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Zair, Nicholas, “Reconstructing the Brittonic future/present subjunctive”, Journal of Celtic Linguistics 14 (2012): 87–110.

  • journal article
Citation details
Contributors
Article
“Reconstructing the Brittonic future/present subjunctive”
Periodical
Journal of Celtic Linguistics 14 (2012)
Isaac, Graham R. (ed.), Journal of Celtic Linguistics 14 (2012), University of Wales Press.  
Includes reviews (pp. 111-151).
Volume
14
Pages
87–110
BibTeX
Description
Abstract (cited)
This article discusses the phonological and analogical developments of the inherited subjunctive/desiderative suffix *-āse/o- in the Brittonic languages, which formed the Welsh and Cornish present subjunctive and the Breton future. It is demonstrated that, once the treatment of intervocalic *s > *h is understood, many of the forms of the future/present subjunctive can be explained by regular sound changes. Middle Breton is more conservative than Middle Welsh in preserving h only in the plural endings: Welsh generalized the characteristic plural h into the singular endings as well. The verb 'to be' differs from the regular verb both in reflecting originally separate subjunctive and desiderative stems, and in tending to have the British accent on its initial syllable. As a result of sound change and the different developments of the verb 'to be', allomorphy within the future/present subjunctive paradigms and between 'to be' and other verbs was extreme, and this led to a large number of by-forms created by paradigmatic levelling.
Subjects and topics
Headings
Breton language Brittonic language
Approaches
historical and comparative linguistics grammar (discipline)
Other subjects
verbs tense (grammar)
web page identifiers
Contributors
Dennis Groenewegen
Page created
December 2013, last updated: October 2020
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