ablaut
Quick Summary
Ablaut is a systematic variation of vowels within a root or affix, primarily observed in Indo-European languages. This linguistic phenomenon is crucial for understanding word formation and inflection, particularly in verbs. For instance, the English words sing, sang, and sung demonstrate ablaut, where the vowel changes to signify different grammatical forms or meanings.1
In Proto-Indo-European, the reconstructed parent language of many modern languages, vowels participated in ablaut alternations. These alternations included different "grades" such as the e-grade, o-grade, and zero-grade, which could appear during inflection and word formation. The concept of ablaut was notably introduced by Jacob Grimm in the 19th century. A related linguistic term, "umlaut," refers to a vowel change caused by assimilation to a succeeding sound or a diacritical mark.213
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Indo-European languagesVowelsā¦a pattern of alternation called ablaut. In the course of inflection and word formation, roots and suffixes could appear in the āe-gradeā (also called ānormal gradeā; compare Latin ped-is āof a footā [genitive singular]), āo-gradeā (e.g., Greek pĆ³d-es āfeetā), āzero-gradeā (e.g., Avestan fra-bd-a- āforefoot,ā with -bd- from *-pd-), ālengthened e-gradeāā¦
Read Moreā¦a pattern of alternation called ablaut. In the course of inflection and word formation, roots and suffixes could appear in the āe-gradeā (also called ānormal gradeā; compare Latin ped-is āof a footā [genitive singular]), āo-gradeā (e.g., Greek pĆ³d-es āfeetā), āzero-gradeā (e.g., Avestan fra-bd-a- āforefoot,ā with -bd- from *-pd-), ālengthened e-gradeāā¦
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Sino-Tibetan languagesVowel alternationā¦use of vowel gradation (called ablaut) is well known from Indo-European languages (e.g., the vowel change in English sing, sang, sung) and is found in several Sino-Tibetan languages, including Chinese and Tibetan. In Tibetan the various forms of the verbs are differentiated in part by vowel alternation; in Sinitic someā¦
Read Moreā¦use of vowel gradation (called ablaut) is well known from Indo-European languages (e.g., the vowel change in English sing, sang, sung) and is found in several Sino-Tibetan languages, including Chinese and Tibetan. In Tibetan the various forms of the verbs are differentiated in part by vowel alternation; in Sinitic someā¦
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