Germanic weak verb

As the weak verbs is described by three verbal classes in the Germanic languages ​​into one. It is characterized by the formation of the Präteritalformen and the participle of the preterite ( past participle ) using a Dentalsuffixes. The other two verbal classes are the strong verbs and the Präteritopräsentia.

In the description of the presence of weak language verbs are generally referred to as regular verbs as their shapes can be more easily derived from the nominal form as in the other verb classes. From a historical point of saying the name is as regular or irregular but less sense, as well as the strong verbs once possessed exhibit a regular shape formation.

The weak verbs are in the present-day Germanic languages ​​far more numerous than the strong. In contrast to the latter, they are also more productive, ie suitable for neoplasms.

• 4.1 jan- verbs ( 1st class)
• 4.2 On- verbs ( 2nd class)
• 4.3 of verbs ( 3rd class)
• 4.4 nan- verbs ( 4th class)

Examples

Examples from the Old Germanic languages:

Weak verbs in NHG

The regular formation of the stem-forms of a weak verb is done by appending the suffixes - te ( suffix ) and -t as well as the prefix ge - ( prefix ) to the unchanged root word, such as in ask - asked - asked. The prefix ge - does not apply to verbs that already have an inseparable prefix, and in verbs in - ming. The root word (in this case in question ) always remains the same. (For comparison: In English the ending- ed has the same function. ), Since that ending contains in all Germanic languages, a dental sound, it is also called dental suffix. The conjugation of verbs using this Dentalsuffixe called weak conjugation; Verbs that are inflected according to this pattern, can be called weak verbs.

However, there are also irregular weak verbs, although with dental suffix form their original forms, but also show other historical phenomena, think about - thought - thought caused with umlaut in the present stem and primary contact consonants change in the past tense. The often repeated equation "weak verbs = regular verbs " is therefore misleading for all Germanic languages.

Origin

The category of weak verbs is an innovation of Germanischer. The verbs are not inherited from a few exceptions from the Indo-European but newly created derivatives to existing words ( secondary education ).

Denominale derivatives

Weak verbs can be derived from nouns or adjectives. Karon The Gothic verb ' provide ' for example is a derivative of the noun kara ' concern ', hailjan the verb ' cure ' is a derivation from the adjective hails ' healing 'healthy', taiknjan * ' make a sign, show' of taikns ' character '. A special type represent the Inchoative that the occurrence of a condition called ( days ' are day ' neuhochdeutsch ).

Deverbative derivatives

Also strong verbs occur as a derivation basis in question. The neoplasms have then generally the importance of Kausativs, ie they describe the cause of the verbal action ( ' make drink ' like water to drink ), or a Iterativs / intensives ( carve ' intense, repeated cut ' to cut ).

Weak verb classes

As the Gothic than oldest documented language of the Germanic weak verb four separate classes, one is generally for the entire Germanic to an original number of four classes. The classification is based on formal criteria, ie on the out in the derivation process for application suffix.

Jan- verbs ( 1st class)

These have a suffix * -ja- on, which is still clearly visible in the Gothic: Got. nasjan ' save ', sōkjan 'Search ', mikiljan * ' praise '. It is in the jan- verbs to by far the largest of the weak (or even all ) verbal classes. Its members are mostly derived from strong verbs, nouns or adjectives.

On- verbs ( 2nd class)

These formations are distinguished * - Oja by a suffix. In Gothic it is only the long - ō - get: salbōn ' anoint ', Miton 'think', fraujinōn ' reign '. They are formed denominal usually.

Of verbs ( 3rd class)

The suffix of the third weak verb class is not clearly reconstructed. It appears in Gothic as -ai and -a-. The class counts in the Gothic relatively few members, experienced in Old High German but strong growth. Examples of the Gothic are þulan ' tolerate ' or ' live ' liban

Nan- verbs ( 4th class)

The fourth weak verb class includes mainly Inchoativa, ie Verbs that denote the transition to a state. The derivational suffix appears in Gothic as -na- or - nō -: fullnan ' fully be ', and- bundnan * ' dissolve ', us - bruknan ' Cancel '. In West Germanic, this group is set as a separate inflection.

The Dentalpräteritum

The origin of the preterite formed by dental suffix is one of the major controversies in the Germanic language history. There are several hypotheses, including the emergence of an old formation with the verb * dō - "do", but could as yet no generally accepted explanation be found.