Vowels

§4Vowels and DiphthongsThere are seven vowels: α, ε, η, ι, ο, υ, ω. Of these ε and ο are always short, and take about half the time to pronounce as η and ω, which are always long; α, ι, υ are short in so…

§4Vowels and DiphthongsThere are seven vowels: α, ε, η, ι, ο, υ, ω. Of these ε and ο are always short, and take about half the time to pronounce as η and ω, which are always long; α, ι, υ are short in so…

§24ANCIENT GREEK PRONUNCIATIONVowels.—Short α, ι, υ differed in sound from the corresponding long voweis only in being less prolonged; ε and ο probably differed from η and ω also in being less open, a differenc…

§§27–45VOWEL CHANGEQuantitative Vowel Gradation.—In the formation and inflection of words a short vowel often interchanges with its corresponding long vowel. Thus SHORT α ε ι ο υ LONG η (ᾱ after ε, ι…

§39SHORTENING, ADDITION, AND OTHER VOWEL CHANGESShortening.—A long vowel may be shortened before another long vowel: βασιλέων from βασιλήων of kings, νεῶν from νηῶν of ships, τεθνεώς from τεθνηώς dead. In the Ionic genitive of Â…

§40SHORTENING, ADDITION, AND OTHER VOWEL CHANGESA long vowel before ι, υ, a nasal, or a liquid + a following consonant was regularly shortened: νᾰῦς from original νᾱυς ship, ἐμίγεν from ἐ-μιγη-ντ were mixed. The long vowel was o…

§148 D.QUANTITY 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…

§41SHORTENING, ADDITION, AND OTHER VOWEL CHANGESAddition.—α, ε, ο are sometimes prefixed before λ, μ, ρ, ϝ (prothetic vowels). Thus, ἀ-λείφω anoint with oil, λίπος fat; ἐ-ρυθρός red (cp. Lat. ruber), ἐ-είκοσι from ἐ-(ϝ)είκοσι; ὀ…

§42SHORTENING, ADDITION, AND OTHER VOWEL CHANGESDevelopment.—A medial vowel is sometimes developed from λ or ν between two consonants; thus αλ, λα; αρ, ρα; αν (35 b). Also (rarely) in forms like Ion. βάραγχος = Att. βράγχος hoar…

§43SHORTENING, ADDITION, AND OTHER VOWEL CHANGESDisappearance.—The ι and υ of diphthongs often disappear before a following vowel. Thus, ὑός from υἱός son, βο-ός genitive of βοῦ-ς ox, cow. ι and υ here became semivowels (ι̯, υ̯)…

§44SHORTENING, ADDITION, AND OTHER VOWEL CHANGESa. The disappearance of ε before a vowel is often called hyphaeresis (ὑφαίρεσις omission). Thus Ionic νοσσός chick for νεοσσός, ὁρτή for ἑορτή festival; ἀδεῶς fearlessly for ἀδεέως…

§45SHORTENING, ADDITION, AND OTHER VOWEL CHANGESAssimilation.—A vowel may be assimilated to the vowel standing in the following syllable: βιβλίον book from βυβλίον (βύβλος papyrus). a. On assimilation in distracted verbs (ὁρόω s…

§§46–76CONTACT OF VOWELS AND HIATUSAttic more than any other dialect disliked the immediate succession of two vowel sounds in adjoining syllables. To avoid such succession, which often arose in the formation and inf…

§46CONTACT OF VOWELS AND HIATUSAttic more than any other dialect disliked the immediate succession of two vowel sounds in adjoining syllables. To avoid such succession, which often arose in the formation and inf…

§§48–59CONTRACTIONContraction 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…

§56CONTRACTIONIrregularities.—A short vowel preceding α or any long vowel or diphthong, in contracts of the first and second declensions, is apparently absorbed (235, 290): χρῡ́σεα = χρῡσᾶ (not …

§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…

§§70–75ELISIONElision is the expulsion of a short vowel at the end of a word before a word beginning with a vowel. An apostrophe (') marks the place where the vowel is elided. ἀλλ᾽ (ὰ) ἄγε, ἔδωκ…

§75 DELISIONInterior elision takes place in forming compound words. Here the apostrophe is not used. Thus, οὐδείς no one from οὐδὲ εἷς, καθοράω look down upon from κατὰ ὁράω, μεθῑ́ημι let go f…

§76APHAERESIS (INVERSE ELISION)Aphaeresis (ἀφᾳίρεσις taking away) is the elision of ε at the beginning of a word after a word ending in a long vowel or diphthong. This occurs only in poetry, and chiefly after μή…

§§109–117CONSONANTS BEFORE I AND ENumerous changes occur before the semivowel ι̯ (= y, 20) before a vowel. This y is often indicated by the sign ι̯. In 110-117 (except in 115) ι̯ is = y.