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§í 3⁶"7] Indo'Germanic Vowel-Sounds 1 7

NOTE.- — i. The short vowels i, u, a, the long vowels ī, ū, and vocalic I, m, n, r occurred originally only in syllables which did not bear the principal accent of the word.

The short vowels i, u, and vocalic 1, m, n, r arose from the loss of e in the strong forms ei, eu, el, em, en, er, which was caused by the principal accent having been shifted to some other syllable in the word.

a, the quality of which cannot be precisely defined, arose from the weakening of an original a, ē, or δ, caused by the loss of accent. It is generally pronounced like the final vowel in German Gabe.

ϊ and δ were contractions of weak diphthongs which arose from the strong forms eia, āi, ēi, 5i ; eua, āu, ēu, ōu through the loss of accent. The e in eis, eaa had disappeared before the contraction took place. See § 32.

a. The long diphthongs āi, ēi, &c., were of rare occurrence in the parent language, and their history in the prehistoric period of the various branches of the Indo-Germanic languages, except when final, is still somewhat obscure. In stem-syllables they were generally either shortened to ai, ei, &c., or the second element (i, u) disappeared. In final syllables they were generally shortened to ai, ei, &c. In this book no further account will be taken of the Indg. long diphthongs in stem-syllables. For their treatment in final syllables in Primitive Germanic, see § 89.

3. Upon theoretical grounds it is generally assumed that the parent language contained long vocalic 1, m, n, r. But their history in the various Indg. languages is still uncertain. In any case they were of very rare occurrence, and are therefore left out of consideration in this book.



		§í 3⁶"7] Indo'Germanic Vowel-Sounds 1 7 NOTE.- — i. The short vowels i, u, a, the long vowels ī, ū, and vocalic I, m, n, r occurred originally only in syllables which did not bear the principal accent of the word. The short vowels i, u, and vocalic 1, m, n, r arose from the loss of e in the strong forms ei, eu, el, em, en, er, which was caused by the principal accent having been shifted to some other syllable in the word. a, the quality of which cannot be precisely defined, arose from the weakening of an original a, ē, or δ, caused by the loss of accent. It is generally pronounced like the final vowel in German Gabe. ϊ and δ were contractions of weak diphthongs which arose from the strong forms eia, āi, ēi, 5i ; eua, āu, ēu, ōu through the loss of accent. The e in eis, eaa had disappeared before the contraction took place. See § 32. a. The long diphthongs āi, ēi, &c., were of rare occurrence in the parent language, and their history in the prehistoric period of the various branches of the Indo-Germanic languages, except when final, is still somewhat obscure. In stem-syllables they were generally either shortened to ai, ei, &c., or the second element (i, u) disappeared. In final syllables they were generally shortened to ai, ei, &c. In this book no further account will be taken of the Indg. long diphthongs in stem-syllables. For their treatment in final syllables in Primitive Germanic, see § 89. 3. Upon theoretical grounds it is generally assumed that the parent language contained long vocalic 1, m, n, r. But their history in the various Indg. languages is still uncertain. In any case they were of very rare occurrence, and are therefore left out of consideration in this book.

		§ 86. a (Lat. a, Gr. o) remained, as Lat. ager, Gr. Skr. ájras, Goth, akrs, O.Icel. akr, OS. akkar, OHG. ackar, OE. æcer, field, acre; Gr. άλ«, Lat. gen. salis, Goth. O.IceJ. OS. salt, OHG. salz, OE. sealt, salt; Lat. aqua, Goth, ahra, OS. OHG. aha, OE. ēa from eahu, older ahu, water, river ; Lat. alius, Gr, áXXos, Goth, aljis, other. § 37. e (Lat. e, Gr. t) remained, as Lat. ferō, Gr. φέρω, c