Abstract
The unique systematisation and functionalisation of the inherited ablaut in the Germanic strong verbs has been the topic of numerous studies. Nevertheless, it is still not entirely clear what precisely the Gennanic development means for the morphological position of ablaut within the system of Proto-Germanic, and if this differs significantly from that of Proto-Indo-European. This paper argues that the status of ablaut in the verbal system of Proto-Gennanic is typologically distinct from that of Proto-Indo-European due to a fundamental change in verbal stem formation. As a result, the Germanic primary verbs form a unique and highly organised system, namely that of the well-known strong verbs, parts of which live on in all modem Gem1anic languages, including English. Furthermore, the paper highlights the key points in the development of the system of the strong verbs from Proto-Gennanic to Modem English.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Clerks, Wives, and Historians: Essays on Medieval English Language and Literature |
| Editors | Winfried Rudolf, Thomas Honegger, Andrew James Johnston |
| Place of Publication | Germany |
| Publisher | Peter Lang |
| Pages | 185-212 |
| Number of pages | 28 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9783039108350 |
| Publication status | Published - 2008 |