Vowel stems
Encyclopedia
In Indo-European linguistics, a thematic stem or vowel stem is a noun
or verb
stem that ends in a vowel that appears in or otherwise influences the noun or verb's inflectional paradigm. The vowel is called the thematic vowel. The noun or verb is also called thematic.
In Latin
, nouns of the first, second, fourth, and fifth declension
s are considered thematic; the first declension has the theme vowel a, the second o, the fourth u, and the fifth e. Stems with i are treated together with athematic stems in the third declension. Latin verbs are subject to a similar classification: the first conjugation
contains vowel stems with a, the second with e, and the fourth with i. There are no Latin verbs with o or u, and very few are athematic (conjugated with consonant stems). Sanskrit, by contrast, preserves a large number of athematic, consonant-stem verbs. Greek
resembles both Sanskrit and Latin in different respects.
Most other Indo-European languages have similar distinctions, or had them in their past. In the Germanic languages
and the Celtic languages
, the theme vowels are often hard to perceive because of the loss of final vowels. However, their presence is still felt, in a manner that defines different ways of declining nouns or conjugating verbs, so philologists
still occasionally speak of vowel stems and consonant stems in these languages as well.
Noun
In linguistics, a noun is a member of a large, open lexical category whose members can occur as the main word in the subject of a clause, the object of a verb, or the object of a preposition .Lexical categories are defined in terms of how their members combine with other kinds of...
or verb
Verb
A verb, from the Latin verbum meaning word, is a word that in syntax conveys an action , or a state of being . In the usual description of English, the basic form, with or without the particle to, is the infinitive...
stem that ends in a vowel that appears in or otherwise influences the noun or verb's inflectional paradigm. The vowel is called the thematic vowel. The noun or verb is also called thematic.
In Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, nouns of the first, second, fourth, and fifth declension
Declension
In linguistics, declension is the inflection of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and articles to indicate number , case , and gender...
s are considered thematic; the first declension has the theme vowel a, the second o, the fourth u, and the fifth e. Stems with i are treated together with athematic stems in the third declension. Latin verbs are subject to a similar classification: the first conjugation
Latin conjugation
Latin verbs have four main patterns of conjugation. As in a number of other languages, Latin verbs have an active voice and a passive voice. Furthermore, there exist deponent and semi-deponent Latin verbs , as well as defective verbs...
contains vowel stems with a, the second with e, and the fourth with i. There are no Latin verbs with o or u, and very few are athematic (conjugated with consonant stems). Sanskrit, by contrast, preserves a large number of athematic, consonant-stem verbs. Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
resembles both Sanskrit and Latin in different respects.
Most other Indo-European languages have similar distinctions, or had them in their past. In the Germanic languages
Germanic languages
The Germanic languages constitute a sub-branch of the Indo-European language family. The common ancestor of all of the languages in this branch is called Proto-Germanic , which was spoken in approximately the mid-1st millennium BC in Iron Age northern Europe...
and the Celtic languages
Celtic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
, the theme vowels are often hard to perceive because of the loss of final vowels. However, their presence is still felt, in a manner that defines different ways of declining nouns or conjugating verbs, so philologists
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
still occasionally speak of vowel stems and consonant stems in these languages as well.