Roots

Verb-stem (or Theme).—The tense-stems are made from one fundamental stem called the verb-stem (or theme).

This verb-stem may be a root (193) as in τῑ́-ω honour, or a root to which a derivative suffix has been appended, as in τῑ-μά-ω honour.

To determine the root all suffixes must be removed from the stem until only that part remains which contains the fundamental idea.

a. Most roots are noun-roots or verb-roots; but originally a root was neither noun or verb (193). Some roots are pronominal, and express direction or position. Greek has many words whose roots cannot be discovered. The form of a root in Greek is not necessarily that which Comparative Grammar shows was common to the cognate languages.

b. Since the origin of many words, even with the help of the cognate languages, is uncertain, we are often at a loss where to make the dividing line between root and suffix. Suffixes are often preceded by a vowel which may be regarded as a part of the suffix or as an expansion of the root (by some scholars regarded as a part of the root itself).

Changes of the root-vowel.—a. The root-vowel is sometimes strong, sometimes weak: ει, οι (weak ι); ευ, ου (weak υ); η or ω (weak α or ε). λεῖμ-μα remnant, λοιπ-ό-ς remaining, cp. λείπ-ω, ἔ-λιπ-ον; ζεῦγ-ος team, cp. ζεύγ-νῡ-μι, ζυγ-όν yoke; σπουδ-ή zeal, σπεύδ-ω hasten; λήθ-η forgetfulness, λανθάνω (λαθ-) forget; ἦθ-ος disposition, ἔθ-ος custom, habit; ῥωχ-μός cleft, ῥήγ-νῡ-μι break (ῥαγ-, ῥηγ-, ῥωγ-). Cp. 36.

b. ε often varies with ο, sometimes with α; η sometimes varies with ω. γόν-ο-ς offspring, γί-γν-ομαι (γεν-); τόν-ο-ς tone, τείνω (τεν-) stretch; τραφ-ερός well-fed, τροφ-ή nourishment, τρέφ-ω nourish; ἀρωγ-ό-ς helping, ἀρήγ-ω help. Cp. 36.