Diphthongs

§5Vowels and DiphthongsA diphthong (δίφθογγος having two sounds) combines two vowels in one syllable. The second vowel is ι or υ. The diphthongs are: αι, ει, οι, ᾱͅ, ῃ, ῳ; αυ, ευ, ου, ηυ, and υι. The ι o…

§5Vowels and DiphthongsA diphthong (δίφθογγος having two sounds) combines two vowels in one syllable. The second vowel is ι or υ. The diphthongs are: αι, ει, οι, ᾱͅ, ῃ, ῳ; αυ, ευ, ου, ηυ, and υι. The ι o…

§6Vowels and Diphthongsει, ου are either genuine or spurious (apparent) diphthongs (25). Genuine ει, ου are a combination of ε + ι, ο + υ, as in λείπω I leave (cp. λέλοιπα I have left, 35 a), γένει to a …

§25ANCIENT GREEK PRONUNCIATIONDiphthongs.—The diphthongs were sounded nearly as follows: αι as in Cairo αυ as ou in out ηυ as ēh’-oo ει as in vein ευ as e (met) + oo (moon) ωυ as ōh’-oo οι as in soil ου as in o…

§54CONTRACTIONSpurious ει and ου are treated like ε and ο: τῑμάειν = τῑμᾶν, δηλόειν = δηλοῦν, τῑμάουσι = τῑμῶσι (but τῑμάει = τῑμᾷ and δηλόει = δηλοῑ, since ει is here genuine; 6).

§59CONTRACTIONTABLE OF VOWEL CONTRACTIONS [After ει or ου, gen. means genuine, sp. means spurious.] α + α = ᾱ γέραα = γέρᾱ ᾱ + α = ᾱ λᾶας = λᾶς α + ᾱ = ᾱ βεβάᾱσι = βεβᾶσι α + αι = αι μνάαι = μνα…

§25ANCIENT GREEK PRONUNCIATIONDiphthongs.—The diphthongs were sounded nearly as follows: αι as in Cairo αυ as ou in out ηυ as ēh’-oo ει as in vein ευ as e (met) + oo (moon) ωυ as ōh’-oo οι as in soil ου as in o…

§48CONTRACTIONContraction unites in a single long vowel or diphthong two vowels or a vowel and a diphthong standing next each other in successive syllables in the same word. a. Occasion for cont…

§§52–56CONTRACTION(IV) Vowels and Diphthongs.—A vowel disappears before a diphthong beginning with the same sound: μνάαι = μναῖ, φιλέει = φιλεῖ, δηλόοι = δηλοῖ.

§59CONTRACTIONTABLE OF VOWEL CONTRACTIONS [After ει or ου, gen. means genuine, sp. means spurious.] α + α = ᾱ γέραα = γέρᾱ ᾱ + α = ᾱ λᾶας = λᾶς α + ᾱ = ᾱ βεβάᾱσι = βεβᾶσι α + αι = αι μνάαι = μνα…

§60SYNIZESISIn poetry two vowels, or a vowel and a diphthong, belonging to successive syllables may unite to form a single syllable in pronunciation, but not in writing. Thus, βέλεα missiles, …

§61SYNIZESISSynizesis may occur between two words when the first ends in a long vowel or diphthong. This is especially the case with δή now, ἤ or, ἦ (interrog.), μή not, ἐπεί since, ἐγώ I, ὦ o…

§§62–69CRASISCrasis (κρᾶσις mingling) is the contraction of a vowel or diphthong at the end of a word with a vowel or diphthong beginning the following word. Over the syllable resulting from co…

§148 DQUANTITY OF SYLLABLESA vowel standing before another vowel in a Greek word is not necessarily short (as it usually is in classical Latin). 1. In Hom., and sometimes in the lyric parts of the drama, a s…

§169ACCENT: GENERAL PRINCIPLESFinal -αι and -οι are regarded as short: μοῦσαι, βούλομαι, πρόπαλαι, ἄνθρωποι. But in the optative -αι and -οι are long (λῡ́σαι, βουλεύοι), as in contracted syllables. So also in t…

§427ACCENTFinal -αι (and -οι) are regarded as long in the optative (169), elsewhere as short. Hence distinguish the forms of the first aorist. 3. Sing. Opt. Act. Infin. Act. 2. Sing. Imper. …

§275STEMS IN ευ, αυ, ουSINGULAR ὁ βασιλεύ-ς ἡ γραῦ-ς ἡ ναῦ-ς ὁ, ἡ βοῦ-ς king old woman ship ox, cow Nom. βασιλεύ-ς γραῦ-ς ναῦ-ς βοῦ-ς Gen. βασιλέ-ως γρᾱ-ός νε-ώς βο-ός Dat. (βασιλέ-ι) βασιλεῖ γρᾱ-ΐ νη-ΐ …

§§435–437AUGMENTTemporal Augment.—Verbs beginning with a vowel take the temporal augment by lengthening the initial vowel. The temporal augment is so called because it usually increases the time r…