112 Greek Conjugations. 



Art, XI. — On the Greek Conjugations ; by Prof. J. W, Gibbs. 



The conjugations found in our common grammars, have usually 

 been formed by writers directing their attention to a single language, 

 and are probably the best for merely practical purposes. 



It often happens, however, that there is another arrangement of 

 the conjugations which enters more deeply into the nature of the 

 Vexh, separates more closely between primary and derivative forms, 

 and prepares the way for more successful comparisons with other 

 languages. 



The classification to which I allude is based, for the most part, on 

 the broad distinction between internal or strong inflection which takes 

 place within the root itself, and external or weak inflection which 

 consists in the addition of new syllables and leaves the root untouched. 



As the internal inflection, which consists principally in the change 

 of the vowel or in the reduplication of initial letters, is found in rad- 

 ical or primitive verbs, and has a manifest analogy in difierent lan- 

 guages, it has of late engaged the attention of philologists. 



These remarks apply more or less to Greek, Latin, and Teutonic, 

 including English, verbs. I shall confine my attention at present to 



the Greek. 



Strong Infiection. 



Strong verbs in Greek are divided by philologists, for the sake of 

 exhibiting their vocalic changes, into four classes. 



The tenses chosen for the purpose of showing these vocalic chan- 

 ges are the 2 aorist, which usually exhibits the radical vowel, the 

 2 perfect, and the present. 



Class I. 

 This class includes verbs whose radical vowel undergoes no change 

 in inflection. 



2 aor. iygd(prjv, perf yiyqacfn, pres. y?(iqpft>. 



2 aor. svqov, perf pres. ev^w. 



2 aor. sgQl(p7]v, perf. s^^icpoc, pres. qItttcx). 



2 aor. ixdrcTjv, perf. niy-ona, pres. xomoi. 



2 aor. ^KQ^^rjv, perf. aey.qvcfa, pres. y-gvTrrw, 



2 aor. sdaov, perf didaa^ pres. Sdco. 



2 aor. sdiou, perf didia, pres. dlco. 



2 aor. icpirjv, perf. nicpva, pre?, tpico. 



Here belong a few verbs with « made and continued long by posi- 

 tion, one verb with '/, and a few doubtful examples with t- 



