Reconstruction talk:Proto-Germanic/funhtijaz

Reconstruction

Kroonen has this listed as a u-stem that was remodeled as a ja-stem in West Germanic, due to lack of umlaut in the descendants. Should we move it, or only make a note of it? Anglom (talk) 19:04, 14 October 2014 (UTC)

What evidence is there for a u-stem? —CodeCat 19:50, 14 October 2014 (UTC)

The lack of i-mutation, especially in Old English, is likely the biggest clue it wasn't originally a ja-stem. He also suggests a small trend of u-stems becoming i- or ja-stems in West Germanic: *drahtuz > WGmc *drahti-, *ganhuz > Old Dutch gā but Old High German gāhi, *kinnuz > WGmc *kinnij-. Sometimes West Germanic shows both forms: *tanhuz > WGmc *tāh(a/u)-, *tāhija-, *fastuz > *fast(a/u)-, *festija-.

I'm not really certain about some of these, especially the Old Dutch example because I don't have good sources for Old Dutch. But it seems to make sense. Anglom (talk) 20:28, 14 October 2014 (UTC)

But u-stem adjectives already declined mostly as ja-stems even in Proto-Germanic. In all Germanic languages but Gothic, the i-, u- and ja-stem adjectives merged into a single class. So the lack of i-mutation in Old English is suspicious, but I don't see it as evidence for a u-stem. —CodeCat 20:35, 14 October 2014 (UTC)