ABLAUT

views updated May 29 2018

ABLAUT. A term used in PHILOLOGY for both the diachronic shifting of vowels (also known as VOWEL SHIFT) and the synchronic grading of vowels (also known as vowel gradation), especially in the INDO-EUROPEAN languages. Vowel gradation occurs in English in the formation of some irregular noun plurals (man, men; goose, geese) and some irregular verbs (sing, sang, sung; swim, swam, swum). Compare STRONG VERB.

Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language TOM McARTHUR

ablaut

views updated May 14 2018

ab·laut / ˈabˌlout/ • n. a change of vowel in related words or forms, e.g., in Germanic strong verbs (e.g., in sing, sang, sung).

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

ablaut

views updated May 23 2018

ablaut alternation in the vowels of related word forms, especially in Germanic strong verbs (e.g. in sing, sang, sung).

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable ELIZABETH KNOWLES

ablaut

views updated May 18 2018

ablaut (philol.) vowel gradation, as in sing, sang, sung. XIX. — G., f. ab OFF + laut sound.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

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