Frederik Kortlandt Leiden University www.kortlandt.

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POLABIAN ACCENTUATION FREDERIK KORTLANDT From a synchronic point of view, the accentuation of Late Polabian has been clarified by Trubetzkoy (1929) and Olesch (1973, 1974). The stress fell on the last full vowel of a word form, which was found either in the final or in the penultimate syllable. In the latter instance, the final syllable contained a reduced vowel. This rule was challenged by Kuryowicz (1955), who maintained that the stress was fixed on the initial syllable of the word. The latter theory has the advantage of accounting for the absence of reduced vowels in initial syllables. It also explains the vocalization of weak jers in initial syllables, e.g. *kt /kt/ who, *xmel /xmil/ hop, *psi /pasai/ dogs, *tma /tm/ darkness (transcription and translation according to Polaski & Sehnert 1967). I therefore think that it is correct for an earlier stage of the language, which may conveniently be called Middle Polabian. The late rise of non-initial stress can be compared with the same development in Polish. It follows that the complicated chronology recently proposed by Micklesen (1986) cannot be maintained. The major problem which remains is the origin of the Polabian reduced vowels and their relation to the prosodic system of Proto-Slavic. The solution to this problem can largely be deduced from Lehr-Spawiskis detailed analysis (1963), in spite of the fact that his views on the accentual system of Proto-Slavic can no longer be maintained. It appears that, as a rule, the final syllable has reduced vocalism if the vowel of the preceding syllable is originally long or neoacute, whereas it has full vocalism if the vowel of the preceding syllable is originally short, acute, or circumflex. Thus, we find a reduced vowel in the final syllable of *gnzdo /gozd/ nest, *sukno /saukn/ cloth, *jdro /jdr/ kernel, *myto /moit/ reward, *kridlo /kraidl/ wing, *usno /vausn/ leather, gen.sg. *vina /vain/ wine, *melka /mlk/ milk, *pta /pt/ road, pl. *grxy /grex/ sins, *klju /klauc/ keys, *usta /vaust/ mouth, *vorta /vort/ door, *mka /mk/ meal, *svtja /sve/ candle, *pizda /paizd/ ass, *dyra /dar/ hole, *trba /trb/ hank, *glista /glaist/ earthworm, *borzda /bordz/ furrow, *xorna /xorn/ food, *luna /laun/ moon, *dt /det, det/ child, *tk /vtk/ woof, *volja /vil/ will, 3rd sg. *tgne /tgn/ pulls, *zave /zovz/ ties up, *ee /cis/ brushes, *nosi /ns/ carries, *xodi /xd/ goes, def.adj. *blj /bol/, fem. *blaja /bol/ white, *skpj /skop/ Friday, *kortkj /kort/ short, also *devtj /divt/ ninth, *destj /dit/ tenth, further *golvka /glfk/ distaff, *dvka /defk/

FREDERIK KORTLANDT

girl, *liska /laisk/ fox, *babka /bopk/ midwife, *dtka /dotk/ child, also *bratja /brot/ brothers. There is a full vowel in the final syllable of *rebro /rebr/ rib, *teplo /tepl/ warm, *stblo /stbl/ stalk, *veslo /vesl/ oar, *greblo /grebl/ rake, *stegno /stegn/ loin, *okno /vkn/ window, *jedno /jan/ one, gen.sg. *ppru /paprai/ pepper, *oklep /viklip/ truss, *ottd /vittd/ thence, *otkd /vitkd/ whence, *jesmy /jismoi/ we are, *ervo /crev/ intestines, *jaje /joji/ egg, *lto /lot/ year, *dlo /dol/ work, *polje /pli/ field, *ito /zait/ grain, *svto /sjt/ holiday, *jgo /jaid/ yoke, *pivo /paiv/ beer, *dlo /zdl/ sting, *nebo /neb/ heaven, *kolo /tl/ wheel, *sno /on/ hay, *proso /prs/ millet, *tsto /tost/ dough, *brdo /bord/ swingle, *ordlo /rdl/ hookplow, *jutro /jautr/ morning, *idlo /saidl/ awl, *sadlo /sodl/ fat, adv. *tixm /taixm/ gently, gen.sg. *nokte /nci/ night, *sole /sli/ salt, *re /rzi/ rye, *vse /vasi/ village, *jmen /jcmin/ barley, *sren /sarsin/ hornet, *greben /gribin/ comb, *jasen /josin/ ash-tree, *stpen /stpin/ step, *crky /cartai/, *crkv /cartv/ church, *gl /vdl/ coal, *ostrov /vstrv/ Wustrow, *gor /vdr/ eel, *kolkol /kltl/ bell, *popel /ppel/ ash, *veer /vicer/ evening, *vixr /vaixr/ whirlwind, *zl /vzl/ knot, *nogt /ndt/ nail, *olkt /ltt/ elbow, *otrok /vtrk/ son, *kon /tzn/ fur, *bbn /bbn/ drum, *jablko /jopt/ apple, *radost /rdst/ wedding, *jablon /jobln/ apple-tree, *stepen /stipin/ treadle, *krasn /krosn/ cross worn on a necklace, adv. *ljubo /laib/ kindly, *mokro /mkr/ wet, *isto /caist/ clean, *rano /rn/ early, *dlgo /dud/ long, *krivo /kraiv/ awry, *plno /pun/ full, *suxo /saux/ drily, *nizko /naist/ low, *tko /tst/ heavily, *pozdno /pzn/ late, *zimno /zaimn/ cool, *lgko /lt/ lightly, *mimo /maim/ past, *jama /jomo/ hole, *vorna /vorno/ crow, *korva /korvo/ cow, *glina /glaino/ clay, *ta /tco/ cloud, *stpa /stpo/ mortar, *suka /sauko/ whore, *vlna /vuno/ wool, *mra /moro/ measure, *aa /coso/ bowl, *uka /stauko/ pike, *lipa /laipo/ linden, *ryba /ribo/ fish, *rpa /repo/ turnip, *muxa /mauxo/ fly, gen.sg. *boga /bgo/ god, *syra /sro/ cheese, *dnja /dao/ day, adv. *doma /dmo/ home, loc.sg. *mst /meste/ place, gen.sg. *medu /medai/ honey, *vosku /vstai/ wax, *solmy /slmoi/ straw, dat.sg. *zemji /zimai/ earth, acc.sg. *glin /glain/ clay, *rk /rk/ hand, nom.pl. *pordzi /pordzai/ thresholds, *rodzi /rdzai/ horns, *bodzi /bdzai/ gods, *gory /dri/ mountains, *nogy /ndai/ legs, *vorny /vorni/ crows, *korvy /korvoi/ cows, *golvy /glvoi/ heads, *gnidy /gnaidi/ nits, *vidly /vaidli/ fork, *pelvy /plvoi/ chaff, *sestry /sestri/ sisters, *kozy /tzi/ goats, *vrby /varboi/ willows, *berzy /brezi/ birches, *jedly /jadli/ fir-trees, *lipy /laipoi/ lindens, *aby /zoboi/ frogs, *ryby /riboi/ fish, *rpy /repoi/ turnips, *jskry /jskri/ sparks, *rby /rboi/ seams, *zby /zboi/ teeth, *kolsy /klsi/ ears of grain, *gady /godi/ snakes, *volsy /vlsi/ hair, *cpy /cepoi/ flail, *kvty /kjoti/ flowers,

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*listy /laisti/ leaves, *kapj /kope/ drops, *t /tce/ clouds, *grabl /groble/ rake, *sadj /sodze/ soot, *gl /vgle/ coals, *gvozd /dzde/ nails, *gost /dste/ guests, *vi /vsai/ lice, *psni /pesnai/ songs, *dvri /dvarai/ door, *sani /sonai/ sledge, *trsti /trstai/ reed, *dti /detai/ children, *ljudi /laudai/ people, *mati /motai/ mother, *orky /rtai/ box, *kamy /komoi/ stone, *golb /dlb/ pigeon, *skorup /straip/ shell, *gruy /grausi/, pl. *gruvy /grausvoi/ pear(s), *eljust /cilaust/ chin, *galz /golz/ branch, dual *oi /vicai/ eyes, *ui /vausai/ ears, *rc /rce/ hands, *nodz /ndze/ feet, *ob /vibe/ both, further *devt /divt/ nine, *dest /dist/ ten, inf. *kuat(i) /tausot/ taste, *kakat(i) /kokot/ shit, *krajat(i) /krojot/ cut, aor. 3rd sg. *xode /xdi/ went, *ree /rici/ said, preterit *kradl /krodl/ stole, *jdl /jedl/ ate, *spal /spol/ slept, *perdal /perdol/ sold. Since acute and circumflex vowels were regularly shortened in Lechitic, I arrive at the following HYPOTHESIS: vowels in final syllables were reduced if the vowel of the preceding syllable was long. The reduction affected both short and long vowels, as is clear from the definite adjective, which has reduced endings. The stage of the language before the vowel reduction can be called Early Polabian. If a reduced vowel in a final syllable can be taken as evidence for an Early Polabian long vowel in the preceding syllable, there is a class of long vowels in open syllables which appear to have originated from a retraction of the stress from short vowels in final syllables: *voda /vd/ water, *smola /sml/ resin, *zemja /zim/ earth, *noga /ng/ foot, *stdza /stadz/ path, *kosa /ts/ scythe, *osa /vs/ wasp, *medja /mid/ balk, *ena /zen/ woman, *tma /tm/ darkness, *blxa /blx/ flea, *bela /cel/ bee, *vera /cer/ yesterday, *dua /daus/ soul, *golva /glv/ head, *serda /sred/ middle, *zima /zaim/ winter, *rka /rk/ hand, *pta /pt/ heel, *grda /grd/ beam, *rka /rek/ river, *stna /ston/ wall, *borda /brd/ chin, pl. *erva /crev/ intestines, *jaja /joj/ eggs, *jzyk /jzk/ tongue, *elvk /clvk/ man, *ivot /zaivt/ life, body, adv. *vysok /voisk/ above, *irok /sark/ widely, *glbok /glbk/ deeply, *dalek /dolk/ far, *verteno /vriten/ spindle, *reeto /riset/ sieve, gen.sg. *ivota /zaivt/ life, pl. *zvenesa /zvenes/ fellies, *slovesa /slves/ words, *oesa /vices/ eyes, inf. *tkat(i) /tkt/ weave, preterit *zrl /zarl/ saw. The trisyllabic word forms show that the stress was not yet retracted to the initial syllable at this stage. The stress was not retracted from long vowels: gen.pl. *bogov /bdv/ gods, inst.sg. *pod zemjej /pd zim/ under the earth, inf. *ubost(i) /aibst/ stab, *perpekt(i) /prepict/ roast, *pervezt(i) /privist/ drive over, further *pt dest /ptdit/ fifty, *est dest /sistdit/ sixty. The stage of the language before the retraction of the stress can be identified as the westernmost dialect of Proto-Slavic and may be called pre-Polabian. It is clear from the material that the retraction of the stress was anterior to the loss of weak jers in initial syllables. Since the reflex of the newly stressed

FREDERIK KORTLANDT

vowels merged with the reflex of the Proto-Slavic neo-acute vowels, it is reasonable to date the retraction to the time of disintegration of the proto-language. Weak jers in initial syllables were lost when they remained pretonic after the retraction of the stress, e.g. *bela /cel/ bee, *srebro /srebr/ silver. After the retraction of the stress from final syllables there were three classes of Early Polabian nominal paradigms: (a) nouns with a short stem vowel, (b) nouns with a long stem vowel, and (c) nouns with an alternation between a short stem vowel in originally stem-stressed forms and a long stem vowel in newly stem-stressed forms. As in Czech, where we find similar accent classes with a quite different distribution, several types of leveling took place. The short stem vowel of the nom.sg. form was generalized in gen.sg. *vola /vlo/ ox, pl. *psi /pasai/ dogs, *ssy /ssi/ teats, *no /nze/ knives, *oni /vinai/ they, but not in sg. *ona /vn/ she, pl. *voly /vl/ oxen, *psy /ps/ dogs. The quantitative alternation was extended to nouns with a regular short stem vowel in the case of *berza /brez/, pl. *berzy /brezi/ birch(es), *dva /dev/ girl, *kolda /kld/ barrel, *slina /slain/ spit, *solma /slm/ beside /slmo/ straw, *metla /metl/ broom, *sestra /sestr/, pl. *sestry /sestri/ sister(s), *ovca /vic/, pl. *ovc /vice/ sheep, *jstba /jzb/ playhouse, further *ordlo /rdl/ hookplow, *zrno /orn/ kernel, *jablko /jopt/ apple, *rebro /rebr/ rib, *okno /vkn/ window, pl. *ordla /rdl/, *zrna /orn/, *jablka /jopk/, *rebra /rebr/, *okna /vkn/ beside /vkno/. The long stem vowel was generalized in the definite adjective and in the present tense of the verb: *starj /stor/, *staraja /stor/, *staroje /stor/ old, *stariji /stor/ parents, *malj /mol/ small, *prostj /prst/ mad, *xromj /xrm/ lame, *bosj /bs/ barefoot, *estj /sest/ sixth, 3rd sg. *slyi /slis/ hears, *plae /ploc/ cries, *poje /pj/ sings, *zove /zv/ calls, *pee /pic/ bakes, *zvoni /zn/ rings, *doji /dj/ milks, *zvni /zvan/ sounds. The analogy affected even inf. *plakat(i) /plokt/ cry, but not *kuat(i) /tausot/ taste, cf. preterit *plakal /plokol/, *kual /tausol/. On the other hand, the infinitve adopted the vocalism of the preterit in *spat(i) /spot/ beside /spt/ sleep, *spal /spol/ slept. The preterit appears to have generalized the reflex of accentual mobility, e.g. *ksil /ksl/ bit, *naidl /nodl/ found, inf. *ksit(i) /kst/, *nait(i) /noit/. The hypothesis formulated above does not account for the origin of reduced vowels in medial syllables. After the shortening of acute and circumflex vowels in Lechitic, long vowels were limited to final and penultimate syllables, while the initial syllable of polysyllabic word forms always had short vocalism. It appears that vowels in medial syllables of trisyllabic word forms were reduced if the vowel of the initial syllable was stressed, e.g. *kameny /komni/ oven, *moden /mzdne/ brains, *jagody /joddi/ berries, *sliven /slaivne/, *sliveny /slaivni/ plums, gen.sg. *skarja /sekro/ mower, adv. *napoly /nopli/ halfway, also *etvero /citvr/ four, *ptero /ptr/ five, *estero

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/sistr/ six, *na gord /no grde/ at the castle, in court, *na svt /no svte/ in the world, *v xold /v xlde/ in the cool, *perd gordm /prid grdm/ before the court, *s toboj /s tb/ with you, *za soboj /zo sb/ behind oneself. The vowel of the medial syllable was restored in *skorupi /straipai/ shells, *sren /sarsine/ hornets, *ormeni /rminai/ shoulders. Since stressed vowels were probably somewhat longer than pretonic vowels, it is possible that the quantitative difference was phonemiczed when the stress was fixed on the initial syllable of the word. If this is correct, the above hypothesis explains vowel reduction in both final and non-final syllables. There was no vowel reduction in trisyllabic word forms with a stressed short vowel in the medial syllable, e.g. dual *kolni /tlonai/ knees, acc.sg. *oxot /vxt/ health, *prolto /prlot/ spring, *elzo /ziloz/ iron, *grmlo /gramol/ thundered. The reflex of this pattern was apparently generalized in the preterit of prefixed verbs, e.g. *uluil /ailaucl/, inf. *uluit(i) /ailauct/ hit upon, *upustil /aipaustl/ dropped, *poloil /plzl/ put, *zabldil /zobldl/ went astray. Most trisyllabic and all longer word forms have a reduced vowel in the final syllable, which points to a generalization of the pattern with a long vowel in the penultimate syllable, e.g. *malina /molain/ raspberry, *juina /jauzain/ dinner, *matica /motaic/ queen bee, *samica /somaic/ female, *penica /pasinaic/ wheat, *jeerica /vistraic/ lizard, *jalovica /jolvaic/ heifer, *oranoje /vron/ plowed, *udlanoje /aidlon/ done, also pl. *jzyky /jzit/ tongues, *zajc /zojc/ hares, *po dlu /p dol/ after work, *v gost /v dst/ on a visit, cf. *dlo /dol/ work, *gost /dste/ guests. Thus, I arrive at the following relative chronology of accentual developments: (1) Retraction of the stress from short vowels in final syllables and lengthening of newly stressed short vowels in open syllables. (2) Loss of weak jers. (3) Fixation of the stress on the initial syllable and rephonemicization of vowel quantity. (4) Reduction of vowels in syllables following a long vowel and loss of distinctive quantity in full vowels. (5) Fixation of the stress on the last full vowel of a word form. It is of course possible that the reduction of vowels in final syllables preceded the fixation of the stress on the initial syllable and the reduction of vowels in medial syllables. In any case, it must have been preceded by the loss of vowel quantity in unstressed final syllables, which can be dated after the early retraction of the stress.

FREDERIK KORTLANDT REFERENCES

Kuryowicz, J. 1955 Akcentuacja poabska. Studia z filologii polskiej i sowiaskiej 1, 349-374. Lehr-Spawiski, T. 1963 Z rozwaa o powstaniu akcentuacji poabskiej. Studia z filologii polskiej i sowiaskiej 4, 73-102. Micklesen, L.R. 1986 Polabian accentology. Wiener Slawistischer Almanach 17, 365-381. Olesch, R. 1973 Der dravnopolabische Wortakzent: Teil I. Slavistische Studien zum VII. Internationalen Slavistenkongress. Mnchen: Trofenik. 389-418. 1974 Der dravaenopolabische Wortakzent: Teil II. Abhandlungen der geistes- und sozialwissenschaftlichen Klasse 1973/13. Mainz: Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur. Polaski, K. & Sehnert, J.A. 1967 Polabian-English dictionary. The Hague: Mouton. Trubetzkoy, N. 1929 Polabische Studien. Sitzungsberichte der philosophisch-historischen Klasse 211/4. Wien: Akademie der Wissenschaften.