Nasals

The seventeen consonants are divided into stops (or mutes), spirants, liquids, nasals, and double consonants. They may be arranged according to the degree of tension or slackness of the vocal chords in sounding them, as follows:

a. Voiced (sonant, i.e. sounding) consonants are produced when the vocal chords vibrate. The sounds are represented by the letters β, δ, γ (stops), λ, ρ (liquids), μ, ν, γ-nasal (19 a) (nasals), and ζ. (All the vowels are voiced.) ρ with the rough breathing is voiceless.

b. Voiceless (surd, i.e. hushed) consonants require no exertion of the vocal chords. These are π, τ, κ, φ, θ, χ (stops), ς (spirant or sibilant), and ψ and ξ.

c. Arranged according to the increasing degree of noise, nearest to the vowels are the nasals, in sounding which the air escapes without friction through the nose; next come the semivowels υ̯ and ι̯ (20 a), the liquids, and the spirant ς, in sounding which the air escapes with friction through the cavity of the mouth; next come the stops, which are produced by a removal of an obstruction; and finally the double consonants.

Nasals.—There are three nasals: μ (labial), ν (dental), and γ-nasal (palatal).

a. Gamma before κ, γ, χ, ξ is called γ-nasal. It had the sound of n in think, and was represented by n in Latin. Thus, ἄγκῡρα (Lat. ancora) anchor, ἄγγελος (Lat. angelus) messenger, σφίγξ sphinx.

b. The name liquids is often used to include both liquids and nasals.

β, γ, δ are not doubled in Attic (cp. 75 D.). In γγ the first γ is nasal (19 a). φ, χ, θ are not doubled in Attic; instead, we have πφ, κχ, τθ as in Σαπφώ Sappho, Βάκχος Bacchus, Ἀτθίς (Atthis) Attic. Cp. 83 a.

The quantity of most syllables is usually apparent. Thus, syllables

a. with η, ω, or a diphthong, are long.

b. with ε, ο, before a vowel or a single consonant, are short.

c. with ε, ο, before two consonants, or a double consonant, are long.

d. with α, ι, υ, before two consonants, or a double consonant, are long.

N.—But syllables with ε, ο, or α, ι, υ before a stop and a liquid may be short (145). Cp. also 147 c.

The ᾰ in 479, 480 is developed from a liquid or nasal brought between two consonants (35 b). Thus, ἔσταλμαι, τέταμαι from ἐστḷμαι, τετṇμαι, ἐτάθην from ἐτṇθην (20 b). Here στλ, τν represent weak grades of the stem.

SUFFIXES WITH NASALS (μ, ν)

1. μο, μᾱ (nom. μο-ς; -μᾰ and -μη): primary, in substantives denoting actions or abstract ideas (840 a. 5-7), and in some concretes: χῡ-μό-ς juice (χέω pour, χυ-), γραμ-μή line (γράφ-ω write, draw); in adjectives (858. 8, 9). On -τ-μο -τ-μα, -θ-μο -θ-μα, -σ-μο -σ-μα see 837, 832, 836; secondary, rarely in substantives: δρῡ-μό-ς coppice (δρῦ-ς tree, oak), or adjectives: ἔτυ-μο-ς true (ἐτεϝός real).—ι-μο: secondary, derived from ι stems (858. 9).—2. ματ (nom. -μα): primary, denoting result (841. 2). Here to μα from ṃ (cp. ὄνομα name, Lat. nomen; τέρμα goal, Lat. termen) τ has been added; cp. cognomentum.—3. μεν (nom. -μην): primary, in ποι-μήν shepherd, λι-μήν harbour.—4. μενο: primary, in participles: λῡό-μενο-ς.—5. μι (rare): primary, in φῆ-μι-ς speech (poet. for φή-μη).—6. μιν (nom. -μῑς): prim., ῥηγ-μῑ́-ς surf (ῥήγ-νῡ-μι break).—7. μνο, μνᾱ: prim., in στά-μνο-ς jar (ἵ-στη-μι set, stand, στα-), βέλε-μνο-ν dart (βάλλω throw), ποί-μνη flock, λί-μνη lake.—8. μον (nom. -μων): primary, in ἡγε-μών leader (ἡγέ-ομαι lead); adjectives 858. 10.—9. μονᾱ: primary, in πλη-σ-μονή fulness (πίμ-πλη-μι fill).—10. μων (nom. -μων): primary, in χει-μών winter, λει-μών meadow.

11. νο, νᾱ: primary, in ὕπ-νο-ς sleep, καπ-ϝό-ς smoke, ποι-νή punishment, φερ-νή dower (φέρ-ω bring), τέκ-νο-ν child (τίκτω bear, τεκ-), in adjectives (858. 11); secondary, in adjectives (858. 11), in σελή-νη moon (= σελασ-νη, σέλας gleam).—ανο, ανᾱ: primary, in στέφ-ανο-ς crown, στεφ-άνη diadem (στέφ-ω encircle), δρέπ-ανο-ν, δρεπ-άνη sickle (δρέπ-ω pluck), ὄργ-ανο-ν instrument (ἔργον work), θηγ-άνη whetstone (θήγ-ω whet); in adjectives: στεγ-ανό-ς (cp. στεγ-νός) water-tight (στέγ-ω shelter); secondary, in βο-τ-άνη fodder (βο-τό-ς, βό-σκω graze), ἕδρ-ανο-ν seat (ἕδ-ρᾱ seat). ᾱνο (ηνο), ᾱνᾱ (ηνᾱ): secondary, in gentiles (844. 3). ενο, ενᾱ: primary, in παρθ-ένο-ς maiden, ὠλ-ένη elbow. ηνο, ηνᾱ: primary, in τι-θή-νη nurse (θῆσθαι give suck). ινο, ινᾱ: secondary, in adjectives of material and time (858. 12), and in ῥαδ-ινό-ς slender, μελ-ίνη millet. ινεο, ινεᾱ: secondary, in adjectives of material (858. 12). ῑνο, ῑνα: primary, in χαλ-ῑνό-ς bridle, σέλ-ῑνο-ν parsley; secondary, in gentiles (844. 3); in patronymics (845. 6); in ἐρυθρ-ῖνο-ς red mullet (ἐρυθρό-ς red); βολβ-ῑ́νη a kind of βολβ-ός (a bulb-root). ονο, ονᾱ: primary, in κλ-όνο-ς battle-rout (κέλ-ομαι urge on); in abstracts, as ἡδ-ονή pleasure (ἥδ-ομαι am pleased). υνο, υνᾱ: primary, in κορ-ύνη club, πίσ-υνο-ς relying on (πείθ-ω persuade). ῡνο, ῡνᾱ: primary, in κίνδ-ῡνο-ς danger, αἰσχ-ῡ́νη disgrace. ωνο, ωνᾱ: primary, in κολ-ωνό-ς hill, κορ-ώ<*>η crow.—12. νυ (rare): primary, in λιγ-νύ-ς smoky fire.

13. αινα: secondary, of the person concerned (843 b. 5).—14. αν: primary, in μέλᾱς μέλαν-ος black.—15. εν (nom. -ην): primary, in τέρ-ην tender, ἄρρ-ην male.—16. ην: primary, in πευθ-ήν inquirer (πεύθ-ομαι, πυνθάνομαι inquire).—17. ῑν (nom. -ῑς): primary, in δελφῑ́ς dolphin, ὠδῑ́ς travail.— 18. ον (nom. -ων): primary, in words of agency: τέκτ-ων carpenter, τρῡγ-ών turtle-dove (τρύζω murmur, τρυγ-), κλύδ-ων wave (κλύζω dash, κλυδ-); and in others, as εἰκ-ών image (ἔοικα am like, εἰκ-), χι-ών snow.—19. ιον: secondary, in μαλακ-ίων darling, diminutive of μαλακό-ς soft.—ῑον: primary, in comparatives; ἡδ-ῑ́ων sweeter (ἡδ-ύ-ς); secondary, in patronymics (845.5). —Ϝον: primary, in πῑ́ων fat.—20. ων: secondary, in words denoting persons possessing some physical or mental quality, as γάστρ-ων glutton (γαστήρ belly); to denote place (851. 3); in names of months: Ἀνθεστηριών.—21. Ϝων: primary, in αἰ(ϝ)ών age, gen. αἰῶν-ος.—22. ιων: secondary, in patronymics (845. 5).—23. ιωνᾱ: secondary, in patronymics (845. 6).