ablaut etymology

Etymology of Ablaut

The term "ablaut" derives from German and means "change of vowel." It was first used in linguistics by German philologist Jacob Grimm in the 19th century.

Meaning and Origin of Ablaut

Ablaut refers to a historical process of vowel alteration or gradation that occurs in certain Indo-European languages, including Germanic, Slavic, and Sanskrit. Ablaut patterns are characterized by vowels that change between different degrees of openness or strength.

The specific vowel changes that occur in ablaut are generally thought to be the result of historical sound shifts that took place during the Proto-Indo-European language period. These shifts often involved the alternation between full vowels (e, a, o) and reduced vowels (i, u) in different grammatical contexts.

Over time, ablaut patterns became systematized and associated with particular morphological categories, such as tense in verbs or case in nouns.

Examples of Ablaut

In English, ablaut can be seen in the following examples:

  • Verb tenses: sing (present) - sang (past) - sung (past participle)
  • Noun cases: foot (nominative) - feet (plural)

Similar ablaut patterns are found in other Indo-European languages, such as:

  • German: singen (sing) - sang (sang) - gesungen (sung)
  • Russian: петь (sing) - пел (sang) - пел (sung)
  • Sanskrit: हन (strike) - जघान (struck) - हत (struck)

Significance of Ablaut

Ablaut is a significant feature of Indo-European languages and plays a crucial role in understanding their historical development. It provides evidence of sound changes that occurred centuries ago and allows linguists to reconstruct the original forms of words and grammatical categories.

ablaut relate terms

  • umlaut

    Etymology German Umlaut Old High German Umbilūti um around about lūt inclina

  • abaft

    Etymology Middle English abaft from Old French abaf arriere from Late Latin ab af

  • ablaut

    Etymology of Ablaut The term ablaut derives from German and means change of vowel It

  • after

    Etymology Etymology derives from two Greek words étymos true or real lógos

  • apanthropy

    Etymology A Greek Prefix meaning without or not Pan Greek Prefix meanin

  • aperitif

    Etymology The word aperitif comes from the Latin verb aperire which means to open

  • aperture

    Etymology The word aperture comes from the Latin word aperire meaning to open Mean

  • apocalypse

    Etymology The word apocalypse derives from the Greek word apokálypsis which means

  • apocryphal

    Apocryphal Etymology Apocryphal etymology refers to the false or dubious derivation of a

  • Apollyon

    Etymology Greek Apollyōn ἀπολλύων Meaning Destroyer or the one who

  • apology

  • apoplexy

    Etymology Origin Greek apoplexia from apo away plexia stroke First use in

  • apostle

    Etymology From Old English apostol noun apostolig adjective from Late Latin apost

  • apostrophe

    Etymology The word apostrophe is derived from the Greek word apostrophos which means

  • apothecary

    Apothecary Etymology The word apothecary is derived from the Greek word apotheke me

  • apotheosis

    Etymology Greek ἀποθέωσις apothéōsis deification a raising to the sta

  • awkward

    Etymology The word awkward comes from the Middle English word awke meaning left han

  • eftsoons

    Etymology Old English eft again sōna soon Meaning Again soon Once more

  • offal

    Etymology The English word offal is derived from the Old French word offaille which

  • overt

    Etymology Latin overtus open uncovered bare Proto Indo European h₁éh₁wer

  • ablaut

    Etymology of Ablaut The term ablaut derives from German and means change of vowel It

  • Cleon

    Etymology The name Cleon is derived from the Greek word kleos meaning glory or r

  • Clio

    Etymology Greek Κλειώ Kleio Meaning Proclaimer or maker glorious Ori

  • Damocles

    Etymology and Origin Greek Δαμόκλεις Damokleēs Meaning Name Damocl

  • Hercules

    Etymology The name Hercules derives from the Latin name Hercules and the Greek name Hēra

  • list

    Etymology The word list has several etymologies Old English liste meaning a bord

  • listen

    Etymology The word listen comes from the Middle English word listnen which in turn c

  • loud

    Etymology The word loud comes from the Middle English word loude which in turn orig

  • Mstislav

    Etymology The name Mstislav is of Slavic origin Components Mst This stem means r

  • Pericles

    Etymology Greek Περικλῆς Periklēs Meaning Surrounded by glory or r

  • Slav

    Etymology The word Slav is derived from the Proto Slavic word Slavěninъ meaning peo

  • Slavic

    Etymology The term Slavic originates from the Proto Slavic word slověninъ meaning s

  • Slovene

    Etymology The name Slovenian is derived from the Proto Slavic word slověninъ meaning

  • Sophocles

    Etymology The name Sophocles comes from the Greek words sophos σοφός meaning

  • Themistocles

  • umlaut

    Etymology German Umlaut Old High German Umbilūti um around about lūt inclina

  • Wenceslas

    Etymology and Meaning The name Wenceslas is derived from the Old Slavic name Václav m

  • Yugoslav

  • Valkyrie

    Etymology The word valkyrie is derived from the Old Norse word valkyrja which is a c

  • queen

    Etymology The word queen originates from the Old English word cwēn which in turn d

  • grade

    Etymology The word grade comes from the Latin word gradus which means step or de

  • vowel

    Etymology The word vowel is derived from the Latin word vox meaning voice This i

  • bind

    Etymology Old English bindan Proto Germanic bindan Proto Indo European s bhendh

  • band

    Etymology The word band comes from the Old English word bend which originally meant

  • bond

    Etymology The word bond derives from the Old English word band which meant a tie o

  • bound

    Etymology Old English bindan Proto Germanic bindaną Meaning To tie fasten

  • porcelain

    Etymology Old French porcelaine Italian porcellana Latin porcellus piglet Meanin

  • plunder

    Etymology Middle English plunderen from Old French plundrer possibly from Old High G