[B-Greek] Phonology: F as bilabial fricative

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Thu Aug 3 17:13:38 EDT 2006


On Aug 3, 2006, at 4:33 PM, Thomas Thackery wrote:

> Was F φ at one time a bilabial voiceless fricative?
> In  perfect middle and passive indicative forms, I see that stems
> ending in F φ become Μ μ before ΜΑΙ μαι, and P π before Τ
> τ or S σ (cf. GRAF- γραφ-).
>
> Based on the behavior of F φ before M (bilabial) leads me to suspect
> that F Φ was a bilabial fricative [φ] and then must have shifted to
> a labiodental fricative [f].  In the case of M and F, their points of
> articulation seem to be homorganic if F were bilabial.
>
> F + MAI -> MMAI  e.g. GEGRAMMAI, *GEGRAMMEQA
> φ + μαι -> μμαι  e.g. γέγραμμαι,  
> *γἐγραμμεθα
>
> If F φ were bilabial, we might expect that F φ would become P π  in
> preparation for the next segment, T. The relationship between F φ and
> P π seems clearer were F φ bilabial.
>
> F + TAI  -> PMAI  e.g. GEGRAPTAI
> φ + ται -> πμαι   e.g. γέγραπται
>
> I'm theorizing here after.
> F + SAI -> YAI  e.g. GEGRAYAI
> φ + σαι -> ψαι  e.g. γἐγραψαι
>
> I am not aquatinted with Greek phonology enough to know if there are
> rules regarding the number of consonants in a consonant cluster:
> *F + SQE -> YQE  e.g. *GEGRAYQE
> φ + σθε -> ψθε   e.g. *γἐγραψθε
>
> *F + NTAI ->   ?
> φ + νται  ->  ?    e.g. *γἐγρα- ?
>
> (Perhaps one could supple me with the correct forms for the last
> three examples)

It is true that the root of GRAFW is GRAF-, but the rules governing  
assimilation to the other types of consonants  apply not only to F  
(φ) but to the other labial consonants as well, i.e. P (π) and B  
(β). You might look at Smyth §§82-108 (http://tinyurl.com/jrvww and  
following pages) for the phonetic rules governing assimilation. Or  
you might look at the compendium of Ancient Greek Phonology that I  
have posted in PDF form on my web-site: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/ 
Docs/CompPhon.pdf

As for your theorizing, you've guessed correctly in two instances:

F + SAI -> P + SAI -> YAI (What happens here is that the aspiration  
is lost in favor of the unvoiced labial P before the Sigma, and the  
combination PS is spelled Y.
F + TAI -> P + TAI -> PTAI (What happens here is that the aspiration  
is lost in favor of the unvoiced labial P before the unvoiced dental T.
F + NTAI -> FATAI (What happens here is that the Nu vocalizes to  
Alpha between the consonants; you can find such forms as GEGRAFATAI  
in the Homeric poems, but it came to be pretty standard in later  
Greek to use periphrastic forms such as GEGRAMMENA ESTIN for the  
perfect passive 3 pl: "they have been written" (neuter).


Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad2 at mac.com
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/





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