Metathesis

Metathesis (transposition).—A vowel and a consonant often exchange places: Πνύξ the Pnyx, gen. Πυκνός, τίκτω bear for τι-τκ-ω (cp. τεκ-εῖν).

a. Transposition proper does not occur where we have to do with αρ, ρα = ṛ (20, 35 b) as in θάρσος and θράσος courage; or with syncope (44 b) due to early shifting of accent, as in πέτ-ομαι fly, πτε-ρόν wing; or where a long vowel follows the syncopated root, as in τέμ-νω τέ-τμη-κα I have cut.

In βέβληκα I have thrown (βάλλω throw), βλη is formed from βελε found in βέλε-μνον missile.

Metathesis.—The verbal stem may suffer metathesis (128).

a. In the present: θνῄσκω die, 2 aor. ἔθανον, perf. τέθνηκα.

b. In other tenses: βάλλω throw (βαλ-), perf. βέβληκα, ἐβλήθην (βλη-); τέμνω cut (τεμ-ν-), 2 aor. ἔτεμον, perf. τέτμηκα; δέρκομαι (δερκ-) see, 2 aor. ἔδρακον; τέρπω delight, 2 aor. pass. ἐτάρπην and ἐτράπην (both poetical).

Verbs of the First Class (499) adding a thematic vowel to the verbstem form the second aorist (1) by reduplication (494), as ἄγω lead ἤγαγον, and εἶπον probably for ἐ-ϝε-ϝεπ-ον; (2) by syncope (493), as πέτομαι fly ἐπτόμην, ἐγείρω (ἐγερ-) rouse ἠγρόμην, ἕπομαι (σεπ-) jollow ἐσπόμην, imperf. είπόμην from ἐ-σεπομην, ἔχω (σεχ-) hare ἔσχον; (3) by using α for ε (476 b) in poetic forms (480), as τρέπω turn ἔτραπον; (4) by metathesis (492), as poet. δέρκομαι see ἔδρακον.

Liquid Verbs.—Many liquid verbs have no perfect or employ the second perfect. Examples of the regular formation are φαίνω (φαν-) show, πέφαγκα, ἀγγέλλω (ἀγγελ-) announce, ἤγγελκα.

a. Some liquid verbs drop ν; as κέκρικα, κέκλικα from κρῑ́νω (κριν-) judge, κλῑ́νω (κλιν-) incline. τείνω (τεν-) stretch has τέτακα from τετṇκα.

b. Monosyllabic stems change ε to α; as ἔσταλκα, ἔφθαρκα from στέλλω (στελ-) send, φθείρω (φθερ-) corrupt.

N. For α we expect ο; α is derived from the middle (ἔσταλμαι, ἔφθαρμαι).

c. All stems in μ and many others add ε (485); as νέμω (νεμ-ε-), distribute νενέμηκα, μέλω (μελ-ε-) care for μεμέληκα, τυγχάνω (τυχ-ε) happen τετύχηκα.

d. Many liquid verbs suffer metathesis (492) and thus get the form of vowel verbs; as βάλλω (βαλ-) throw βέβληκα; θνῄσκω (θαν-) die τέθνηκα; καλέω (καλε-, κλη-) call κέκληκα; κάμνω (καμ-) am weary κέκμηκα; τέμνω (τεμ-) cut τέτμηκα. Also πῑ́πτω (πετ-, πτο-) fall πέπτωκα. See 128 a.

The verb-stem agrees with that of the perfect middle herein:

a. Vowel verbs lengthen the final vowel of the verb-stem, as τε-τῑ́μη-μαι, ἐ-τῑμή-θην. On verbs which do not lengthen their final vowel, see 488.

b. Liquid stems of one syllable change ε to α, as τέ-τα-μαι, ἐ-τά-θην (τείνω stretch, τεν-). But στρέφω turn, τρέπω turn, τρέφω nourish have ἐστρέφθην, ἐτρέφθην, ἐθρέφθην (rare), though the perfect middles are ἔστραμμαι, τέτραμμαι, τέθραμμαι.