A Middle High German Primer | Page 5

best, dat. pl. {gestim}, to guests, gen. pl. {lembiro}, of lambs, {nimit}, he takes = MHG. {k[u:]nec}, {be[zz]est} ({beste}), {gesten}, {lember(e)}, {nimet}.
{haso}, hare, nom. acc. pl. fem. {blinto}, blind, gen. pl. {tago}, of days = MHG. {hase}, {blinde}, {tage}; acc. sing. {hason}, hare = MHG. {hasen}.
{fridu}, peace, dat. sing. {g[e:]bu}, to a gift, {nimu}, I take = MHG. {fride}, {g[e:]be}, {nime}; dat. pl. {tagum}, to days, {n[a]mum}, we took = MHG. {tagen}, {n[a]men}.
Nom. sing. masc. {blint[e]r}, blind, {uns[e]r}, our, {hab[e]n}, to have, {n[e:]m[e]m}, we may take = MHG. {blinder}, {unser}, {haben}, {n[e:]men}.
{sc[o]n[i]}, beauty = MHG. {sch[oe]ne}; {s[a]l[i]g}, blessed, {n[a]m[i]m}, we might take = MHG. {s[ae]lec}, {n[ae]men}.
{salb[o]n}, to anoint, {suoht[o]s(t)}, thou soughtest, dat. pl. {g[e:]b[o]m}, {h[e:]rz[o]m} = MHG. {salben}, {suohtes(t)}, {g[e:]ben}, {h[e:]rzen}.
Gen. dat. acc. sing., nom. acc. pl. {zung[u]n} = MHG. {zungen}.
Sec. 8.
The vowel in suffixal and derivative syllables was generally weakened to {e} just as in the inflexional syllables, but in some suffixal and derivative syllables which had a secondary accent the vowel was not weakened to {e}. This was especially the case with derivatives in {-[ae]re} (denoting nomina agentis), {-inne}, {-inc} ({-ing}), {linc} ({-ling}), diminutives in {-[i]n} and {-l[i]n}, abstract nouns in {-nisse} ({-nusse}, {-n[u:]sse}), {-unge}. In others the vowel fluctuated between the full vowel and {e}, as in {-isch} beside {-esch}; {-ic} (= OHG. {-ag}, and {-[)i]g}) beside {-ec}; superlative of adjectives {-ist} (= OHG. {-ist}) beside {-est} (= OHG. {-[o]st}); {-sal} beside {-sel}. Beside the full forms {-l[i]ch}, {-r[i]ch} occurred the shortened forms {-lich}, {-rich}.
The OHG. endings of the present participle {-anti}, {-enti}, {-[o]nti}, {[e]nti} regularly became {-ende}, but {-ant} occurs in a few old participles which had become nouns, as {heilant}, Saviour, {w[i]gant}, warrior, {v[i]ant} beside {v[i]ent} ({v[i]nt}), fiend, enemy. Examples are: {garten[ae]re}, gardener, {schepf[ae]re}, creator, {schr[i]b[ae]re}, scribe.
{k[u:]neginne}, queen, {vriundinne}, female friend, {wirtinne}, mistress.
{edelinc}, son of a nobleman, {hendelinc}, glove, {vingerlinc}, ring; {m[u:]edinc}, unhappy man.
{maged[i]n}, little girl, {vinger[i]n}, ring; {kindel[i]n}, little child, {vogel[i]n}, little bird.
{hindernisse}, hindrance, {verd[e:]rbnisse}, destruction, {vinsternisse}, darkness, {vancn[u:]sse}, captivity.
{be[zz]erunge}, improvement, {handelunge}, action, {m[e:]ldunge}, announcement.
{himelisch}, heavenly, {irdisch}, earthly, {kindisch}, childish, beside {-esch}.
{heilic} (OHG. {heilag}), holy, {honic} (OHG. {honag}, {honig}), honey, {k[u:]nic} (OHG. {cuning}, {cunig}), king, {manic} (OHG. {manag}), many a, {s[ae]lic} (OHG. {s[a]l[i]g}), blessed, beside {-ec}.
{oberist} beside {oberest}, highest.
{kumbersal}, distress, {tr[u:]ebsal}, gloom, {w[e:]hsal} beside {w[e:]hsel}, change.
{bitterl[i]ch}, bitterly, {sicherl[i]ch}, surely, {w[i]sl[i]ch}, wisely, beside {-lich}.
{Dietr[i]ch}, {Heinr[i]ch}, beside {-rich}.
The OHG. pronominal ending of the nom. sing. fem. and the nom. acc. pl. neuter remained unweakened, as OHG. {blintiu} = MHG. {blindiu} (Sec. 55).
2. THE LOSS OF UNACCENTED VOWELS.
Sec. 9.
The weakened {e} regularly disappeared:--
1. After {l} and {r} in dissyllables with short stems, as {ar}, older {are} (OHG. {aro}), eagle, acc. gen. dat. {arn}, beside {name}, name, {namen}; {wol}, older {wole} (OHG. {wola}), well; {gar} (OHG. {garo}), ready, {milch} (OHG. {milih}), milk, {zal} (OHG. {zala}), number; {kil}, quill, gen. {kil(e)s}, dat. {kil}, pl. nom. acc. {kil}, dat. {kil(e)n}, beside {tac}, day, gen. {tages}, dat. {tage}, pl. nom. acc. {tage}, dat. {tagen}; {b[e:]rn}, to bear, {st[e:]ln}, to steal, {nern}, to rescue, pres. sing. {stil}, {stils(t)}, {stilt}; {ner}, {ners(t)}, {nert}, beside {h[oe]ren}, to hear, pres. sing. {h[oe]re}, {h[oe]res(t)}, {h[oe]ret}.
2. After liquids and nasals in trisyllabic and polysyllabic forms with long stems, as {s[ae]lde} (OHG. {s[a]lida}), blessedness, {h[e]rsen}, {h[e:]rsen} (OHG. {h[e]ris[o]n}), to rule, {zierde} (OHG. {ziarida}), adornment, {wandelte} (OHG. {wantal[o]ta}), I wandered, {zw[i]feln} (OHG. {zw[i]fal[o]n}), to doubt, {wundern} (OHG. {wuntar[o]n}), to wonder, {sch[oe]nste} (OHG. {sc[o]nisto}), most beautiful, {diente}, {diende} (OHG. {dion[o]ta}), I served; {dienest}, service, gen. {dienstes}; {engel}, angel, gen. {engel(e)s}, dat. {engel(e)}, pl. nom. acc. gen. {engel(e)}, dat. {engel(e)n}, and similarly with words like {acker}, acre, {l[u]ter}, clear, {buosem}, bosom, {heiden}, heathen; {gr[oe][z]er} (OHG. {gr[o][z]iro}), greater, fem. dat. sing. {gr[oe][z]er} (OHG. {gr[o][z]iru}); dat. sing. {blindem(e)}, blind, {guotem(e)}, good = OHG. {blintemu}, {guotemu}; gen. pl. {blinder(e)} = OHG. {blintero}. After the analogy of forms with long stems it was also dropped in forms with short stems, as pl. {nagel}, nails, {vogel}, birds, beside {nagele}, {vogele}; {wider} beside {widere} (OHG. {widaro}), wether, dat. sing. {disem(e)}, this, {vadem(e)}, thread, gen. {vadem(e)s}.
There was however a strong tendency in MHG. for the medial vowel to disappear in trisyllabic forms with long stems irrespectively as to whether they contained a liquid or a nasal, as {market}, market, gen. {marktes}; {r[i]chsen} (OHG. {r[i]chis[o]n}), to rule, {ahte} (OHG. {aht[o]ta}), he observed, {wartte}, {warte} (OHG. {wart[e]ta}), he waited, {vr[a]gte} beside {vr[a]gete} (OHG. {fr[a]g[e]ta}), he asked, {dancte} beside {dankete} (OHG. {dank[o]ta}), he thanked. See Sec. 92.
3. In the medial syllable of trisyllabic forms with long stems having liquids or nasals in successive syllables, as {d[i]me} beside {d[i]neme} (OHG. {d[i]nemu}), dat. of {d[i]n}, thy; {eime} beside {ein(e)me} (OHG. {einemu}), dat. of {ein}, one; {h[e]rre}, {h[e:]rre} (OHG. {h[e]riro}), master; {minre} beside {minner(e)} (OHG. {minniro}), less; {tiurre} (OHG. {tiuriro}), dearer.
4. Finally after a nasal, and medially after a nasal before a following {t}, in forms with short stems, as {han(e)}, cock, {nam(e)}, name,