Contract Verbs--When to know?

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luw
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Contract Verbs--When to know?

Post by luw »

I understand the rules for contracting vowels, but I am not sure when to do so. I have inferred that with regular verbs, you contract when there is a vowel at the end of the verb stem, but not when that vowel is part of the first syllable, as one would find in luw, for instance, or plew. Is that correct?

klwps
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Re:Contract Verbs--When to know?

Post by klwps »

In regards to Attic Greek, a Contract Verb is any verb whose present stem ends in -a, -e, or -o [where o is omicron and w is omega]. Therefore, luw (in beta code lu/w) has a present stem which ends in -u so it is not a contract verb. <br /><br />

marcofurio
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Re: Contract Verbs--When to know?

Post by marcofurio »

What about πλέω? It seems to be a contract as in πλεῖ πλεῖτε in present , but then 1st aorist is ἔπλευσα (<πλευ-). Is the imperfect ἔπλουν, ἔπλεις, ἔπλει? Also imperfect in epic dilalect is πλέον. Is it just because the "contract version" had not appeared yet?

spiphany
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Re: Contract Verbs--When to know?

Post by spiphany »

Hi. See Smyth §397
Verbs in -εω of two syllables do not contract ε with ο or ω
(although, as usual this is followed by a list of exceptions. The most important verbs which do behave this way are: πλέω sail, θέω run, πνέω breathe, δέω need and δέομαι want.)

I believe the reason these verbs don't contract is because there was originally a sound between the stem and the ending which dropped out at that point (usual culprits are sigma and digamma, but I don't know for certain in this case).
IPHIGENIE: Kann uns zum Vaterland die Fremde werden?
ARKAS: Und dir ist fremd das Vaterland geworden.
IPHIGENIE: Das ist's, warum mein blutend Herz nicht heilt.
(Goethe, Iphigenie auf Tauris)

marcofurio
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Re: Contract Verbs--When to know?

Post by marcofurio »

I'm not sure I understood your answer. Are πλέω, θέω, πνέω, δέω and δέομαι the exceptions to the rule and therefore do contract?. Is therefore πλέον just epic form or is it found later on as ἔπλεον?

spiphany
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Re: Contract Verbs--When to know?

Post by spiphany »

Which do not contract ε with ο or ω, sorry.
IPHIGENIE: Kann uns zum Vaterland die Fremde werden?
ARKAS: Und dir ist fremd das Vaterland geworden.
IPHIGENIE: Das ist's, warum mein blutend Herz nicht heilt.
(Goethe, Iphigenie auf Tauris)

Astrea
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Re: Contract Verbs--When to know?

Post by Astrea »

In two syllable contract verbs the ε does not contract with either ο or ω

modus.irrealis
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Re: Contract Verbs--When to know?

Post by modus.irrealis »

I'm a little confused with Smyth's explanation here -- isn't it that in two-syllable εω verbs, the ε only contracts with ε and ει, rather than saying it doesn't contract with ο and ω. The two formulations give different answers to what happens with ε + η. But I know δέῃ is the form of the present subjunctive (Smyth also lists the form) and for other verbs the uncontracted form is the one that turns up in google searches. What's the situation here?

Swth\r
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Re: Contract Verbs--When to know?

Post by Swth\r »

A resurrected from 2002 thread 8)
modus.irrealis wrote:[...] isn't it that in two-syllable εω verbs, the ε only contracts with ε and ει, rather than saying it doesn't contract with ο and ω. [...]
Yes, indeed, this is the correct descripiton of the case. ε+ε= ει, ε+ει=ει. This is the rule with the maximal descriptive simplicity. :) In all other environments, ε remains uncontracted: πλέητε, θέοιμεν, ἐπλέομεν, δεώμεθα, δεομένη, δέον...
Dives qui sapiens est...

modus.irrealis
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Re: Contract Verbs--When to know?

Post by modus.irrealis »

Thanks for confirming.

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