Die Entwicklung von protogermanischem *ai im Niederdeutschen Ein Erklärungsversuch für die Spaltung des altsächsischen ē2

Research output: Chapter in book/volumeChapterScientificpeer-review

Abstract

The twofold development in Old Frisian of Proto-Germanic *ai into ā and ē contrasts with the nearly uniform rendering as <e> in Old Saxon. It has, however, been pointed out that this Old Saxon ē2, spelled <e>, shows a phonemic split in the modern Low German dialects, whose origin may go back to the period of monophthongization of *ai. The hypothesis was formulated that this split may have run along similar lines as the one in Old Frisian, bringing the development of Frisian and Saxon much closer together. Scrutiny of 20th-century attestations of Low German words with PGmc. *ai indicates that the split in Old Saxon primarily followed the same conditioning as the split between ei and ē in Old High German. However, incidental lexemes and instances of shortening show a closer proximity to Frisian, constituting a continuum from Frisian to High German with respect to this development.
Original languageGerman
Title of host publicationFrom West to North Frisia A Journey along the North Sea Coast. Frisian studies in honour of Jarich Hoekstra
EditorsAlistair Walker, Eric Hoekstra, Goffe Jensma, Wendy Vanselow, Willem Visser, Christoph Winter
Place of PublicationAmsterdam/Philadelphia
PublisherJohn Benjamins Publishing
Pages395-408
ISBN (Electronic)978 90 272 5826 7
ISBN (Print)978 90 272 1016 6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 22 Feb 2022

Publication series

NameNOWELE Supplement Series (NSS)
PublisherJohn Benjamins Publishing
Volume33
ISSN (Print)0900-8675

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