lo Frederic E. Clements 



GENERAL PHONETIC PRINCIPLES 



Aspirates 



In composition, aspirates (x (kh), ^ (ph), ^ (th) ) arise when a 

 surd (k, tt, t), usually by elision of the final vowel of the 

 stem of the first term, conies in contact with an initial as- 

 pirated vowel of the second term. 

 8e'K(a)-i^/u.epa = Se^iy/Ae/jos, ten-day 

 €7r(t ) -c'8/3tt = e^eSpos, seated upon 

 dvT(t)-o/Dos = av6o/Dos, an opposite limit 

 Very rarely, this influence is exerted through an interposing 

 consonant. 

 TeTp(a)-i7r7ros = Tc6'|Oi7r7ros, with four horses abreast 



Accumulation of Consonants 



As a rule, groups of consonants are modified to prevent harsh- 

 ness. Generally, three successive consonants, or a con- 

 sonant and a double consonant, are avoided, or one letter 

 is dropped, unless the first or last is a liquid (A, fx, v, p), 

 or y before a palatal (k, y, x, ^)- 

 Tre'/ATTTos, fifth; aKXrjpo's, hard; o-aXTriy^, trumpet 

 In composition, final k or o- of the first term may stand before two 

 other consonants. 

 eKCTTpocf)-^, dislocation; eKi^Otipia, to destroy utterly 

 The concurrence of two consonants, when it produces harsh- 

 ness, is avoided in several ways, 

 (i) When, by the transposition or loss of a letter, /x or v 

 stands immediately before A or p, the corresponding son- 

 ant iP, 8) is inserted. 

 //,£$ ( OS ) -rjfjiipa = /Aeo-7/p,( e)pu = fitcnqfJi^pia, midday 

 avrip, genitive, *av(€)pos = avpd?, ^av^po^^ man 

 (2) A consonant is sometimes transposed to a more con- 

 venient position. 

 TTUKvos, genitive, irvv^, nominative, meeting place 



Assimilation. 



Two explosives can occur together only when the latter is a 

 dental (t, 8, 6). In such a group a palatal or labial must 

 be of the same order, and another dental is changed to a; 



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