THE CONSONANTS
1. PRONUNCIATION OF THE CONSONANTS.
Sec. 19.
The MHG. consonant-system was represented by the following letters:
b, c, ch, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r,
s, sch, t, v, w, (x), z, [z].
The letters k, l, m, n, p, t, w, (x) had nearly the same sound-values as
in English. The remaining letters require special attention.
When the pronunciation of consonants merely differs in the intensity or
force with which they are produced, they are called fortes or lenes
according as they are produced with more or less intensity or force. In
MHG. the consonants {b, d, g} were not voiced explosives like English
{b, d, g}, but were voiceless lenes, and only differed from the fortes
{p, t, k} in being produced with less intensity or force, see Sec. 33.
A similar difference in pronunciation existed between antevocalic and
intervocalic {v, s} and final {f, s}, see Sec. 33.
{c} and {k} represented the same sound. The latter was generally used at
the beginning, and the former at the end of a syllable, as {kunst},
_art_; {trinken}, _to drink_, {senken}, _to sink_ (trans.), pret.
{tranc}, {sancte}.
{ch} had the same sound as in NHG. {nacht}, {noch}, as {sprechen}, _to
speak_, pret. {sprach}; {h[o]ch}, _high_.
{f} had a twofold pronunciation in the oldest HG. It was a labiodental
when it arose from Germanic {f} (cp. OHG. {fater}, English {father}),
and bilabial when it arose from Germanic {p} (cp. inf. OHG. {sl[a]fan},
English {sleep}), but during the OHG. period the bilabial {f} became
labiodental. The two kinds of {f} did not however completely fall
together in pronunciation. {f} = Germanic {f} became a lenis initially
before and medially between vowels, and was often written {v} in the
former and generally {v} in the latter position, but remained a
fortis--written {f}--when final. In MHG. it was also often written {f}
initially before {l, r, u}, as {fliehen}, _to flee_, {fride}, _peace_,
{f[u:]nf}, _five_, beside {vliehen}, {vride}, {v[u:]nf}. On the other hand {f}
= Germanic {p} (Sec. 23, 1), which only occurred medially and finally, was a
fortis and was always written {f} ({ff}), as {sl[a]fen}, _to sleep_, pret.
{slief}; {tief}, _deep_, {schif} (gen. {schiffes}), _ship_, {offen},
_open_. The two {f} sounds thus fell together when final, but the
distinction between the two sounds was still preserved in MHG. in the
intervocalic position, as {hof}, _court_, {schif}, _ship_, but gen.
{hoves}, {schiffes}.
{h} before and after consonants was pronounced like {ch}, as {fuhs},
_fox_, {naht}, _night_, {bev[e:]lhen}, _to confide._ In other cases it had
the same sound as the {h} in English {hat}.
{j} had nearly the same sound as the {y} in English {yet}, as {j[a]r},
_year_, {junc}, _young_; {bl[u:]ejen}, _to blossom._
{q} occurred only in combination with {u} as in English, as {qu[e:]c},
_quick, alive_, {qu[e:]den}, _to say._
{r} was a trilled sound in all positions like Scotch {r}, as {r[o]t},
_red_, {hart}, _hard_, {b[e:]rn}, _to bear_, {vater}, _father._
{s} was a lenis medially between vowels and probably also initially
before vowels, but a fortis in other positions, as {sun}, _son_,
{w[e:]sen}, _to be_, pret. {was}, {bresten}, _to burst_. It may be
pronounced like the {s} in English {sit}.
{sch} was like the {sh} in English {ship}, as {schif}, _ship_,
{gesch[e:]hen}, _to happen_, {visch}, _fish._
{v} was a voiceless lenis, and may be pronounced like the {v} in NHG.
{voll}. See {f}.
{w} was pronounced like the {w} in English {wet}, as {w[i]n}, _wine_,
{bliuwen}, _to strike._
{z} and {[z]} were not distinguished in MHG. manuscripts, both being
written {z}. Both {z} and {[z]} (but {[zz]} medially between vowels when the
first vowel was short) arose from Germanic {t} (see Sec. 23). {z} had the
sound-value of {ts} (= NHG. {z}): (_a_) always initially, as {z[i]t},
_time_; (_b_) medially and finally after consonants ({l, m}, {n, r}), as
{holz} (gen. {holzes}), _wood_, {h[e:]rze}, _heart_, {sm[e:]rze}, _pain_,
{ganz}, _whole_; (_c_) finally after vowels (= Germanic {tt}) in those
words which change final {z} to {tz} when it becomes medial, as {schaz}
(gen. {schatzes}), OE. {sceatt}, _money, treasure_. MHG. intervocalic
{tz} always arose from older {tt}, as {setzen} = OE. {settan}, _to set_.
{[z]} was a kind of lisped {s} and only occurred medially between and
finally after vowels, as {b[i][z]en}, _to bite_, {[e:][zz]en}, _to eat_,
{ha[z]}, _hatred_. It should be noted that good MHG. poets never rhymed
pairs of words like {was}, _was_, and {wa[z]}, _what_; {missen}, _to miss_,
and {wi[zz]en}, _to know_.
{ph} and {pf} represent the same sound, viz. the {pf} in NHG. {pfund},
_pound_.
Sec. 20.
MHG. has the following double consonants medially between vowels: {bb,
gg}; {p, tt, ck}; {ff, ss, [zz]}; {mm, nn}; {ll, rr}. They were always
pronounced long as in Italian and Swedish, as {bit-ter}, _bitter_,
{[e:][z]-[z]en}, _to eat_, {k[u:]s-sen}, _to kiss_, {m[u:]g-ge}, _midge_,
{rin-nen}, _to run_. In NHG. double consonants are never long, they merely
indicate that the preceding vowel is short.
Sec. 21.
{Phonetic Survey of the MHG. Consonants.}
LABIAL. DENTAL. GUTTURAL.
Voiceless { fortis p, pp t, tt k, ck
explosives { lenis b, bb d g, gg
Spirants { fortis f, ff { s, ss, sch, [z], [zz] h (ch)
{ lenis v { s
Nasals m, mm n, nn n (= [ng])
Liquids l, ll; r, rr
Semi-vowels w, j (palatal)
To the above must be added the aspirate {h} and the affricatae (i.e. an
explosive + a homorganic spirant) {z} (i.e. {ts}) and {pf} ({ph}).
2. CONSONANT CHANGES.
Sec. 22.
The most characteristic difference between High German and the other
West Germanic languages is the shifting which the consonants {p, t, k,
[th]}; {pp, tt, kk, [th][th]}; {b ([bh]), d, g ([zh])}; {bb, dd, gg}
underwent partly in the prehistoric and partly in the historic period of
Old High German. In the following treatment of what is generally called
the High German sound-shifting only such points are considered as are of
importance for the purposes of this book. See Old High German Primer,
Secs. 82-6.
Sec. 23.
The voiceless explosives p, t, k underwent a two-fold treatment
according to their position in the word: (1) Medially or finally after
vowels; (2) Initially, medially and finally after consonants (l, m, n,
r), and when doubled.
NOTE.--p, t, k remained unshifted in the combinations sp,
st, sk as also t in the combinations tr, ht, ft.
1. Single p, t, k were shifted to the voiceless double spirants ff, [zz],
hh (also written ch) = MHG. ff (f), [zz] ([z]), ch.
p > ff. OE. {open}, OHG. {offan}, MHG. {offen}, _open_; OE. {sl[-ae]pan},
OHG. {sl[a]ffan}, MHG. {sl[a]fen}, _to sleep_; OE. {[u]p}, OHG. MHG. {[u]f},
_up_.
t > [zz]. OE. {etan}, OHG. {[e:][zz]an}, MHG. {[e:][zz]en}, _to eat_;
OE. {h[a]tan}, OHG. {hei[zz]an}, MHG. {hei[z]en}, _to call_; OE.
{hw[ae]t}, OHG. {hwa[z]}, MHG. {wa[z]}, _what_. In a few cases the {[z],
[zz]} became {s} in MHG. before {t} or {st}, as pret. {saste} from
{sa[z]te}: {setzen}, _to set_; {beste}, _best_, {leste}, _last_ = OHG.
{be[zz]isto}, {le[zz]isto}.
k > hh. OE. {ic}, OHG. {ih}, MHG. {ich}, _I_; OE. {sprecan} ({specan}),
OHG. {spr[e:]hhan}, MHG. {spr[e:]chen}, _to speak_; OE. {t[a]cen}, OHG.
{zeihhan}, MHG. {zeichen}, _token_. This {ch} must not be confused with
the MHG. {h, ch} which corresponded to Indo-Germanic {k} (= Germanic
{h}), as {ziehen}, _to draw, lead_, pret. {z[o]ch}, cp. Lat. {d[u]c[o]}, _I
lead_, see Sec. 34.
The double consonants were simplified in OHG. and MHG. according to Sec. 32.
2. {p}, {t} initially, medially and finally after consonants (l, m, n,
r), and when doubled, were shifted to the affricatae {pf} (also written
{ph}), {tz} (generally written {zz} and {z}) = MHG. {pf} ({ph}), {tz}
({z}).
p > pf. OE. {pund}, OHG. MHG. {pfunt}, _pound_; OE. {gelimpan}, OHG.
{gilimpfan}, MHG. {gelimpfen}, _to be meet_; OE. {scieppan}, OHG.
{skepfen}, MHG. {schepfen}, _to create_. The {pf} became {f} after {l}
and {r} already in OHG., as {h[e:]lfan}, MHG. {h[e:]lfen}, OE. {helpan}, _to
help_; {w[e:]rfan}, MHG. {w[e:]rfen}, OE. {weorpan}, _to throw_.
t > z. OE. {tunge}, OHG. {zunga}, MHG. {zunge}, _tongue_; OE. {heorte},
OHG. {h[e:]rza}, MHG. {h[e:]rze}, _heart_; OE. {sealt}, OHG. MHG. {salz},
_salt_; OE. {sittan}, OHG. {sizzen}, {sitzen}, MHG. {sitzen}, _to sit_;
OE. {sceatt}, OHG. {scaz} (gen. {scazzes}, {scatzes}), MHG. {schaz}
(gen. {schatzes}), _money, treasure_.
{k}, {kk} (written {ck}) remained unshifted (except in High Alemanic),
as OE. {corn}, OHG. MHG. {korn}, _corn_; OE. {cn[e]o}, OHG. {kneo}, MHG.
{knie}, _knee_; OE. {sincan}, OHG. {sinkan}, MHG. {sinken}, _to sink_,
pret. {sanc}; OE. {[th]eccan}, OHG. MHG. {decken}, _to cover_.
Sec. 24.
{[th]} became {d}, and {[th][th]} became {tt}, as OE. {[th]orn}, OHG. MHG.
{dorn}, _thorn_; OE. {br[o][th]or}, OHG. MHG. {bruoder}, _brother_. OE.
{smi[th][th]e}, OHG. {smitta}, MHG. {smitte}, _smithy_; OE. {mo[th][th]e},
late MHG. {motte}, _moth_.
Sec. 25.
The voiced explosives {b, d, g}, and the voiced spirants {[bh], [zh]} did not
undergo the same universal shifting as the voiceless explosives. {[bh], [zh]}
became {b, g}. {b, g} remained, and {d} became {t}, as OE. {br[o][th]or},
OHG. MHG. {bruoder}, _brother_; OE. {b[e]odan}, OHG. {biotan}, MHG.
{bieten}, _to offer_; Goth. {giban} (= {gi[bh]an}), OHG. {g[e:]ban}, MHG.
{g[e:]ben}, _to give_. OE. {dohtor}, OHG. MHG. {tohter}, _daughter_; OE.
{b[e]odan}, OHG. {biotan}, MHG. {bieten}, _to offer_; OE. {d[e]ad}, OHG.
MHG. {t[o]t}, _dead_. OE. {g[o]d}, OHG. MHG. {guot}, _good_; OE. {fl[e]ogan},
OHG. {fliogan}, MHG. {fliegen}, _to fly_.
Sec. 26.
The double consonants {bb, dd, gg} = OHG. {pp (bb), tt, cc (gg)}, and
MHG. {pp (b), {tt, ck (gg)}, as OE. {sibb}, OHG. {sippa} ({sibba}), MHG.
{sippe} ({sibbe}), _relationship_; OE. {cribb}, OHG. {krippa}
({kribba}), MHG. {krippe (kribbe)}, _crib_. OE. {biddan}, OHG. {bitten},
MHG. {bitten}, later {biten}, _to request_; OE. {[th]ridda}, OHG. {dritto},
MHG. {dritte}, later {drite}, _third_. OE. {brycg}, OHG. {brucca
(brugga)}, MHG. {br[u:]cke} ({br[u:]gge}), _bridge_. The fluctuation in the
writing of {pp} and {bb}, {ck} and {gg} is merely orthographical, and
does not represent a difference in pronunciation. Both pairs were used
to express the lenes medially between vowels. For other examples see
Sec. 31.
Sec. 27.
The summary of the consonantal changes in Secs. 23-6 may be expressed as
follows:--
WEST GERMANIC. MHG.
p; t; k; [th] = ff (f), pf; [zz] ([z]), z; ch; d.
pp; tt; kk; [th][th] = pf; tz (z); ck; tt.
b ([bh]); d; g ([zh]) = b; t; g.
bb; dd; gg = pp (bb); tt; ck (gg).
Sec. 28.
The following sound-changes took place in primitive Germanic:--Every
labial + {t} became {ft}; every guttural + {t} became {ht}; every dental
+ {t} became {ss}, which was simplified to {s} after long vowels. This
explains the frequent interchange in MHG. between {pf, b} and {f};
between {k, g} and {h}; and between {[zz], [z]} and {ss, s} in forms which
are etymologically related.
{pf}, {b}--{f}. {schepfen}, _to create_: {geschaft}, _creature_;
{g[e:]ben}, _to give_: {gift}, _gift_; {w[e:]ben}, _to weave_: English {weft}.
{k}, {g}--{h}. {w[u:]rken}, _to work_: pret. {worhte}; {denken}, _to
think_: pret. {d[a]hte}; {mugen} ({m[u:]gen}), _to be able_: pret. {mohte};
{bringen}, _to bring_: pret. {br[a]hte}.
{[zz]}, {[z]}--{ss}, {s}. {gie[z]en}, _to pour_: {g[u:]sse}, _inundation_;
{wi[zz]en}, _to know_: pret. {wisse (wiste): w[i]s}, _wise_; {muo[z]}, _must_:
pret. {muose} ({muoste}); {[e:][zz]en}, _to eat_: {[a]s}, _carrion_. Preterites
like {wiste}, {muoste} were formed after the analogy of preterites like
{worhte}, {d[a]hte}, where the {t} was regular.
Sec. 29.
The guttural nasal {[ng]} (written n) only occurred in the combinations
{nk} ({nc}) and {ng}. It disappeared before {h} (= prim. Germanic {[ch]})
in primitive Germanic with lengthening of a preceding short vowel, as
{v[a]hen} from prim. Germanic {*fa[ng][ch]anan}, _to seize, catch_, beside p.p.
{gevangen}; and similarly {h[a]hen}, _to hang_, p.p. {gehangen}; pret.
{br[a]hte}, {d[a]hte}, {d[u]hte}, beside {bringen}, _to bring_, {denken}, _to
think_, {dunken}, _to seem_.
The guttural nasal disappeared in an unstressed syllable when preceded
by an {n} in a stressed syllable in the course of the OHG. and MHG.
period, as OHG. {honag}, MHG. {honec}, beside OHG. {honang}, _honey_;
OHG. {kunig}, MHG. {k[u:]nec}, beside OHG. {kuning}, _king_; OHG.
{pfennig}, MHG. {pfennic}, beside OHG. {pfenning}, MHG. {pfenninc},
penny. And similarly with dental {n}, as {senede} beside {senende},
_longing, yearning_.
Sec. 30.
Strong verbs, which have a medial {v} ({f}), {d, h, s} in the present,
have respectively {b, t, g} ({ng}), {r} in the second person sing. pret.
indicative, the preterite plural indicative, the pret. subjunctive and
the past participle. This interchange of consonants is called Verner's
Law, see OHG. Primer, Secs. 72, 87:--
INF. PRET. PL. P.P.
v(f)--b. heven, _to raise_ huoben gehaben.
d--t. m[i]den, _to avoid_ miten gemiten.
sn[i]den, _to cut_ sniten gesniten.
h--g. d[i]hen, _to thrive_ digen gedigen.
ziehen, _to draw_ zugen gezogen.
slahen, _to strike_ sluogen geslagen.
h--ng (Sec. 29). h[a]hen, _to hang_ hiengen gehangen.
v[a]hen, _to catch_ viengen gevangen.
s--r. r[i]sen, _to fall_ rirn gerirn.
kiesen, _to choose_ kurn gekorn.
This law has, however, many exceptions in MHG. owing to levelling having
taken place with the infinitive, present indicative and preterite
singular, as {risen}, {gerisen} beside {rirn}, {gerirn}.
The same interchange of consonants exists between strong verbs and their
corresponding causative weak verbs, as {l[i]den}, _to go_: {leiten}, _to
lead_; {h[a]hen}, _to hang_: {hengen}, _to hang_ (trans.); {ge-n[e:]sen}, _to
be saved_: {nern}, _to save_; and in nouns, &c., as {hof} (gen.
{hoves}), _court_: {h[u:]besch}, _courtly_; {t[o]t} (gen. {t[o]des}), _death_:
{t[o]t} (gen. {t[o]tes}), _dead_; {sw[e:]her}, _father-in-law_: {swiger},
_mother-in-law_; {hase}: English {hare}.
Sec. 31.
The doubling of consonants took place under certain well-defined rules
partly in prim. Germanic and partly in prim. West Germanic, see the
Author's Hist. Germ. Grammar, Secs. 202, 213-14. Examples of words which had
double consonants in prim. Germanic are: {kopf}, head; {napf} (OE.
{hn[ae]p}, gen. {hn[ae]ppes}), _basin_; {boc} (OE. {bucca}), _buck_, gen.
{bockes}; {rinnen}, _to run_; {swimmen}, _to swim_; {vol} (gen.
{volles}), _full_; {v[e:]rre}, _far_; {gewisser}, _certain_.
The chief cases in which double consonants arose in prim. West Germanic
were:--
1. The assimilation of {[bh]n, [zh]n, pn} to {bb, gg, pp} = MHG. {pp, ck (gg),
pf}, as {knappe}: {knabe}, _boy_; {rappe}: {rabe}, _raven_; {rocke}:
{rogge}, _rye_; {tropfe}, _drop_: {triefen}, _to drip_.
2. {p, t, k} were doubled before a following {r} or {l}. The doubling
regularly took place in the inflected forms, and was then extended to
the uninflected forms by levelling, as {apfel} (OE. {[ae]ppel}), _apple_;
{kupfer} (Lat. {cuprum}), _copper_; {bitter} (Goth. {b['a]itrs}), _bitter_,
see Sec. 23 note; {l[u:]tzel} (OS. {luttil}), _little_; {acker} (Goth. {akrs}),
_field_; {wacker} (OE. {w[ae]ccer}), _watchful_. See Sec. 23, 2.
3. All single consonants, except {r}, were doubled after a short vowel
when there was originally a {j} in the next syllable. The {bb}, {dd},
{gg}; {pp}, {tt}, {kk}, which thus arose, became {pp} ({bb}), {tt}, {ck}
({gg}); {pf}, {tz}, {ck} in MHG. (Secs. 23,2, 26), as {sippe} ({sibbe}),
Goth. {sibja}, _relationship_; {bitten}, later {biten}, Goth. {bidjan},
_to request_; {tretten} (_wv._): {tr[e:]ten} _(sv.), to tread_; {br[u:]cke}
({br[u:]gge}), _bridge_; {ecke} ({egge}), _edge_; {m[u:]cke} ({m[u:]gge}),
_midge_; {r[u:]cke} ({r[u:]gge}), _ridge, back_. {schepfen}, Goth. {skapjan},
_to create_; {hitze}, _heat_: {hei[z]}, _hot_; {netzen}, _to wet_: {na[z]},
_wet_; {setzen}, Goth. {satjan}, _to set_; {sitzen}, _to sit_: pret.
{sa[z]}, p.p. {ges[e:][zz]en}; {decken}, _to cover_: {dach}, _cover_;
{l[u:]cke}, _gap_: {loch}, _hole_. {zellen}, later {zeln}, _to count_:
{zal}, _number_. {vremmen}, later {vremen} (OE. {fremman}), _to perform_.
{henne}, _hen_: {hane}, _cock_.
In MHG. the double consonants in verbs were often simplified through the
levelling out of forms which regularly had a single consonant, e.g.
regular forms were: {vremmen}, _to perform_, sing. {vremme}, {vremes(t),
vremet}, pl. {vremmen}, {vremmet}, {vremment}, pret. {vremete}, p.p.
{gevremet}, then the stem-form with single {m} was levelled out into all
the forms, and similarly with many other verbs, as {denen}, _to
stretch_; {seln}, _to hand over_; {weln}, _to choose_; {wenen}, _to
accustom_; {legen} beside {lecken} ({leggen}), _to lay_; and the strong
verbs {biten}, _to beg_; {ligen} beside {licken (liggen)}, _to lie
down_.
Sec. 32.
Double consonants were simplified:--
1. When they became final, as {boc}, _buck_, {kus}, _kiss_, {man},
_man_, {schif}, _ship_, {stum}, _dumb_, {v[e:]l}, _hide_, beside gen.
{bockes}, {kusses}, {mannes}, {schiffes}, {stummes}, {v[e:]lles}; pret.
{ma[z]}, {ran}, {traf}, beside {m[e:][zz]en}, _to measure_, {rinnen}, _to run_,
{tr[e:]ffen}, _to hit_.
2. Before other consonants, as pret. {dacte (dahte), nante (nande),
kuste}, beside {decken}, _to cover_, {nennen}, _to name_, {k[u:]ssen}, _to
kiss_.
3. After consonants, as pret. {sante} ({sande}) from {*santte}, {wante}
({wande}) from {*wantte}, beside {senden}, _to send_, {wenden}, _to
turn_.
4. After long vowels and diphthongs, as pret. sing. {leite} from
{*leitte}, pret. pl. {m[a][z]en}, {tr[a]fen}, {vielen}, beside {leiten},
_to lead_, {m[e:][zz]en}, _to measure_, {tr[e:]ffen}, _to hit_, {vallen},
_to fall_. This simplification of double consonants took place during the
OHG. period, as {sl[a]fan}, _to sleep_, {hei[z]an}, _to call_, {loufan},
_to run_, {zeichan}, _token_, beside older OHG. {sl[a]ffan}, {hei[zz]an},
{louffan}, {zeihhan}.
Sec. 33.
In MHG. the lenes {b, d, g} became the fortes {p, t, c (k)} when they
ended a syllable, that is when they came to stand finally, or medially
before a voiceless consonant. Traces of this law existed already in OHG.
The interchange between the lenes and fortes includes two independent
processes, viz. the change of the medial lenes {b, d, g} to the final
fortes {p, t, k}, and the change of the final {f, s} to the medial
intervocalic lenes {v} and to what is written {s} (cp. also NHG.
{lesen}, {las}). It must be noted that in MHG. the interchanging pairs
of consonants were all voiceless and that the difference merely
consisted in the intensity or force with which the sounds were produced.
This is quite different from NHG. where the interchange is between
voiced and voiceless sounds except in the case of {f} which is voiceless
in all positions in native words. Examples are: {g[e:]ben}, _to give_,
{gelouben}, _to believe_, {w[e:]rben}, _to turn_, beside pret. {gap},
{geloupte}, {warp}; gen. {l[i]bes}, {lambes}, beside nom. {l[i]p}, _life_,
{lamp}, _lamb_. {binden}, _to bind_, {w[e:]rden}, _to become_, beside pret.
{bant}, {wart}; gen. {kindes}, {t[o]des}, beside nom. {kint}, _child_,
{t[o]t}, _death_. {biegen}, _to bend_, {singen}, _to sing_, {zeigen}, _to
show_, beside pret. {bouc}, {sanc}, {zeicte}; gen. {tages}, {b[e:]rges},
beside nom. {tac}, _day_, {b[e:]rc}, _mountain_. {n[e:]ve}, _nephew_, beside
{niftel}, _niece_; gen. {hoves}, {brieves}, beside nom. {hof}, _court_,
{brief}, _letter_. {kiesen}, _to choose_, {l[e:]sen}, _to gather_, {l[oe]sen},
_to loose_, beside pret. {k[o]s}, {las}, {l[o]ste}; pl. {hiuser}, beside
sing. {h[u]s}, _house_.
Sec. 34.
Final {ch} after vowels interchanged with medial {h}, as {schuoch},
_shoe_, gen. {schuohes}; {h[o]ch}, _high_, gen. {h[o]hes}; {n[a]ch}, _near_,
adv. {n[a]he}; pret. {geschach}, {sach}, beside {gesch[e:]hen}, _to happen_,
{s[e:]hen}, _to see_.
The medial combinations {lh}, {rh} were written {lch}, {rch} when they
came to stand finally, as {bev[e:]lhen}, _to confide_, pret. {bevalch};
gen. {sch[e:]lhes}, {tw[e:]rhes}, beside nom. {sch[e:]lch}, {tw[e:]rch},
_askew_, see Sec. 19. {h} (= {ch}) and {ch} often disappeared in unstressed
syllables and particles, as {[)e]t}, _only_, {h[i]nte}, {h[i]nt},
_to-night_, {niet}, _not_, {dur}, _through_, beside {[e:]ht}, {h[i]naht},
{niht}, {nieht}, {durch}.
Sec. 35.
Initial {j} became or was written {g} before a following {i}, as
{gihet}, _he assures_, beside inf. {j[e:]hen}, pret. {jach}, and similarly
{j[e:]sen}, _to ferment_, {j[e:]ten}, _to weed_. In the verba pura forms with
and without the intervocalic glide {j} existed side by side in OHG. and
MHG., as {bl[u:]ejen} (OHG. {bluojen}) beside {bl[u:]en} (OHG. {bluoen}),
_to bloom_; and similarly {dr[ae]jen}, _to twist_, {m[u:]ejen}, _to trouble_,
{s[ae]jen}, _to sow_, beside {dr[ae]n}, {m[u:]en}, {s[ae]n}. In a few words
forms with and without intervocalic {j (g)} existed side by side, as gen.
{bl[i]ges} beside nom. {bl[i]}, _lead_; {eijer}, {eiger} beside {eier},
_eggs_; {fr[i]jen}, {fr[i]gen} beside {fr[i]en}, _to free_; {meige}, {meie},
_May_; {nerigen}, {nerjen} beside {nern}, _to save_, _rescue_;
{swerigen}, {swerjen} beside {swern}, _to swear_; gen. {zw[i]ges},
{zw[i]es}, nom. {zw[i]}, _twig_; gen. {zweiger}, {zweier}, _of two_.
Sec. 36.
In OHG. {w} became vocalized to {o} when it came to stand at the end of
a word or syllable, and then generally disappeared after long vowels,
but the medial {w} regularly remained in OHG. and MHG. when it was at
the beginning of a syllable, as {bl[a]} (OHG. {bl[a]o}, {bl[a]}), _blue_, gen.
{bl[a]wes}; {sn[e]} (OHG. {sn[e]o}, {sn[e]}), _snow_, gen. {sn[e]wes}; {str[o]}
(OHG. {strao}, {str[o]} by contraction), _straw_, gen. {str[o]wes}; {knie}
(OHG. {kneo}), _knee_, gen. {kniewes}, OHG. {kn[e:]wes}; {schate} (OHG.
{scato}), _shadow_, gen. {schat(e)wes}; pret. {blou}, {hiu}, {kou},
beside {bliuwen}, _to strike_, {houwen}, _to hew_, {kiuwen}, _to chew_;
{fal} (OHG. {falo}), _fallow_, gen. {falwes}; {gar} (OHG. {garo}),
_ready_, gen. {garwes}; {m[e:]l} (OHG. {m[e:]lo}), _meal_, gen. {m[e:]lwes};
{sm[e:]r} (OHG. {sm[e:]ro}), _fat_; pret. {smirte}, {str[o:]ute}, beside
{smirwen}, _to smear_, {str[o:]uwen}, _to strew_. See Sec. 9, r.
The {w} element sometimes disappeared in the initial combinations
{qua-}, {qu[a]-}, {qu[e:]-}, {qui-}, {qu[i]-} partly with and partly without
influencing the quality of the following vowel, as pret. sing. {kam},
{kom} beside {quam}, _he came_, pret. pl. {k[o]men}, {k[a]men} beside
{qu[a]men}; {k[a]le} beside {qu[a]le}, _torture_; {k[e:]c} beside {quec},
_alive_; {korder}, {k[o:]rder} beside {qu[e:]rder}, _bait_; {komen},
{k[o:]men}, {kumen} beside {qu[e:]men}, _to come_; pres. sing. {kume},
{k[u:]m(e)s(t)}, {kum(e)s(t)}, {k[u:]m(e)t}, {kum(e)t} = OHG. {quimu},
{quimis}, {quimit}; {k[u:]cken} beside {quicken}, _to enliven_; {k[i]t}
beside {qu[i]t} = {quidet}, _he says_.
Sec. 37.
Medial {-ibe-}, {-ide-}, {-ige-} were sometimes contracted to {[i]}; and
medial {-age-}, {-ege-} to {ei}, as {g[i]st}, _thou givest_, {g[i]t}, _he
gives_, beside {gibes(t)}, {gibet}; {qu[i]st}, _thou sayest_, {qu[i]t}, _he
says_, beside {quides(t)}, {quidet}; {l[i]st}, _thou liest down_, {l[i]t},
_he lies down_, beside {liges(t)}, {liget}. {meit} beside {maget},
_maid_; {seist}, _thou sayest_, {seit}, _he says_, beside {sages(t)},
{saget}; {leist}, _thou layest_, {leit}, _he lays_, beside {leges(t)},
{leget}; {eisl[i]ch} beside {egesl[i]ch}, _terrible_; {gein} beside {gegen},
_against_.
Sec. 38.
Intervocalic {h} often disappeared when the first vowel was long, and
then the two vowels underwent contraction, as {h[a]n}, _to hang_, {v[a]n},
_to catch_, {vl[e]n}, _to implore_, {h[o]} (adv.), _high_, beside {h[a]hen},
{v[a]hen}, {vl[e]hen}, {h[o]he}. Other contracted forms will be found in the
Glossary.
Sec. 39.
The final {r} disappeared after long vowels in monosyllables when the
next word began with a consonant, but was often restored analogically,
as {d[a]} (OHG. {d[a]r}), _there_: {d[a]rinne}, _therein_; {w[a]} (OHG.
{w[a]r}), _where_: {w[a]rinne}, _wherein_; {hie} (OHG. {hiar}): {hierunder},
_hereunder_; adv. {m[e]} (OHG. {m[e]r}), _more_; {[e]} (OHG. {[e]r}),
_formerly_; {s[a]} (OHG. {s[a]r}), _at once_.
Sec. 40.
Medial {t} (Sec. 25) became {d} after nasals in late OHG. and early MHG.,
as {senden}, _to send_, gen. {blindes} (nom. {blint}, _blind_), pret.
{nande}, _he named_, {r[u]mde}, _he left_, beside early MHG. {senten},
{blintes}, {nante}, {r[u]mte}. It also occasionally became {d} after {l},
as {halden} beside {halten}, _to hold_, {solde} beside {solte}, pret. of
{suln}, _shall_.
ACCIDENCE