THE FIRST GREEK BOOK
BY JOHN WILLIAMS WHITE, PH.D, LL.D., LITT.D.
Professor Of Ancient Greek At Harvard University
This Revision Copyright ©2012 by Shawn Irwin
738. Changes of Consonants.
1. The only consonants which can end a Greek word are ν, ρ, and
ς. If others are left at the end in forming words, they are dropped. See 251; 253; 254.
2. Initial ρ is doubled when a vowel precedes it in forming a compound word, and after the syllabic augment.
Thus, ἀναρρίπτω (ανά + ῥίπτω); ἔρρῑπτον (imperfect of ῥίπτω).
MUTES BEFORE OTHER MUTES.
3. Before a τ-mute, a π-mute or a κ-mute is
made co-ordinate (8); another τ-mute becomes σ.
Thus, πέμπω, ἐπέμφθην, ἄγω, ἤχθην, πείθω, ἐπείσθην (196); λείπω, λέλειπται
(209, 1); ἄγω, ἦκται (217, 1); πείθω, πέπεισται (220, 1) See also 677.
4. Before κ, a τ-mute is dropped.
Thus, ἀθποίζω, ἤθροικα, ἁρπάζω, ἥρπακα (113).
MUTES BEFORE Σ.
5. A π-mute with σ forms ψ; a
κ-mute forms ξ; a τ-mute is dropped.
Thus, πέμπω, πέμψω, ἕπεμψα, διώκω, διώξω, ἐδίωξα, ἁρπάζω, ἁρπάσω, ἥρπασα (90);
λείπω, λέλειψαι (209, 1); ἄγω, ἦξαι (217, 1); πείθω, πέπεισαι
(220, 1). See also 243, 250. MUTES BEFORE Μ.
6. Before μ a π-mute becomes μ; a
κ-mute becomes γ; a τ-mute becomes σ.
Thus, λείπω, λέλειμμαι (209, 1); ἄγω, ἦγμαι (217, 1);
πείθω, πέπεισμαι (220, 1).
N BEFORE OTHER CONSONANTS.
7. Before a π-mute ν becomes μ; before a
κ-mute it becomes γ-nasal (10); before a τ-mute it is unchanged.
Thus, ἐμπίπτω (ἐν + πίπτω); συμβουλεύω (σύν + βουλεύω); συμφέρω (σὺν + φέπω) φαίνω, πέφαγκα (625);
φαίνω, ἐφάνθην (659). 8.
8. Before another liquid ν is changed to that liquid.
Thus, συλλέγω (σὺν + λέγω); ἐμμένω (ἐν + μένω); συρρέω (σὺν + ῥέω).
9. Before σ, ν is generally dropped, and the preceding vowel is lengthened (α
to ᾱ; ε to ει; ο to ου). But ν
is dropped before σι of the dative plural without lengthening the vowel.
Thus, μέλᾱs (for μελαν-ς); εἶς (for ἑν-ς);
λύουσι (for λῡονσι); ἡγεμών, ἡγεμόσι (346).
10. Before σ and a consonant, ν in σύν is dropped.
Thus, συστρατεύομαι (σὺν + στρατεύομαι).
11. The combinations ντ and νθ are dropped before σ
and the preceding vowel is lengthened, as above (9).
Thus, γέρων, γέρουσι (251); χαρίεις (for χαριεντ-ς),
πᾶς (for παντ-ς) πείσομαι (for
πενθ-σομαι). See 262.
CHANGES OF Σ.
12. Between two consonants or two vowels, σ is sometimes dropped.
Thus, λείπω, λέλειφθε (209, 2); ἄγω, ἦχθε (217, 2); πείθω, πέπεισθε
(220, 2); εὔρους (for εὐρεσ-ος ); κρέως
(for κρεασ-ος), ἀληθοῦς (for ἀληθεσ-ος), see 395; 428.
13. At the beginning of a word, an original σ sometimes appears as the rough breathing.
Thus, ἵστηιμι (for σιστημι); ἕπομαι
(for σεπομαι).
CHANGES IN ASPIRATES.
14. When a smooth mute (π κ τ) is brought before a rough vowel, it is itself made rough.
Thus, ἀφίημι (for ἀπ-ίημι); ἀφ᾽ ὧν
(for ἀπὸ ὧν).
15. In reduplications, an initial rough mute is always made smooth.
Thus, θύω, τέθυκα (106).
16. The ending θι of the first aorist imperative passive becomes τι
after θη of the tense stem.
Thus, λύθητι (for λυθη-θι).
17. There is a transfer of the aspirate in a few verbs which are supposed to have had originally two rough consonants in the stem.
Thus, τρέφω (τπεφ for θπεφ),
θρέψω, etc. θάπτω (ταφ for
θαφ), ἐτάφην.
INDEX
HOME
This Revision Copyright ©2012 by Shawn Irwin