The Ablaut of Present and Preterite in Hittite Radical Verbs

Abstract

The extent to which Hittite has preserved Indo-European ablaut patterns has always been a matter for debate. Variations in the vowel of the root occur in both the -miand the -ḫiconjugations, although roots of the shapeTeRT- have eliminated vocalic variation altogether, and certain other verbs, such aspai- “go” have similarly only one form of the root. In those roots which end in a single consonant and show variation in the root vowel several types may be distinguished. In the -miconjugation the type represented by 3 sg.ku-en-zi, 3 pl.ku-na-an-zior 3 sg.ku-e-ir-zi, 3 pl.ku-ra-an-zihas always been recognized as reflecting inheritede/zero alternation, as seen also in Sanskrit 3 sg.hánti,3 pl.ghnánti. This type presents no difficulties from the comparative point of view except for the appearance of thee-grade of the root in some persons where zero grade might have been expected, as in the preterite plural and 2 pl. imperative, which is identical in form with the 2 pl. indicative of the preterite.