 1898._
PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION
In the preparation of the new edition, I have steadily kept in view the
class of students for whom the book was originally written. When the
first edition appeared twenty-eight years ago, there were very few
students in this country who took up the serious study of the older
periods of the various Germanic languages at the Universities. In late
years, however, the interest in the study of these languages has grown
so much that Honour Courses and Examinations in them have been
established at all our Universities. The result is that a book even
intended for beginners can now reasonably be expected to be of a higher
standard than the previous editions of this Primer. The grammatical
introduction has accordingly been entirely rewritten and expanded to
more than twice its original size. The texts have also been nearly
doubled by the addition of eighteen poems from Walther von der
Vogelweide, and selections from Reinmar, Ulrich von Lichtenstein, and
Wolfram von Eschenbach.
The greater part of Middle High German literature is so excellent and
interesting that most students, who have mastered the grammatical
introduction and read the texts in the Primer, will doubtless desire to
continue the subject. Such students should procure a copy of either the
_Mittelhochdeutsche Grammatik_ by Hermann Paul, eighth edition, Halle,
1911, or the _Mittelhochdeutsches Elementarbuch_ by Victor Michels,
second edition, Heidelberg, 1912, where the Grammar, especially the
phonology and syntax, can be studied in greater detail. They should also
procure a copy of the _Mittelhochdeutsches Taschenw[o:]rterbuch_ by
Matthias Lexer, tenth edition, Leipzig, 1910, and also have access to
the two standard Middle High German dictionaries-- _Mittelhochdeutsches
W[o:]rterbuch mit Benutzung des Nachlasses von Georg Friedrich Benecke_,
ausgearbeitet von Wilhelm M[u:]ller und Friedrich Zarncke, drei B[a:]nde,
Leipzig, 1854-61, and _Mittelhochdeutsches W[o:]rterbuch_, von Matthias
Lexer, zugleich als Supplement und alphabetischer Index zum
_Mittelhochdeutschen W[o:]rterbuch_ von Benecke-M[u:]ller-Zarncke,
drei B[a:]nde, Leipzig, 1872-78. An excellent bibliography of the best
editions of the Middle High German texts-- classified according to the
dialects in which they were written-- will be found on pp. 20-35 of
Michels' _Elementarbuch_.
May the new edition of the Primer continue to further the study of the
subject in the future to the same extent as it has done in the past!
JOSEPH WRIGHT.
OXFORD,
_October, 1916._
CONTENTS
Pages
INTRODUCTION ... 1
The classification of the MHG. dialects (Sec. 1).
CHAPTER I
The Vowels ... 2-22
The MHG. alphabet (Sec. 2). Pronunciation of the MHG. vowels (Sec. 3).
Phonetic survey of the MHG. vowel-system (Sec. 4). The OHG.
equivalents of the MHG. vowels (Sec. 5). The characteristic
differences between OHG. and MHG. (Sec. 6). The weakening of
unaccented vowels (Secs. 7-8). The loss of unaccented vowels (Sec. 9).
Umlaut (Sec. 10). The MHG. equivalents of the OHG. vowels (Sec. 11).
Ablaut (Sec. 12). Other vowel changes (Secs. 13-18).
CHAPTER II
The Consonants ... 22-35
Pronunciation of the consonants (Secs. 19-20). Phonetic survey of the
MHG. consonants (Sec. 21). Characteristic differences between High
German and the other West Germanic languages (Sec. 22). The High
German sound-shifting (Secs. 23-7). The interchange between {pf, b}
and {f}; {k, g} and {h}; {[zz], [z]} and {ss, s} (Sec. 28). The loss
of the guttural nasal {[ng]} (Sec. 29). Verner's Law (Sec. 30). The doubling
of consonants (Sec. 31). The simplification of double consonants
(Sec. 32). The interchange between the lenes and the fortes (Sec. 33).
Interchange between medial {h} and final {ch} (Sec. 34). Initial and
medial {j} (Sec. 35). Medial and final {w} (Sec. 36). The loss of
intervocalic {b, d, g} (Sec. 37). The loss of intervocalic {h}
(Sec. 38). The loss of final {r} (Sec. 39). The change of medial {t} to
{d} after nasals and {l} (Sec. 40).
CHAPTER III
Declension of Nouns ... 36-46
Introductory remarks (Sec. 41).
A. The vocalic or strong declension:-- Masculine nouns (Secs. 42-5);
Neuter nouns (Secs. 46-7); Feminine nouns (Secs. 48-9).
B. The weak declension (Secs. 50-3).
C. Declension of proper names (Sec. 54).
CHAPTER IV
Adjectives ... 46-52
A. The declension of adjectives (Secs. 55-6).
B. The comparison of adjectives (Secs. 57-9).
C. The formation of adverbs from adjectives (Secs. 60-1).
D. Numerals (Secs. 62-4).
CHAPTER V
Pronouns ... 53-57
Personal (Sec. 65). Reflexive (Sec. 66). Possessive (Sec. 67).
Demonstrative (Sec. 68). Relative (Sec. 69). Interrogative (Sec. 70).
Indefinite (Sec. 71).
CHAPTER VI
Verbs ... 57-75
Classification of MHG. verbs (Sec. 72).
A. Strong verbs:-- The conjugation of the model strong verb
{n[e:]men} (Secs. 73-4). Class I (Secs. 76-7). Class II (Secs. 78-80).
Class III (Sec. 81). Class IV (Sec. 82). Class V (Secs. 83-4).
Class VI (Secs. 85-6). Class VII (Sec. 87).
B. Weak Verbs:-- Classification of MHG. weak verbs (Secs. 88-9).
Class I (Sec. 90). Class II (Sec. 92).
C. Minor groups.-- Preterite-presents (Sec. 93). Anomalous verbs
(Secs. 94-8). Contracted verbs (Sec. 99).
CHAPTER VII
Syntax ... 75-78
Cases (Secs. 100-2). Adjectives (Sec. 103). Pronouns (Sec. 104).
Verbs (Secs. 105-7). Negation (Sec. 108).
TEXTS:--
I. Berthold von Regensburg 79-83
II. The Swabian Lantrehtbuoch 83-85
III. Hartman von Ouwe 86-116
IV. Walther von der Vogelweide 116-133
V. Reinmar 133-139
VI. Ulrich von Lichtenstein 140-148
VII. Das Nibelungen-Lied 149-158
VIII. Wolfram von Eschenbach 158-168
NOTES ... 169-171
GLOSSARY ... 172-213
ABBREVIATIONS, ETC.
Goth. = Gothic
Gr. = Greek
HG. = High German
Lat. = Latin
MHG. = Middle High German
NHG. = New High German
OE. = Old English
OHG. = Old High German
OS. = Old Saxon
P. Germ. = Primitive Germanic
UF. = Upper Franconian
UG. = Upper German
The asterisk * prefixed to a word denotes a theoretical form, as MHG.
{w[a:]rmen} from {*warmjan}, to warm.
In representing prehistoric forms the following signs are used:--
{[th]} (= {th} in Engl. {thin}), {[dh]} (= {th} in Engl. {then}), {[bh]}
(= a bilabial spirant, which may be pronounced like the {v} in Engl.
{vine}), {[zh]} (= {g} often heard in German {sagen}), {[ch]} (= NHG. {ch} and
the {ch} in Scotch {loch}), {[ng]} (= {n} in Engl. {sunk}).
GRAMMAR
INTRODUCTION
Sec. 1.
MIDDLE HIGH GERMAN
Middle High German (MHG.) embraces the High German language from about
the year 1100 to 1500. It is divided into three great dialect-groups:
Upper German, Franconian, and East Middle German.
1. Upper German is divided into: (_a_) Alemanic, embracing High Alemanic
(Switzerland), and Low Alemanic (South Baden, Swabia, and Alsace).
(_b_) Bavarian, extending over Bavaria and those parts of Austria where
German is spoken.
2. Franconian (West Middle German), which is subdivided into Upper
Franconian and Middle Franconian. Upper Franconian consists of East
Franconian (the old duchy of Francia Orientalis) and Rhenish Franconian
(the old province of Francia Rhinensis), Middle Franconian extending
over the district along the banks of the Moselle and of the Rhine from
Coblence to D[u:]sseldorf.
3. East Middle German, extending over: Thuringia, Upper Saxony, and
Silesia.
Since it is impossible to deal with all these dialects in an elementary
book like the present, we shall confine ourselves almost exclusively to
Upper German, and shall only deal with that period of Middle High German
which extends from about 1200 to 1300.
PHONOLOGY
CHAPTER I
THE VOWELS
Sec. 2.
MHG. had the following simple vowels and diphthongs:--
Short vowels a, [a:], [e:], e, i, o, u, [o:], [u:].
Long " [a], [ae], [e], [i], [o], [u], [oe], iu.
Diphthongs ei, ie, ou, uo, [o:]u (eu), [u:]e.
NOTE.--{[e:]} represents primitive Germanic {e} (= Gr. epsilon, Lat.
{e}, as in Gr. +deka+, Lat. {decem}, MHG. {z[e:]hen}, _ten_) and is
generally written {[e:]} in Old and Middle High German grammars, in
order to distinguish it from the OHG. umlaut-{e} (Sec. 10). The former
was an open sound like the {e} in English {bed}, whereas the latter
was a close sound like the {['e]} in French {['e]t['e]}. {[a:]} was a very
open sound nearly like the {a} in English {hat}, and arose in MHG. from
the {i}-umlaut of {a} (Sec. 10). Good MHG. poets do not rhyme Germanic
{[e:]} with the umlaut-{e}, and the distinction between the two sounds
is still preserved in many NHG. dialects. In like manner the modern
Bavarian and Austrian dialects still distinguish between {[a:]} and
{[e:]}. In the MHG. period {[a:], [e:]}, and {e} were kept apart in
Bavarian, but in Alemanic and Middle German {[a:]} and {[e:]} seem to
have fallen together in {[e:]} or possibly {[a:]}, as the two sounds
frequently rhyme with each other in good poets. MHG. texts do not
always preserve in writing the distinction between the old umlaut-{e}
and the MHG. umlaut-{[a:]}, both being often written {e} in the same
text.
PRONUNCIATION OF THE VOWELS.
Sec. 3.
The approximate pronunciation of the above vowels and diphthongs was as
follows:--
a as in NHG. m_a_nn man, _man_.
[a] " " Engl. f_a_ther h[a]t, _has_.
[a:] " " " m_a_n m[a:]hte, _powers_.
[ae] " " " _ai_r l[ae]re, _empty_.
[e:] " " " m_e_n h[e:]lfen, _to help_.
e " " Fr. _['e]_t_['e]_ geste, _guests_.
[e] " " NHG. r_e_h s[e], _sea_.
i " " Engl. b_i_t biten, _to beg_.
[i] " " " w_ee_n w[i]n, _wine_.
o " " " p_o_t golt, _gold_.
[o] " " NHG. t_o_t t[o]t, _dead_.
u " " Engl. p_u_t guld[i]n, _golden_.
[u] " " " f_oo_l h[u]s, _house_.
[o:] " " NHG. l_[o:]_cher l[o:]cher, _holes_.
[oe] " " " sch_[o:]_n sch[oe]ne, _beautiful_.
[u:] " " " f_[u:]_llen v[u:]llen, _to fill_.
iu " " " m_[u:]_de hiuser, _houses_.
ei = e + i stein, _stone_.
ie = i + e knie, _knee_.
ou = o + u ouge, _eye_.
[o:]u (eu) = [o:] _or_ e + [u:] dr[o:]uwen, _to threaten_.
[u:]e = [u:] + e gr[u:]e[z]en, _to greet_.
uo = u + o bruoder, _brother_.
To the above list should be added the MHG. {e} in unaccented syllables,
which mostly arose from the weakening of the OHG. full vowels, as OHG.
{zunga}, _tongue_, {hirti}, _shepherd_, {namo}, _name_, {fridu}, _peace_
= MHG. {zunge}, {hirte}, {name}, {fride}; OHG. {hab[e]n}, _to have_,
{sc[o]n[i]}, _beauty_, {salb[o]n}, _to anoint_, {zung[u]n}, _tongues_ = MHG.
{haben}, {sch[oe]ne}, {salben}, {zungen}. The {e} in this position was
pronounced like the {-e} in NHG. {zunge}, {name}, {friede}, &c.
PHONETIC SURVEY OF THE MHG. VOWEL-SYSTEM.
Sec. 4.
Palatal { Short [a:], [e:], e, i, [o:], [u:].
{ Long [ae], [e], [i], [oe], iu (= [u:]).
Guttural { Short a, o, u.
{ Long [a], [o], [u].
THE OHG. EQUIVALENTS OF THE MHG. VOWELS.
Sec. 5.
The following are the OHG. equivalents of the MHG. short vowels, long
vowels and diphthongs of accented syllables:--
1. The short vowels a, [e:], e, i, o, u = the corresponding OHG. short
vowels, as {tac}, _day_, {gast}, _guest_, {bant}, _he bound_, {gap}, _he
gave_ = OHG. {tag}, {gast}, {bant}, {gab}.
{w[e:]c}, _way_, {n[e:]men}, _to take_, {z[e:]hen}, _ten_ = OHG. {w[e:]g},
{n[e:]man}, {z[e:]han}.
{geste}, _guests_, {lember}, _lambs_, {vert}, _he goes_ = OHG. {gesti},
{lembir}, {ferit}.
{wi[zz]en}, _to know_, {hilfe}, _I help_, {visch}, _fish_ = OHG. {wi[zz]an},
{hilfu}, {fisk}.
{got}, _God_, {wol}, _well_, {geholfen}, _helped_ = OHG. {got}, {wola},
{giholfan}.
{sun}, _son_, {wurm}, _worm_, {gebunden}, _bound_ = OHG. {sunu}, {wurm},
{gibuntan}.
{[a:]} is the umlaut of {a} before certain consonant combinations which
prevented umlaut from taking place in OHG., as {m[a:]hte}, _powers_,
{h[a:]ltet}, _he holds_, {w[a:]rmen}, _to warm_ = OHG. {mahti}, {haltit},
{warmen} from {*warmjan} (Sec. 10). It also occurs in derivatives ending in
{-l[i]ch} and {-l[i]n}, as {m[a:]nl[i]ch}, _manly_, {t[a:]gel[i]ch}, _daily_,
{v[a:]terl[i]n}, dim. of {vater}, _father_; and in words which originally had
an {i} in the third syllable, the vowel of the second syllable having
become {i} by assimilation, as {m[a:]gede}, _maids_, {z[a:]her(e)}, _tears_ =
OHG. {magadi}, {zahari}.
{[o:]} is the umlaut of OHG. {o}, as {l[o:]cher}, _holes_, {m[o:]hte},
_I might_ = OHG. {lohhir}, {mohti}; {g[o:]tinne}, _goddess_, beside {got},
_God_.
{[u:]} is the umlaut of OHG. {u}, as {d[u:]nne}, _thin_, {s[u:]ne}, _sons_,
{z[u:]ge}, _I might draw_ = OHG. {dunni}, {suni}, {zugi}.
2. The long vowels [a], [e], [i], [o], [u] = the corresponding OHG. long
vowels, as {s[a]t}, _seed_, {sl[a]fen}, _to sleep_, {n[a]men}, _we took_,
{d[a]hte}, _he thought_ = OHG. {s[a]t}, {sl[a]fan}, {n[a]mum}, {d[a]hta}.
{s[e]le}, _soul_, {m[e]re}, _more_, {l[e]ren}, _to teach_ = OHG. {s[e]la},
{m[e]ro}, {l[e]ren}.
{w[i]p}, _wife_, {s[i]n}, _his_, {b[i][z]en}, _to bite_ = OHG. {w[i]b},
{s[i]n}, {b[i][z]an}.
{[o]re}, _ear_, {t[o]t}, _death_, {k[o]s}, _I chose_ = OHG. {[o]ra}, {t[o]d},
{k[o]s}.
{h[u]s}, _house_, {t[u]sent}, _thousand_, {d[u]hte}, _it seemed_ = OHG.
{h[u]s}, {d[u]sunt}, {d[u]hta}.
{[ae]} is the umlaut of OHG. {[a]}, as {l[ae]re}, _empty_, {n[ae]me}, _thou
tookest_ = OHG. {l[a]ri}, {n[a]mi}.
{[oe]} is the umlaut of OHG. {[o]}, as {sch[oe]ne}, _beautiful_, {h[oe]her},
_higher_, {h[oe]ren}, _to hear_ = OHG. {sc[o]ni}, {h[o]hiro}, {h[o]ren} from
{*h[o]rjan} older {*hausjan}.
iu = (1) OHG. {iu} (diphthong), as {liute}, _people_,
{kiuset}, _he chooses_ = OHG. {liuti}, {kiusit}.
= (2) the umlaut of OHG. {[u]}, as {hiuser}, _houses_,
{briute}, _brides_ = OHG. {h[u]sir}, {br[u]ti}.
3. The diphthongs ei, ou, uo = the corresponding OHG. diphthongs, as
{bein}, _bone_, {leiten}, _to lead_, {schreip}, _I wrote_ = OHG. {bein},
{leiten}, {screib}.
{ouge}, _eye_, {houbet}, _head_, {bouc}, _I bent_ = OHG. {ouga},
{houbit}, {boug}.
{bruoder}, _brother_, {stuont}, _I stood_, {vuor}, _I went_ = OHG.
{bruoder}, {stuont}, {fuor}.
ie = (1) OHG. {ie} (diphthong) older {ia}, {ea, [e]} (Germanic {[e]}),
as {hier}, _here_, {miete}, _pay, reward_, {gienc}, _I went_
= OHG. {hier}, {mieta}, {gieng}.
= (2) OHG. {io} (Germanic {eu}), as {bieten}, _to offer_, {liep},
_dear_ = OHG. {biotan}, {liob}.
= (3) the OHG. {io} which occurs in the preterite of the old
reduplicated verbs whose presents have {ou}, {[o], uo} (Sec. 87),
as inf. {loufen}, _to run_, {st[o][z]en}, _to push_, {ruofen},
_to call_, preterite {lief}, {stie[z]}, {rief} = OHG. {liof},
{stio[z]}, {riof}.
= (4) Upper German {iu} (OHG. {io}) before labials and gutturals,
as {liup}, _dear_, {tiuf}, _deep_, {siuch}, _sick_,
{liugen}, _to tell a lie_ = {liep}, {tief}, {siech},
{liegen}.
{[o:]u} ({eu}) is the umlaut of OHG. {ou}, as {l[o:]uber}, _leaves_,
{l[o:]ufel}, _runner_ = OHG. {loubir}, {loufil}.
{[u:]e} is the umlaut of OHG. {uo}, as {gr[u:]ene}, _green_, {g[u:]ete},
_goodness_, {v[u:]ere}, _thou didst go_ = OHG. {gruoni}, {guot[i]}, {fuori}.
UNACCENTED VOWELS AND UMLAUT.
Sec. 6.
The two most characteristic differences between OHG. and MHG. are: (1)
the spread of umlaut (Sec. 10); (2) the weakening and partial loss of vowels
in unaccented syllables.
1. THE WEAKENING OF UNACCENTED VOWELS.
Sec. 7.
The short vowels a, i, o, u, and the long vowels [e], [i], [o], [u] were
weakened to {e}. This {e} was pronounced like the final {-e} in NHG.
{leute}, see Sec. 3. Examples are:--
{g[e:]ba}, _gift_, {h[e:]rza}, _heart_, {zunga}, _tongue_, {taga}, _days_ =
MHG. {g[e:]be}, {h[e:]rze}, {zunge}, {tage}; {heilag}, _holy_, neut.
{blinda[z]}, _blind_, {n[e:]man}, _to take_ = MHG. {heilec}, {blinde[z]},
{n[e:]men}.
{kunni}, _race, generation_, {gesti}, _guests_ = MHG. {k[u:]nne}, {geste};
{kuning}, _king_, {be[zz]isto}, _best_, dat. pl. {gestim}, _to guests_,
gen. pl. {lembiro}, _of lambs_, {nimit}, _he takes_ = MHG. {k[u:]nec},
{be[zz]est} ({beste}), {gesten}, {lember(e)}, {nimet}.
{haso}, _hare_, nom. acc. pl. fem. {blinto}, _blind_, gen. pl. {tago},
_of days_ = MHG. {hase}, {blinde}, {tage}; acc. sing. {hason}, _hare_ =
MHG. {hasen}.
{fridu}, _peace_, dat. sing. {g[e:]bu}, _to a gift_, {nimu}, _I take_ =
MHG. {fride}, {g[e:]be}, {nime}; dat. pl. {tagum}, _to days_, {n[a]mum}, _we
took_ = MHG. {tagen}, {n[a]men}.
Nom. sing. masc. {blint[e]r}, _blind_, {uns[e]r}, _our_, {hab[e]n}, _to have_,
{n[e:]m[e]m}, _we may take_ = MHG. {blinder}, {unser}, {haben}, {n[e:]men}.
{sc[o]n[i]}, _beauty_ = MHG. {sch[oe]ne}; {s[a]l[i]g}, _blessed_,
{n[a]m[i]m}, _we might take_ = MHG. {s[ae]lec}, {n[ae]men}.
{salb[o]n}, _to anoint_, {suoht[o]s(t)}, _thou soughtest_, dat. pl.
{g[e:]b[o]m}, {h[e:]rz[o]m} = MHG. {salben}, {suohtes(t)}, {g[e:]ben},
{h[e:]rzen}.
Gen. dat. acc. sing., nom. acc. pl. {zung[u]n} = MHG. {zungen}.
Sec. 8.
The vowel in suffixal and derivative syllables was generally weakened to
{e} just as in the inflexional syllables, but in some suffixal and
derivative syllables which had a secondary accent the vowel was not
weakened to {e}. This was especially the case with derivatives in {-[ae]re}
(denoting nomina agentis), {-inne}, {-inc} ({-ing}), {linc} ({-ling}),
diminutives in {-[i]n} and {-l[i]n}, abstract nouns in {-nisse} ({-nusse},
{-n[u:]sse}), {-unge}. In others the vowel fluctuated between the full
vowel and {e}, as in {-isch} beside {-esch}; {-ic} (= OHG. {-ag}, and
{-[)i]g}) beside {-ec}; superlative of adjectives {-ist} (= OHG. {-ist})
beside {-est} (= OHG. {-[o]st}); {-sal} beside {-sel}. Beside the full
forms {-l[i]ch}, {-r[i]ch} occurred the shortened forms {-lich}, {-rich}.
The OHG. endings of the present participle {-anti}, {-enti}, {-[o]nti},
{[e]nti} regularly became {-ende}, but {-ant} occurs in a few old
participles which had become nouns, as {heilant}, _Saviour_, {w[i]gant},
_warrior_, {v[i]ant} beside {v[i]ent} ({v[i]nt}), _fiend, enemy_. Examples
are: {garten[ae]re}, _gardener_, {schepf[ae]re}, _creator_, {schr[i]b[ae]re},
_scribe_.
{k[u:]neginne}, _queen_, {vriundinne}, _female friend_, {wirtinne},
_mistress_.
{edelinc}, _son of a nobleman_, {hendelinc}, _glove_, {vingerlinc},
_ring_; {m[u:]edinc}, _unhappy man_.
{maged[i]n}, _little girl_, {vinger[i]n}, _ring_; {kindel[i]n}, _little
child_, {vogel[i]n}, _little bird_.
{hindernisse}, _hindrance_, {verd[e:]rbnisse}, _destruction_,
{vinsternisse}, _darkness_, {vancn[u:]sse}, _captivity_.
{be[zz]erunge}, _improvement_, {handelunge}, _action_, {m[e:]ldunge},
_announcement_.
{himelisch}, _heavenly_, {irdisch}, _earthly_, {kindisch}, _childish_,
beside {-esch}.
{heilic} (OHG. {heilag}), _holy_, {honic} (OHG. {honag}, {honig}),
_honey_, {k[u:]nic} (OHG. {cuning}, {cunig}), _king_, {manic} (OHG.
{manag}), _many a_, {s[ae]lic} (OHG. {s[a]l[i]g}), _blessed_, beside {-ec}.
{oberist} beside {oberest}, _highest_.
{kumbersal}, _distress_, {tr[u:]ebsal}, _gloom_, {w[e:]hsal} beside
{w[e:]hsel}, _change_.
{bitterl[i]ch}, _bitterly_, {sicherl[i]ch}, _surely_, {w[i]sl[i]ch}, _wisely_,
beside {-lich}.
{Dietr[i]ch}, {Heinr[i]ch}, beside {-rich}.
The OHG. pronominal ending of the nom. sing. fem. and the nom. acc. pl.
neuter remained unweakened, as OHG. {blintiu} = MHG. {blindiu} (Sec. 55).
2. THE LOSS OF UNACCENTED VOWELS.
Sec. 9.
The weakened {e} regularly disappeared:--
1. After {l} and {r} in dissyllables with short stems, as {ar}, older
{are} (OHG. {aro}), _eagle_, acc. gen. dat. {arn}, beside {name},
_name_, {namen}; {wol}, older {wole} (OHG. {wola}), _well_; {gar} (OHG.
{garo}), _ready_, {milch} (OHG. {milih}), _milk_, {zal} (OHG. {zala}),
_number_; {kil}, _quill_, gen. {kil(e)s}, dat. {kil}, pl. nom. acc.
{kil}, dat. {kil(e)n}, beside {tac}, _day_, gen. {tages}, dat. {tage},
pl. nom. acc. {tage}, dat. {tagen}; {b[e:]rn}, _to bear_, {st[e:]ln}, _to
steal_, {nern}, _to rescue_, pres. sing. {stil}, {stils(t)}, {stilt};
{ner}, {ners(t)}, {nert}, beside {h[oe]ren}, _to hear_, pres. sing. {h[oe]re},
{h[oe]res(t)}, {h[oe]ret}.
2. After liquids and nasals in trisyllabic and polysyllabic forms with
long stems, as {s[ae]lde} (OHG. {s[a]lida}), _blessedness_, {h[e]rsen},
{h[e:]rsen} (OHG. {h[e]ris[o]n}), _to rule_, {zierde} (OHG. {ziarida}),
_adornment_, {wandelte} (OHG. {wantal[o]ta}), _I wandered_, {zw[i]feln}
(OHG. {zw[i]fal[o]n}), _to doubt_, {wundern} (OHG. {wuntar[o]n}), _to wonder_,
{sch[oe]nste} (OHG. {sc[o]nisto}), _most beautiful_, {diente}, {diende} (OHG.
{dion[o]ta}), _I served_; {dienest}, _service_, gen. {dienstes}; {engel},
_angel_, gen. {engel(e)s}, dat. {engel(e)}, pl. nom. acc. gen.
{engel(e)}, dat. {engel(e)n}, and similarly with words like {acker},
_acre_, {l[u]ter}, _clear_, {buosem}, _bosom_, {heiden}, _heathen_;
{gr[oe][z]er} (OHG. {gr[o][z]iro}), _greater_, fem. dat. sing. {gr[oe][z]er}
(OHG. {gr[o][z]iru}); dat. sing. {blindem(e)}, _blind_, {guotem(e)},
_good_ = OHG. {blintemu}, {guotemu}; gen. pl. {blinder(e)} = OHG. {blintero}.
After the analogy of forms with long stems it was also dropped in forms with
short stems, as pl. {nagel}, _nails_, {vogel}, _birds_, beside {nagele},
{vogele}; {wider} beside {widere} (OHG. {widaro}), _wether_, dat. sing.
{disem(e)}, _this_, {vadem(e)}, _thread_, gen. {vadem(e)s}.
There was however a strong tendency in MHG. for the medial vowel to
disappear in trisyllabic forms with long stems irrespectively as to
whether they contained a liquid or a nasal, as {market}, _market_, gen.
{marktes}; {r[i]chsen} (OHG. {r[i]chis[o]n}), _to rule_, {ahte} (OHG.
{aht[o]ta}), _he observed_, {wartte}, {warte} (OHG. {wart[e]ta}), _he
waited_, {vr[a]gte} beside {vr[a]gete} (OHG. {fr[a]g[e]ta}), _he asked_,
{dancte} beside {dankete} (OHG. {dank[o]ta}), _he thanked_. See Sec. 92.
3. In the medial syllable of trisyllabic forms with long stems having
liquids or nasals in successive syllables, as {d[i]me} beside {d[i]neme}
(OHG. {d[i]nemu}), dat. of {d[i]n}, _thy_; {eime} beside {ein(e)me} (OHG.
{einemu}), dat. of {ein}, _one_; {h[e]rre}, {h[e:]rre} (OHG. {h[e]riro}),
_master_; {minre} beside {minner(e)} (OHG. {minniro}), _less_; {tiurre}
(OHG. {tiuriro}), _dearer_.
4. Finally after a nasal, and medially after a nasal before a following
{t}, in forms with short stems, as {han(e)}, _cock_, {nam(e)}, _name_,
{sun} (OHG. {sun}, {sunu}), _son_, {won(e)}, _I dwell_; {man(e)t}, _he
admonishes_, {won(e)t}, _he dwells_, {scham(e)t}, _he shames_,
{nim(e)t}, _he takes_, {n[e:]m(e)t}, _ye take_; pret. {won(e)te},
{scham(e)te}. In these and similar forms the {e} was often restored
through the influence of forms which regularly preserved the {e}.
NOTE.--The {e}, when not preceded by a nasal, was sometimes dropped
in verbal forms ending in {t}. This was especially the case in
{wirst}, {wirt} older {wirdes(t)}, {wirdet}; {siht}, _he sees_,
{s[e:]ht}, _ye see_, older {sihet}, {s[e:]het}; and often in forms like
{gilt}, {vint}, {spricht}, {sticht} beside {giltet}, {vindet},
{sprichet}, {stichet}.
5. The superlative of adjectives often has double forms, the one with
the loss of the medial {e}, and the other with the loss of the final
{e}, as {beste}, _best_, {[e]rste}, _first_, {gr[oe]ste}, _greatest_,
{leste}, _last_, {min(ne)ste}, _least_, {wir(se)ste}, _worst_, beside
{be[zz]est(e)}, {[e]rest(e)}, {gr[oe][z]est(e)}, {le[zz]est(e)}, {minnest(e)},
{wirsest(e)}, OHG. {be[zz]isto}, {[e]risto}, {gr[o][z]isto}, {le[zz]isto},
{minnisto}, {wirsisto}.
6. In the unstressed forms of dissyllables, as adv. {ane}, {abe},
{mite}, {obe} beside the prepositions {an}, _on_, {ab}, _of_, {mit},
_with_, {ob}, _over_; dat. sing. {d[e:]me}, {w[e:]me}, {ime}, beside {d[e:]m},
{w[e:]m}, {im}; {unde}, _and_, {wande}, _for_, _because_, beside {und}
({unt}), {wan(d)}; {h[e:]rre}, {vrouwe}, beside {h[e:]r}, {vrou} before proper
names and titles.
7. The {e} in the unaccented verbal prefixes {be-}, {ge-} often
disappeared before {l, n, r}, as {bl[i]ben}, _to remain_, {gl[i]ch}, _like_,
{glit}, _member_, {glouben}, _to believe_, {gn[a]de}, _favour_, {gnanne},
_namesake_, {gnuoge}, _many_, {grade}, _quick_, {gr[e:]ch}, _straight_,
beside {bel[i]ben}, {gel[i]ch}, {gelit}, {gelouben}, {gen[a]de}, {genanne},
{genuoge}, {gerade}, {ger[e:]ch}; it disappeared before vowels during the
OHG. period, as {bange}, _anxious_: {ange}, _anxiously_, {g[e:][zz]an} p.p.
of {[e:][zz]an}, _to eat_, {gunnan}, MHG. {gunnen}, {g[u:]nnen}, _to grant_.
3. UMLAUT.
Sec. 10.
By umlaut is meant the modification (palatalization) of an accented
vowel through the influence of an {[)i]} or {j} which originally stood in
the following syllable. The only vowel which underwent this change in
OHG. was {a}, which became close {e} (Sec. 2, note).
The change is first met with in OHG. monuments about the middle of the
eighth century. In the ninth century the process was practically
complete except when the {a} was followed by certain consonant
combinations which prevented umlaut from taking place. These consonant
combinations were:--
1. {ht}, {hs}, or consonant + {w}, as {maht}, _power_, pl. {mahti;
wahsit}, _he grows_, inf. {wahsan}; {bi-scatwen} from {*-scatwjan}, _to
shade_.
2. In Upper German before {l} + consonant, before {hh}, {ch} (= Germanic
{k}), and often before {r} + consonant, and before {h} (= Germanic {h}),
as Upper German {haltit} beside Upper Franconian {heltit}, _he holds_,
inf. {haltan}; UG. {altiro} beside UF. {eltiro}, _older_; UG. {sachit}
beside UF. {sehhit}, _he quarrels_, inf. {sachan}, Goth. {sakan}; UG.
{warmen} beside {wermen}, Goth. {warmjan}, _to warm_; UG. {slahit}
beside {slehit}, _he strikes_, inf. OHG. {slahan}, Goth. {slahan}.
3. In words ending in {-nissi}, {-nissa}, or {-l[i]h}, as {firstantnissi},
_understanding_; {infancnissa}, _assumption_; {kraftl[i]h}, _strong_;
{tagal[i]h}, _daily_.
Umlaut must have taken place earlier in the spoken language than it is
expressed in late OHG. and early MHG. manuscripts, because the {[)i]}
which caused the umlaut was weakened to {e} in MHG. (Sec. 7) and {j} had
disappeared except between vowels. The vowels and diphthongs which
underwent umlaut in MHG. are a, o, u, [a], [o], [u], ou, uo. The umlaut of all
these sounds was completed by about the year 1200.
a > e: {gast}, _guest_, pl. {geste} (OHG. {gesti}); {lamp}, _lamb_, pl.
{lember} (OHG. {lembir}); inf. {graben}, _to dig_, pres. second and
third pers. sing. {grebes(t)}, {grebet} (OHG. {grebis}, {grebit});
{lanc}, _long_, beside {lenge} (OHG. {leng[i]}), _length_; {brennen},
Goth. {brannjan}, _to burn_; {bette} (OHG. {betti}), _bed_.
a > [a:]: From the twelfth century onwards the umlaut of {a} also
occurs--often beside forms without umlaut--in words containing the
consonant combinations which prevented umlaut from taking place in OHG.,
as pl. {m[a:]hte} (OHG. {mahti}), _powers_; {gesl[a:]hte} (OHG. {gislahti}),
_race_, _generation_; {w[a:]hset} (OHG. {wahsit}), _he grows_; {w[a:]rmen}
(OHG. {warmen}, older {*warmjan}), _to warm_; Upper German {[a:]lter} (OHG.
{altiro}), _older_; {k[a:]lte} (OHG. {kalt[i]}), _coldness_; {h[a:]ltet} (OHG.
{haltit}), _he holds_; {[a:]her} (OHG. {ahir}), _ear of corn_; {sl[a:]het}
(OHG. {slahit}), _he strikes_. It also occurs in derivatives ending in
{-l[i]ch}, {-l[i]n}, as {m[a:]nl[i]ch}, _manly_, {sch[a:]mel[i]ch}, _shameful_,
{t[a:]gel[i]ch}, _daily_, {v[a:]terl[i]ch}, _fatherly_, {v[a:]terl[i]n},
dim. of {vater}, _father_. It is likewise met with in MHG. words which
originally had an {i} in the third syllable, the vowel of the second
syllable having become {i} by assimilation, as {fr[a:]vele} (OHG.
{frafali}), _bold_, pl. {m[a:]gede} (OHG. {magadi}), _maids_, pl.
{z[a:]her(e)} (OHG. {zahari}), _tears_. See Sec. 2, Note.
o > [o:]: Although {[o:]}, the umlaut of {o}, is common in MHG. and still
commoner in NHG., yet all words containing this umlaut are really new
formations due to levelling or analogy, because primitive Germanic {u}
(Sec. 15) did not become {o} in OHG. when followed by an {[)i]} or {j} in the
next syllable. Examples are: {boc}, _he-goat_, beside dim. {b[o:]ckl[i]n}
(OHG. {pochil[i]}); {dorf}, _village_, beside pl. {d[o:]rfer}; {got}, _God_,
beside {g[o:]tinne}, _goddess_; {hof}, _court_, beside {h[o:]vesch},
_courtly_; {loch} (OHG. {loh}), _hole_, beside pl. {l[o:]cher} (OHG.
{lohhir}); {tohter}, _daughter_, beside dim. {t[o:]hterl[i]n}; pret. subj.
{m[o:]hte} (OHG. {mohti}), _I might_; {t[o:]rste} (OHG. {torsti}), _I might
dare_.
u > [u:]: {d[u:]nne} (OHG. {dunni}), _thin_; {k[u:]nne} (OHG. {kunni}), _race_,
_generation_; pl. {s[u:]ne} (OHG. {suni}), _sons_; {t[u:]r} (OHG. {turi}),
_door_; pret. subj. {z[u:]ge} (OHG. {zugi}), inf. {ziehen}, _to draw_.
NOTE.--In Upper German certain consonant combinations often
prevented umlaut from taking place where it might be expected. Of
these the principal are:--
1. Before a liquid + consonant, as {hulde} (OHG. {huld[i]}), _favour_;
{schuldec} (OHG. {sculd[i]g}), _guilty_; {gedultec} (OHG. {gidult[i]g}),
_indulgent_; {burge} (OHG. {burgi}), dat. of {burc}, _city_;
{sturbe} (OHG. {sturbi}), pret. subj. of {st[e:]rben}, _to die_;
{wurfe} (OHG. {wurfi}), pret. subj. of {w[e:]rfen}, _to throw_, cp.
2 above.
2. {u} fluctuates with {[u:]} when followed by a nasal + consonant,
as {dunken}, _to seem_, {umbe}, _about_, {wunne}, _joy_, beside
{d[u:]nken}, {[u:]mbe} (OHG. {umbi}), {w[u:]nne}. This fluctuation is
especially common in the pret. subjunctive, as {bunde}, {sunge},
beside {b[u:]nde}, {s[u:]nge}, inf. {binden}, _to bind_, {singen}, _to
sing_.
3. {u} fluctuates with {[u:]} when followed by {gg}, {ck}, {pf}, {tz},
{[zz]}, {st}, {ch}, and {g}, as {brugge}, {br[u:]gge}, {brucke},
{br[u:]cke}, _bridge_; {mugge}, {m[u:]gge}, {mucke}, {m[u:]cke}, _midge_;
{drucken}, {dr[u:]cken}, _to press_; {hupfen}, {h[u:]pfen}, _to hop_;
{schupfen}, {sch[u:]pfen}, _to push_; {nutzen}, {n[u:]tzen}, _to use_;
pret. subj. {flu[zz]e}, {fl[u:][zz]e}; {schu[zz]e}, {sch[u:][zz]e}, inf.
{flie[z]en}, _to flow_, {schie[z]en}, _to shoot_; pl. {bruste},
{br[u:]ste}, _breasts_; {kuchen}, {k[u:]chen}, _kitchen_; pret. subj.
{fluge}, {fl[u:]ge}, inf. {fliegen}, _to fly_.
[a] > [ae]: {l[ae]re} (OHG. {l[a]ri}), _empty_; {m[ae]re} (OHG. {m[a]ri}),
_renowned_; {s[ae]jen} (OHG. {s[a]jan}), _to sow_; pret. subj. {n[ae]me}
(OHG. {n[a]mi}), pl. {n[ae]men} (OHG. {n[a]m[i]m}), inf. {n[e:]men},
_to take_.
[o] > [oe]: {h[oe]her} (OHG. {h[o]hiro}), _higher_; {h[oe]hest} (OHG.
{h[o]histo}), _highest_; {h[oe]ren} (OHG. {h[o]ren}, from older
{*h[o]rjan}), _to hear_; {sch[oe]ne} (OHG. {sc[o]ni}), _beautiful_.
[u] > iu: pl. {briute} (OHG. {br[u]ti}), _brides_; {hiuser} (OHG. {h[u]sir}),
_houses_.
Traces of the umlaut of {[u]}, written {iu} (= {[=u:]}), occur in late OHG.
monuments of the tenth century. It is common in the writings of Notker
(d. 1022), as {hiute} older {h[u]ti}, _skins_; {chriuter} older {chr[u]tir},
_herbs_. In other writings of the tenth to the twelfth century the
umlaut of {[u]} is seldom found. Umlaut did not take place in Upper German
before a following {m}, as {r[u]men} from {*r[u]mjan}, _to make room_;
{s[u]men} from {*s[u]mjan}, _to tarry_.
ou > [o:]u, often written {eu}, rarely {oi}, {[o:]i}: {l[o:]ufel} (OHG.
{loufil}), _runner_; {l[o:]uber} (OHG. {loubir}), _leaves_.
Umlaut of {ou} did not take place in the combination {ouw} = OHG. {ouw},
{auw}, West Germanic {aww}, primitive Germanic {awj}, as {frouwe} (OHG.
{frouwa}, prim. Germanic {*frawj[o]-}), _woman_; {ouwe} (OHG. {ouwa},
{auwia}, prim. Germanic {*a([zh])wj[o]-}), _meadow_; {frouwen} (OHG.
{frouwen}, prim. Germanic {*frawjan}), _to rejoice_, and similarly
{douwen}, _to digest_, {drouwen}, _to threaten_, {strouwen}, _to strew_.
Forms like {fr[o:]uwen}, {d[o:]uwen}, {dr[o:]uwen}, {str[o:]uwen} were
analogical formations due to the influence of the pres. second and third
pers. singular and the preterite which regularly had umlaut; see the
Author's Historical German Grammar, Sec. 232.
Umlaut of {ou} did not take place in Upper German before labials and
{g}, as {erlouben}, _to allow_, {gelouben}, _to believe_, {houbet},
_head_, {koufen}, _to buy_, {troumen}, _to dream_, {toufen}, _to
baptize_, {bougen}, _to bend_, {ougen}, _to show_, beside Middle German
{erl[o:]uben}, {gel[o:]uben}, {h[o:]ubet}, {k[o:]ufen}, {tr[o:]umen},
{t[o:]ufen}, {b[o:]ugen}, {[o:]ugen}.
uo > [u:]e: {gr[u:]ene} (OHG. {gruoni}), _green_; {g[u:]ete} (OHG. {guot[i]}),
_goodness_; {v[u:]e[z]e} (OHG. {fuo[z]i}), _feet_; pret. pl. subj. {v[u:]eren}
(OHG. {fuor[i]m}), _we might go_, inf. {varn}, _to fare_, _go_; {buoch},
_book_, dim. {b[u:]echl[i]n}; {muoter}, _mother_, dim. {m[u:]eterl[i]n}.
THE MHG. EQUIVALENTS OF THE OHG. VOWELS.
Sec. 11.
OHG. had the following short vowels, long vowels, and diphthongs:--
Short Vowels a, e, [e:], i, o, u.
Long " [a], [e], [i], [o], [u].
Diphthongs ei, ie (ia, ea), ou (au), uo.
io (eo),
iu.
The following are the MHG. equivalents of the above simple vowels and
diphthongs in accented syllables:--
1. The short vowels: Apart from the changes caused by umlaut, viz. {a}
to {[a:], o} to {[o:], u} to {[u:]} (Sec. 10), and of {[e:]} to {e} before
certain consonants, the OHG. short vowels remained in MHG., as
a = (1) MHG. a, as OHG. {fater}, _father_, {tag}, _day_, {faran},
_to go_ = MHG. {vater}, {tac}, {varn}.
= (2) MHG. [a:], in words containing the consonant combinations which
prevented umlaut from taking place in OHG., as OHG. {mahti},
_powers_, {kalt[i]}, _coldness_, {ahir}, _ear of corn_, {warmen},
_to warm_ = MHG. {m[a:]hte}, {k[a:]lte}, {[a:]her}, {w[a:]rmen},
see Sec. 10.
e = MHG. e, as OHG. {gesti}, _guests_, {lembir}, _lambs_, {brennen},
_to burn_ = MHG. {geste}, {lember}, {brennen}.
[e:] = (1) MHG. [e:], as OHG. {w[e:]g}, _way_, {h[e:]lfan}, _to help_,
{st[e:]lan}, _to steal_ = MHG. {w[e:]c}, {h[e:]lfen}, {st[e:]ln}.
= (2) MHG. e, before {st}, {sch}, and palatal {g}, as OHG. {n[e:]st},
_nest_, {sw[e:]ster}, _sister_ = MHG. {nest}, {swester}; and
similarly, {gestern}, _yesterday_, {deste}, _all the more_,
{weste}, _I knew_, {dreschen}, _to thrash_, {leschen},
_to go out_, {degen}, _warrior_; and also in a few words
before a following {l}, as {helm}, _helmet_, {vels}, _rock_,
{welch}, _which_, &c.
i = MHG. i, as OHG. {fisk}, _fish_, {nimu}, _I take_, {wi[zz]an},
_to know_ = MHG. {visch}, {nime}, {wi[zz]en}.
o = (1) MHG. o, as OHG. {got}, _God_, p.p. {giholfan}, _helped_,
{tohter}, _daughter_ = MHG. {got}, {geholfen}, {tohter}.
= (2) MHG. [o:], as OHG. {lohhir}, _holes_, {mohti}, _I might_ = MHG.
{l[o:]cher}, {m[o:]hte}.
u = (1) MHG. u, as OHG. {sunu}, {sun}, _son_, {butum}, _we offered_,
{buntum}, _we bound_ = MHG. {sun}, {buten}, {bunden}.
= (2) MHG. [u:], as OHG. {dunni}, _thin_, {suni}, _sons_ = MHG. {d[u:]nne},
{s[u:]ne}.
2. The long vowels: Apart from the changes caused by umlaut, viz. {[a]} to
{[ae], [o]} to {[oe]}, and {[u]} to {iu} (Sec. 10), the OHG. long vowels
remained in MHG., as
[a] = (1) MHG. [a], as OHG. {s[a]t}, _seed_, {sl[a]fan}, _to sleep_, {d[a]hta},
_I thought_ = MHG. {s[a]t}, {sl[a]fen}, {d[a]hte}.
= (2) MHG. [ae], as OHG {l[a]ri}, _empty_, {n[a]mi}, _I might take_
= MHG. {l[ae]re}, {n[ae]me}.
[e] = MHG. [e], as OHG. {[e]ra}, _honour_, {l[e]ren}, _to teach_, {s[e]la},
_soul_ = MHG. {[e]re}, {l[e]ren}, {s[e]le}.
[i] = MHG. [i], as OHG. {s[i]n}, _his_, {w[i]b}, _woman_, {sn[i]dan}, _to cut_
= MHG. {s[i]n}, {w[i]p}, {sn[i]den}.
[o] = (1) MHG. [o], as OHG. {[o]ra}, _ear_, {t[o]d}, _death_, {k[o]s},
_I chose_ = MHG. {[o]re}, {t[o]t}, {k[o]s}.
= (2) MHG. [oe], as OHG. {h[o]hiro}, _higher_, {h[o]ren}, _to hear_,
{sc[o]ni}, _beautiful_ = MHG. {h[oe]her}, {h[oe]ren}, {sch[oe]ne}.
[u] = (1) MHG. [u], as OHG. {h[u]s}, _house_, {r[u]m}, _room_, {d[u]hta},
_it seemed_ = MHG. {h[u]s}, {r[u]m}, {d[u]hte}.
= (2) MHG. iu, as OHG. {h[u]sir}, _houses_, {br[u]ti}, _brides_
= MHG. {hiuser}, {briute}.
3. The diphthongs:
ei = MHG. ei, as OHG. {bein}, _bone_, {leiten}, _to lead_, {sneid},
_I cut_ = MHG. {bein}, {leiten}, {sneit}.
ie (older ia, ea = Germanic [e]) = MHG. ie, as OHG. {hier}, _here_,
{mieta}, _reward_, {hielt}, _I held_, {hie[z]}, _I called_, {slief},
_I slept_ = MHG. {hier}, {miete}, {hielt}, {hie[z]}, {slief}.
io (eo) = Germanic eu (Sec. 16), and the io (eo) in the preterites of the
old reduplicated verbs whose presents have ou, [o], uo (Sec. 87).
= MHG. ie, as OHG. {liob}, _dear_, {biotan}, _to offer_
= MHG. {liep}, {bieten}; OHG. {liof}, _I ran_, {stio[z]},
_I pushed_, {riof}, _I called_ = MHG. {lief}, {stie[z]},
{rief}.
iu = MHG. [-u:] written iu, as OHG. {liuti}, _people_, {kiusit}, _he
chooses_ = MHG. {liute}, {kiuset}.
ou (older au) = (1) MHG. ou, as OHG. {ouga}, _eye_, {boug}, _I bent_,
{loufan}, _to run_ = MHG. {ouge}, {bouc}, {loufen}.
= (2) MHG. [o:]u (eu), as OHG. {loubir}, _leaves_,
{loufil}, _runner_ = MHG. {l[o:]uber}, {l[o:]ufel}.
uo = (1) MHG. uo, as OHG. {bruoder}, _brother_, {muoter}, _mother_,
{stuont}, _I stood_ = MHG. {bruoder}, {muoter}, {stuont}.
= (2) MHG. [u:]e, as OHG. {gruoni}, _green_, {fuo[z]i}, _feet_,
= MHG. {gr[u:]ene}, {v[u:]e[z]e}.
ABLAUT (VOWEL GRADATION).
Sec. 12.
By ablaut is meant the gradation of vowels both in stem and suffix,
which was chiefly caused by the primitive Indo-Germanic system of
accentuation. See the Author's Historical German Grammar, Sec. 23.
The vowels vary within certain series of related vowels, called
ablaut-series. In MHG. there are six such series, which appear most
clearly in the stem-forms of strong verbs. Four stem-forms are to be
distinguished in a MHG. strong verb which has vowel gradation as the
characteristic mark of its different stems:--(1) the present stem, to
which belong all the forms of the present, (2) the stem of the first or
third person of the preterite singular, (3) the stem of the preterite
plural, to which belong the second person of the preterite singular and
the whole of the preterite subjunctive, (4) the stem of the past
participle.
By arranging the vowels according to these four stems we arrive at the
following system:--
i. ii. iii. iv.
I. [i] ei, [e] i i
II. ie ou, [o] u o
III. i, [e:] a u u, o
IV. [e:] a [a] o
V. [e:] a [a] [e:]
VI. a uo uo a
NOTE.--1. On the difference between {ei} and {[e]}, see Sec. 17; {ou} and
{[o]}, Sec. 18; and in Series III {i} and {[e:]}, Sec. 14; {u} and {o},
Sec. 15.
2. Strong verbs belonging to Series II have {iu} in the indicative
pres. singular; and strong verbs belonging to Series III-V with {[e:]}
in the infinitive have {i} in the indicative pres. singular
(Secs. 14, 16).
EXAMPLES.
I. sn[i]den, _to cut_ sn[i]de sneit sniten gesniten;
l[i]hen, _to lend_ l[i]he l[e]ch lihen gelihen.
II. biegen, _to bend_ biuge bouc bugen gebogen;
sieden, _to seethe_ siude s[o]t suten gesoten.
III. binden, _to bind_ binde bant bunden gebunden;
h[e:]lfen, _to help_ hilfe half hulfen geholfen.
IV. n[e:]men, _to take_ nime nam n[a]men genomen.
V. g[e:]ben, _to give_ gibe gap g[a]ben geg[e:]ben.
VI. graben, _to dig_ grabe gruop gruoben gegraben.
For further examples see the various classes of strong verbs Secs. 76-86.
Class VII of strong verbs embracing the old reduplicated verbs (Sec. 87) has
been omitted from the ablaut-series, because the exact relation in which
the vowel of the present stands to that of the preterite has not yet
been satisfactorily explained.
OTHER VOWEL CHANGES.
Sec. 13.
Most of the following vowel changes took place in prehistoric times; but
as they play an important part in the verbs and word-formation, &c., we
shall give them here.
Sec. 14.
[e:] (= Indo-Germanic e) became i in the prehistoric period of all the
Germanic languages:--
1. Before a nasal + consonant, as OE. {wind}, OHG. MHG. {wint}, Lat.
{ventus}, _wind_; OHG. {fimf}, {finf}, Gr. +pente+, _five_. This explains
why verbs like MHG. {binden}, _to bind_, {rinnen}, _to run_, {singen},
_to sing_, belong to the same ablaut-series as {h[e:]lfen}, _to help_,
{w[e:]rden}, _to become_.
2. Before other consonants when followed by an {[)i]} or {j} in the next
syllable, and further in OHG. when followed by an {u} in the next
syllable, as OHG. MHG. {ist}, Gr. +esti+, _is_; OHG. {fihu},
Lat. {pecu}, _cattle_; {[e:]rde} (OHG. {[e:]rda}), _earth_, but {ird[i]n},
_earthen_; {ligen} (OHG. {liggen} from {*ligjan}), _to lie down_,
{sitzen} (OHG. {sitzen} from {*sitjan}), _to sit_, but p.p. {gel[e:]gen}
(OHG. {gil[e:]gan}), {ges[e:][zz]en} (OHG. {gis[e:][zz]an}). This
explains why strong verbs belonging to the fourth (Secs. 12, 82) and fifth
(Secs. 12, 83) ablaut-series have {i} throughout the present singular,
and similarly in verbs belonging to the third (Secs. 12, 81) series with
{[e:]} in the infinitive, as
OHG. n[e:]man, _to take_, three persons sing. nimu, nimis(t), nimit.
MHG. n[e:]men, " " " " nime, nimes(t), nimet.
OHG. g[e:]ban, _to give_, " " " gibu, gibis(t), gibit.
MHG. g[e:]ben, " " " " gibe, gibes(t), gibet.
OHG. h[e:]lfan, _to help_, " " " hilfu, hilfis(t), hilfit.
MHG. h[e:]lfen, " " " " hilfe, hilfes(t), hilfet.
Sec. 15.
{u}, followed originally by an {[)a]}, {[)o]}, or {[e]} in the next syllable,
became {o} when not protected by a nasal + consonant or an intervening
{[)i]} or {j}; hence the interchange between {u} and {o} in the preterite
plural and past participle of verbs belonging to the second
ablaut-series (Secs. 12, 78), as {bugen} (OHG. {bugum}), _we bent_, p.p.
{gebogen} (OHG. {gibogan}); in the p.p. of verbs belonging to the third
ablaut-series (Secs. 12, 81), as {gebunden} (OHG. {gibuntan}), but
{geholfen} (OHG. {giholfan}); in weak verbs as {f[u:]rhten} (OHG. {furhten}
from {*furhtjan}), _to fear_, beside pret. {vorhte} (OHG. {forhta});
{h[u:]gen} (OHG. {huggen} from {*hugjan}) beside {hogen} (OHG. {hog[e]n}),
_to think_; in preterite presents like {durfen} (OHG. {durfum}), _we
dare_, beside pret. {dorfte} (OHG. {dorfta}); in many nouns and
adjectives, as {wolle} (OHG. {wolla}), _wool_, beside {w[u:]ll[i]n},
{wull[i]n}, _woollen_; {wolf} (stem {*wulfo-}), _wolf_, beside {w[u:]lpinne},
_she-wolf_; {vol}, _full_, beside {v[u:]lle} (OHG. {full[i]}), _fulness_;
{golt}, _gold_, beside {guld[i]n}, _golden_.
Sec. 16.
From primitive Germanic {eu} were developed two different diphthongs in
OHG., viz. {eu} became {eo} (cp. Sec. 15), later {io}, when originally
followed by an {[)a]}, {[)o]}, or {[e]} in the next syllable, and this {io}
was regularly developed to {ie} in MHG.; whereas {eu} became {iu} in
OHG. when originally followed by an {[)i], j} or {u} in the next syllable,
and this {iu} became {[-u:]} (written {iu}) in MHG., even after the {[)i], j}
or {u} had been weakened to {e}. This law explains the difference
between the diphthong {ie} in the infinitive and the simple vowel {iu}
(= {[-u:]}) in the three persons singular of the present indicative of
verbs belonging to the second ablaut-series (Secs. 12, 78), as
OHG. biogan, _to bend_, pres. sing. biugu, biugis(t), biugit;
MHG. biegen, " " " biuge, biuges(t), biuget.
Cp. further {tief} (OHG. {tiof}), _deep_, beside OHG. {tiuf[i]}, _depth_;
{lieht} (OHG. {lioht}), _a light_, beside {liuhten} (OHG. {liuhten} from
{*liuhtjan}), _to light_.
NOTE.--The {iu} in the above and similar examples must not be
confounded with the {iu} in the OHG. and MHG. combination {iuw}
which arose from prim. Germanic {eww} (= {euw}), and {ewj}, as
{triuwe} (OHG. {triuwi}, Goth. {triggws}), _true_; {triuwen},
{tr[u]wen}, _to trust_, pret. {triuete}, {triute}, {tr[u]te}; {riuwe}
(OHG. {riuwa}), _regret_, {bliuwen} (OHG. {bliuwan}, Goth.
{bliggwan}), _to strike_, and similarly, {briuwen}, _to brew_,
{kiuwen}, _to chew_, {riuwen}, _to regret_; {niuwe} (OHG. {niuwi},
Goth. {niujis}, prim. Germanic stem-form {*newja-}), _new_. This
{iu} before {w} never interchanged with MHG. {ie} from prim.
Germanic {eu}, and explains why the strong verbs {bliuwen}, &c. have
{iu} in all forms of the present.
Sec. 17.
Accented primitive Germanic {ai} (= Goth. {['a]i}) became {[e]} in OHG.
before {r, w}, Germanic {h} (cp. Sec. 23, 1), and finally; in MHG. it
appears also as {[e]} before the same consonants and finally, as {m[e]re},
{m[e]r} (OHG. {m[e]ro}, Goth. {m['a]iza}), _more_, {l[e]ren} (OHG. {l[e]ren},
Goth. {l['a]isjan}), _to teach_; {s[e]le} (OHG. {s[e]la}, older {s[e]ula},
Goth. {s['a]iwala}), _soul_; {sn[e]} (OHG. {sn[e]o}, Goth. {sn['a]iws}),
_snow_, gen. OHG. and MHG. {sn[e]wes}; {sp[i]wen}, _to spit_, pret. {sp[e]}
(OHG. {sp[e]o}, Goth. {sp['a]iw}); {d[i]hen}, _to thrive_, pret. {d[e]ch}
(OHG. {d[e]h}, Goth. {d['a]ih}); {w[e]} (OHG. {w[e]}, Goth. {w['a]i}),
_woe!_; in all other cases {ai} became {ei} in both OHG. and MHG., as
{stein} (Goth. {st['a]ins}), _stone_, {hei[z]en} (OHG. {hei[z]an}, Goth.
{h['a]itan}), _to call_; {sn[i]den}, _to cut_, pret. {sneit} (OHG. {sneid},
Goth. {sn['a]i[th]}). This accounts for the difference between the {ei}
and {[e]} in the preterite singular of strong verbs belonging to the first
ablaut-series (Secs. 12, 76).
Sec. 18.
Primitive Germanic {au} became {[o]} in OHG. before the consonants
{d, t}, {[z], s}, {n, r, l}, and Germanic {h} (cp. 23, 1). Before other
consonants and finally {au} became {ou} in the ninth century. Hence the
difference between {[o]} and {ou} in the preterite singular of strong
verbs belonging to the second ablaut-series (Secs. 12, 78), as:--
Infinitive bieten, _to offer_, pret. sing. b[o]t
" sieden, _to seethe_, " " s[o]t
" kiesen, _to choose_, " " k[o]s
" die[z]en, _to roar_, " " d[o][z]
" vliehen, _to flee_, " " vl[o]ch (OHG. fl[o]h);
but " biegen, _to bend_, " " bouc
" klieben, _to cleave_ " " kloup.