Evolution of German

From FireSpeakerWiki

These are just notes to get my thoughts together for a test; no guarantee is given as to the accuracy of this information and the site license stands.

Contents 1 Evolution 2 Proto-IE to Proto-Germanic 2.1 Verner's Law 2.2 The first sound shift 2.3 Stress Shift 3 Germanic to NW Germanic 4 NW Germanic to West Germanic 4.1 Gemination 5 West Germanic to OHG 5.1 Voiceless Stops Fricativise 5.2 Second Sound Shift 5.3 Voiced stops devoice 5.4 Other stuff

[edit] Evolution

[edit] Proto-IE to Proto-Germanic

• IE ablaut rule:
  • V → V → [e(:), o(:), 0] in a m.c. environment
  • kneigʰ → kniigʰ­­/knīgʰ­­
• o → a
• l̥, m̥, n̥, r̥ → ul, um, un, ur
• "First" umlaut:
  • e → i / _ {C₀ i(:), j | [ nasal C]C }
  • i, u → e, o / _ C₀ a(:), o(:), e(:) | (C ≠ [ nasal C] C)
• ē → ā

[edit] Verner's Law

Continuant options if after a vowel.

• / V_[-stressed] C_{0[ sonorant]} _ {#,C_{[ sonorant]}}

p	t	k	kʷ
→
β/b	d/ð	ɣ/ɡ	ɣʷ/ɡʷ

[edit] The first sound shift

Continuant options if after a vowel

• voiceless stops → fricatives

p	t	k	kʷ	s
→
f	θ	x/h	xʷ/hʷ	s

• voiced stops → unvoiced stops

b	d	ɡ	ɡʷ
→
p	t	k	kʷ

• voiced aspirated stops → voiced stops

bʰ	dʰ	ɡʰ	ɡʷʰ
→
β/b	d/ð	ɣ/ɡ	ɣʷ/ɡʷ

[edit] Stress Shift

[edit] Germanic to NW Germanic

• z → r

[edit] NW Germanic to West Germanic

• ð → d

[edit] Gemination

• C → CC / _ C_{[ son]}
  • (i.e.: n, m, l, (r,) w, j }
  • skalj → shell
  • → latter, ladder
  • → button
  • → happen
  • → bubble
  • → bottle
  • sitj(an) → sit(ting)

[edit] West Germanic to OHG

[edit] Voiceless Stops Fricativise

• ship → shif

[edit] Second Sound Shift

Voiceless Aspirated Stops Fricativise (a.k.a. Affricatisation)

pʰ	tʰ	kʰ	→
pf	ts	kx	/ {#,C} _
ff	ss	xx	/ {V} _

[edit] Voiced stops devoice

• d → t (except after a nasal?)
• g,b → k,p

[edit] Other stuff

• θ → d
• β → b
• ɣ → ɡ