Compensatory lengthening

Compensatory lengthening is the lengthening of a short vowel to make up for the omission of a consonant.

a. Thus are formed κτείνω I kill for κτεν-ι̯ω, φθείρω I destroy for φθερ-ι̯ω, δότειρα giver for δοτερ-ι̯α, κλῑ́νω I lean for κλιν-ι̯ω, ὀλοφῡ́ρω I lament for ὀλοφυρ-ι̯ω.

b. α becomes η in the σ-aorist of verbs whose stems end in λ, ρ, or ν, when not preceded by ι or ρ. Thus, ἐφαν-σα becomes ἔ-φηνα I showed, but ἐπεραν-σα becomes ἐπέρᾱνα I finished. So σελήϝη moon for σελασ-νη (σέλας gleam).

c. The diphthongs ει and ου due to this lengthening are spurious (6).

ᾱ arises from αι upon the loss of its ι (43) in ᾱ̓εί always (from αἰεί), ᾱ̓ετός eagle (αἰετός), κλᾱ́ει weeps (κλαίει), ἐλᾱ́ᾱ olive-tree (ἐλαίᾱ, cp. Lat. oliva).

a. This change took place only when αι was followed by ϝ (αἰϝεί, αἰϝετός from ἀϝιετος, κλαιϝει from κλαϝιει, 111, 128) or ι (Θηβᾱίς the Thebaïd from Θηβαιίς); and only when ϝ or ι was not followed by ο.

λν becomes λλ in ὄλλῡμι destroy for ὀλ-νῡμι.

λν is kept in πίλναμαι approach. On sigma before ν see 105.

ς before μ or ν usually disappears with compensatory lengthening (37) as in εἰμί for ἐσ-μι. But σμ stays if μ belongs to a suffix and in compounds of δυσ- ill: δυσ-μενής hostile.

a. Assimilation takes place in Πελοπόννησος for Πέλοπος νῆσος island of Pelops, ἕννῡμι clothe for ἑσ-νῡμι (Ionic εἵνῡμι), ἔρρει was flowing for ἐ-σρει, 80 a.

Masculine and feminine stems ending in ν, ρ, and ς reject ς and lengthen a preceding vowel if short (ε to η, ο to ω).

δαίμων divinity δαίμον-ος, χειμών winter χειμῶν-ος, λιμήν harbour λιμέν-ος, Ἕλλην Greek Ἕλλην-ος; ῥήτωρ orator ῥήτορ-ος, ἀήρ air ἀέρ-ος, φώρ thief φωρ-ός, τριήρης trireme (stem τριηρεσ-, 263 b), αἰδώς shame (stem αἰδοσ-, 266). On μήν see 259 end. For stems in ες, nominative -ος, see 263 c.

(III) Presents in -εινω, -ειρω, -ῑνω, -ῑρω, -ῡνω, and -ῑρω are formed from stems in εν, ερ, ῐν, ῐρ, ῠν, ῠρ with ι̯όε- added. Here ι̯ disappears and the vowel preceding ν or ρ is lengthened by compensation (ε to ει; ι to ῑ; υ to ῡ). See 37 a, 111.

τείνω stretch (τεν-ι̯ω), φθείρω destroy (φθερ-), κρῑ́νω (κριν-), οἰκτῑ́ρω pity (οἰκτιρ-) generally written οἰκτείρω, ἀμῡ́νω ward off (ἀμυν-), μαρτῡ́ρομαι call to witness (μαρτυρ-).

a. ὀφείλω (ὀφελ-) owe, am obliged is formed like τείνω, φθείρω in order to distinguish it from ὀφέλλω (ὀφελ-) increase formed regularly. Hom. has usually Aeolic ὀφέλλω in the sense of ὀφείλω. δείρω flay (δερ-ι̯ω) is parallel to δέρ-ω (499).

Liquid Verbs.—Verb-stems ending in λ, μ, ν, ρ lose ς and lengthen their vowel in compensation (37): α to η (after ι or ρ to ᾱ), ε to ει, ῐ to ῑ, ῠ to ῡ.

φαίνω (φαν-) show, ἔφηνα for ἐφανσα; περαίνω (περαν-) finish, ἐπέρᾱνα for ἐπερανσα; στέλλω (στελ-) send, ἔστειλα for ἐστελσα; κρῑ́νω (κριν-) judge, ἔκρῑνα for ἐκρινσα; ἅλλομαι (ἁλ-) leap, ἡλάμην for ἡλσαμην.

a. Some verbs in -αινω (-αν-) have -ᾱνα instead of -ηνα; as γλυκαίνω sweeten ἐγλύκᾱνα. So ἰσχναίνω make thin, κερδαίνω gain, κοιλαίνω hollow out, λιπαίνω fatten, ὀργαίνω be angry, πεπαίνω make ripe. Cp. 30 a.

b. The poetic verbs retaining ς in the future (536) retain it also in the aorist.

c. αἴρω (ἀρ-) raise is treated as if its verb-stem were ᾱ̓ρ- (contracted from ἀερ- in ἀείρω): aor. ἦρα, ᾱ̓́ρω, ᾱ̓́ραιμι, ἆρον, ἆραι, ᾱ̓́ρας, and ἠράμην, ᾱ̓́ρωμαι, ᾱ̓ραίμην, ᾱ̓́ρασθαι, ᾱ̓ράμενος.

d. ἤνεγκα is used as the first aorist of φέρω bear. εἶπα is rare for εἶπον (549).