Gweles an bennfenten rag Old Irish/Morphology

Dhyworth Celtic Languages

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= Morphological Alternations in Nominal Stems = == Short Monophthongs in Monosyllabic Stems == The stressed vowel in the initial syllable of monosyllabic stems, if it is a short monophthong, may undergo alternations due to various prehistoric developments in Goidelic phonology and morphology. These alternations can involve raising, lowering, or diphthongisation<ref>The alternations to vowels affected by u-infection may not actually be diphthongs, but in accordance with convention and for the sake of simplicity, they will here be treated as such.</ref> (via ''u''-infection). The specific alternations depend on the vowel’s quality and the paradigmatic form. === Key Considerations: === ==== Historical Form of the Root Vowel: ==== * It is crucial to use the historical form of the root vowel as a reference point when applying these rules. Although raising and lowering might seem to be inverse processes, they are distinct due to differing restrictions and should be treated separately. * A root vowel can undergo either raising or lowering, but not both. * In '''{{smallcaps|masc}} ''o''-stems''', the '''{{smallcaps|voc.sg}}''' serves as a stable reference point, as it neither raises nor lowers. Relying on the '''{{smallcaps|nom.sg}}''' as a reference can be misleading, as it might give the false impression that raising is being improperly blocked. ==== Borrowed Nouns: ==== * Nouns borrowed from other languages (e.g., Latin) may not follow the expected phonological rules since they did not undergo the same prehistoric developments. These nouns are integrated into Goidelic morphology through analogy, which can lead to apparent rule violations. * Some Celtic forms also exhibit raising that seems to contradict their historical root vowel. This might be due to internal analogy. Regardless, once the reference point is established, raising or lowering should be viewed as one-way processes. ---- === Raising and Lowering Processes: === ==== Raising: ==== * '''e''' → '''i'''; '''o''' → '''u''' * '''Blocked''' if followed by a voiceless consonant or a consonant cluster (except nasal + plosive clusters). ==== Lowering: ==== * '''i''' → '''e'''; '''u''' → '''o''' * '''Blocked''' historically by '''-nd''' in words like ''find''. ---- === ''u''-Infection: === ==== Stressed Syllables: ==== * '''a''', '''e''', '''i''' diphthongise into '''au''', '''eu''', '''iu'''.<ref>There is only one known written example in an early manuscript where the '''o''' in '''{{smallcaps|nom.sg}}''' ''roth'' diphthongises into '''ou''' in '''{{smallcaps|dat.sg}}''' ''routh'', but the ''u''-infection of '''o''' generally does not appear to occur.</ref> ** '''Blocked''' historically by geminated '''-ss-''' in words like ''mes''. ** Exceptions: some inherited Celtic words (e.g., ''macc'') and some borrowed words (e.g., ''salm'') do not undergo ''u''-infection. ==== Unstressed Syllables: ==== * '''{{IPA|/ə/}}''' is replaced by '''{{IPA|/u/}}'''. ---- === Specific Declension Classes === ==== Masculine ''o''-Stems ==== # The '''{{smallcaps|voc.sg}}''' contains the reference root vowel, which is neither raised nor lowered. # The '''{{smallcaps|gen}}''' and '''{{smallcaps|dat sg}}''' are raised, as well as the '''{{smallcaps|nom}}''', '''{{smallcaps|acc}}''', and '''{{smallcaps|voc pl}}'''. # All other forms are lowered. # The '''{{smallcaps|dat.sg}}''' is ''u''-infected. # Only stressed '''a''' is ''u''-infected in the '''{{smallcaps|acc}}''' and '''{{smallcaps|voc pl}}''' forms.<ref>The ''u''-infection of other vowels in '''{{smallcaps|acc}}''' and '''{{smallcaps|voc pl}}''' forms, such as in ''euchu'', is a Middle Irish development.</ref> ==== Neuter ''o''-Stems ==== # The '''{{smallcaps|gen}}''' and '''{{smallcaps|dat sg}}''' are raised. # All other forms are lowered. # The '''{{smallcaps|dat.sg}}''' is ''u''-infected. == Chronological Background == The following chronological developments provide context for the vowel alternations discussed: # Unstressed long vowels shortened, except when followed by '''{{IPA|/h/}}'''. # Stressed interconsonantal '''{{IPA|/e/}}''' and '''{{IPA|/o/}}''' raised to '''{{IPA|/i/}}''' and '''{{IPA|/u/}}''' respectively when the following syllable had a high monophthong ('''{{IPA|/i, iː, u, uː/}}'''). #* Condition: The following consonant must be a voiced single consonant or a nasal + plosive cluster. # Stressed '''{{IPA|/ɑ/}}''' altered to '''{{IPA|/ɑ^u/}}''' when the following syllable contained '''{{IPA|/u, uː/}}'''. # Stressed and unstressed '''{{IPA|/e, i/}}''' altered to '''{{IPA|/e^u, i^u/}}''' when the following syllable contained '''{{IPA|/u/}}''', but not '''{{IPA|/uː/}}'''. #* '''{{IPA|/sː/}}''' in '''{{IPA|/esːu/}}''' blocked diphthongisation of stressed '''{{IPA|/e/}}''' but allowed it for unstressed '''{{IPA|/e, i/}}'''. # Stressed and unstressed '''{{IPA|/i, u/}}''' lowered to '''{{IPA|/e, o/}}''' when the following syllable had non-high back monophthongs ('''{{IPA|/ɑ, ɑː, o, oː/}}'''). #* '''{{IPA|/ɴd/}}''' in '''{{IPA|/iɴdɑ/}}''' blocked this lowering of '''{{IPA|/i/}}'''. # Final '''{{IPA|/h/}}''' shifted to the following word or disappeared. # Final short vowels disappeared (apocope). # Final long vowels shortened. # Unstressed non-absolute-final monophthongs reduced in quality to '''{{IPA|/ə/}}''', and unstressed non-absolute-final ''u''-infected diphthongs became '''{{IPA|/u/}}'''. === Examples === * '''{{smallcaps|nom.sg}}''' ''ball'' '''{{IPA|/bɑʟ/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/bɑʟɑ/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/bɑʟɑh/}}''' * '''{{smallcaps|dat.sg}}''' ''baull'' '''{{IPA|/bɑu̯ʟ/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/bɑu̯ʟu/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/bɑʟu/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/bɑʟuː/}}''' * '''{{smallcaps|acc.pl}}''' ''baullu'' '''{{IPA|/bɑu̯ʟu/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/bɑu̯ʟuː/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/bɑu̯ʟuːh/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/bɑʟuːh/}}''' * '''{{smallcaps|nom.sg}}''' ''fer'' '''{{IPA|/ɸʲer/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/werɑ/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/werɑh/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/wirɑh/}}''' * '''{{smallcaps|voc.sg}}''' ''fir'' '''{{IPA|/ɸʲirʲ/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/wire/}}''' * '''{{smallcaps|gen.sg}}''' ''fir'' '''{{IPA|/ɸʲirʲ/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/wiri/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/wiriː/}}''' * '''{{smallcaps|dat.sg}}''' ''fiur'' '''{{IPA|/ɸʲiu̯r/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/wiu̯ru/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/wiru/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/wiruː/}}''' * '''{{smallcaps|acc.pl}}''' ''firu'' '''{{IPA|/ɸʲiru/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/wiruː/}}''' ← '''{{IPA|/wiruːh/}}''' == Long Monophthongs in Monosyllabic Stems == === ''o''-Stems === # Root vowels '''á''', '''ó''', '''ú''', or '''í''' do not alter throughout the paradigm. # Root vowel '''é''' diphthongises<ref>Unlike the ''u''-infection of short vowels, the diphthongisation of '''é''' had certainly resulted in actual diphthongs.</ref> to '''{{IPA|/eːu̯/}}''' when followed by a palatalised consonant and is written as ''éoi'' or ''éui''. #* If ''é'' is preceded by a coronal, it diphthongises to '''{{IPA|/iːu̯/}}''' when followed by a palatalised consonant and written as ''íui''. # When the following syllable contains '''u''', or in the case of ''u''-infection, '''é''' diphthongises to '''{{IPA|/eːu̯/}}''' and is written as ''éo'' or ''éu''. #* If '''é''' is preceded by a coronal and followed by '''u''', it diphthongises to '''{{IPA|/iːu̯/}}''' and is written as ''íu''. = Notes = <references group="note"/> [[Category:Old Irish]]

Dehweles dhe Old Irish/Morphology.