The distinguishing features of Germanic languages
1. The distinguishing features of Germanic languages. Examine the data sets, and identify the characteristic that distinguishes the Germanic data. If you find a data set that exemplifies a vowel shift or Grimm's Law, be specific about which process is occurring. [Note: 'c' represents the sound /к/, and OE 'þ' can be voiced or voiceless.] ex. Grimm's Law: voiced stops___
> voiceless stops _____
Latin
domare 'to tame' magnus 'large, great' labium 'lip' Old English
Tam ‘tame’
Micel ‘large’
Lippa ‘lip’
Latin
magni homines 'great men' isti magni homines 'those great men'
Old English micele guman 'great men' þa micelan guman 'those great men'
Sanskrit
bhrus 'brow' rudh-iras 'red' jangha 'heel, lower leg'
Old English bru 'brow' read 'red' gangan 'go'
Latin
turba 'crowd' edo 'eat' augeo 'increase' Old English þоrр 'town' etan 'eat' iecan 'eke'
Greek
meter 'mother' (Nom, Sg) metros 'mother' (Gen, Sg) metrasi 'mother' (Dat, Pl)
Old English modor 'mother' (Nom, Sg) modor 'mother' (Gen, Sg) modrum 'mother' (Dat, Pl)
Latin
frater 'brother' fagus 'beech tree' mater 'mother'
Old English brоþоr 'brother' boс 'beech tree' modor 'mother'
Latin
sagivi 'I perceived' domul 'I tamed'
Old English ic sohte 'I sought' ic temede 'I tamed'
Latin
hostis 'stranger' nox 'night' hortus 'garden' Gothic gasts 'stranger' nahts 'night' gards 'garden'
Latin
nepos 'grandson' verto 'turn' cara 'dear one'
Old English nefa 'nephew' weorþan 'become' hore 'whore'
2. The First Consonant Shift: Grimm's and Verner's Laws. For each of the following Indo-European roots, identify the sound changes that occurred. First, fill in the sound(s) affected by Grimm's Law and/or Verner's Law and what they changed to (in the example, the 'f becomes 'th' under Grimm's Law, and the 'p' becomes 'b' under Verner's Law). Lastly, finish the partial reconstruction given by filling in the sound changes that you identified.
PIE
> voiceless stops _____
Latin
domare 'to tame' magnus 'large, great' labium 'lip' Old English
Tam ‘tame’
Micel ‘large’
Lippa ‘lip’
Latin
magni homines 'great men' isti magni homines 'those great men'
Old English micele guman 'great men' þa micelan guman 'those great men'
Sanskrit
bhrus 'brow' rudh-iras 'red' jangha 'heel, lower leg'
Old English bru 'brow' read 'red' gangan 'go'
Latin
turba 'crowd' edo 'eat' augeo 'increase' Old English þоrр 'town' etan 'eat' iecan 'eke'
Greek
meter 'mother' (Nom, Sg) metros 'mother' (Gen, Sg) metrasi 'mother' (Dat, Pl)
Old English modor 'mother' (Nom, Sg) modor 'mother' (Gen, Sg) modrum 'mother' (Dat, Pl)
Latin
frater 'brother' fagus 'beech tree' mater 'mother'
Old English brоþоr 'brother' boс 'beech tree' modor 'mother'
Latin
sagivi 'I perceived' domul 'I tamed'
Old English ic sohte 'I sought' ic temede 'I tamed'
Latin
hostis 'stranger' nox 'night' hortus 'garden' Gothic gasts 'stranger' nahts 'night' gards 'garden'
Latin
nepos 'grandson' verto 'turn' cara 'dear one'
Old English nefa 'nephew' weorþan 'become' hore 'whore'
2. The First Consonant Shift: Grimm's and Verner's Laws. For each of the following Indo-European roots, identify the sound changes that occurred. First, fill in the sound(s) affected by Grimm's Law and/or Verner's Law and what they changed to (in the example, the 'f becomes 'th' under Grimm's Law, and the 'p' becomes 'b' under Verner's Law). Lastly, finish the partial reconstruction given by filling in the sound changes that you identified.
PIE