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The Germanic Verschärfung

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2026

J. Kuryłowicz
J. Kuryłowicz*
Affiliation:
University of Kraków
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Abstract

The doubling of intervocalic glides in Proto-Germanic has been attributed to different causes: preceding accent, following accent, and various laryngeals. Rather than introducing factors which have left no traces in the historical languages, it is preferable to take into account the inherited ablaut system and its productivity. The starting point of the Germanic innovation consists in the replacement of the prevocalic zero-grade -u-, -i- by -uṷ-, -ii̭-, a development which has parallels in other languages. The relation between the zero-grade -uṷ-, -ii̭-and the full-grade -euṷ-, -eii̭- is analogous to the relation between -uT- and -euT-, -iT- and -eiT- (T = obstruent). Hence strong verbs with roots in -eu, -ei are to be considered as the chief source of forms containing a geminated glide.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Language , Volume 43 , Issue 2-Part1 , June 1967 , pp. 445 - 451
Copyright
Copyright © 1967 by Linguistic Society of America

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