Origins of the Greek Verb

This book traces the evolution of the Indo-European verbal system from the early proto-language to the period of the first Greek texts.

Andreas Willi (Author)

9781316646878, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 19 August 2021

745 pages, 32 b/w illus. 14 tables
22.9 x 15.2 x 3.8 cm, 0.981 kg

Situated at the crossroads of comparative philology, classics and general historical linguistics, this study is the first ever attempt to outline in full the developments which led from the remotest recoverable stages of the Indo-European proto-language to the complex verbal system encountered in Homer and other early Greek texts. By combining the methods of comparative and internal reconstruction with a careful examination of large collections of primary data and insights gained from the study of language change and linguistic typology, Andreas Willi uncovers the deeper reasons behind many surface irregularities and offers a new understanding of how categories such as aspect, tense and voice interact. Drawing upon evidence from all major branches of Indo-European, and providing exhaustive critical coverage of scholarly debate on the most controversial issues, this book will be an essential reference tool for anyone seeking orientation in this burgeoning but increasingly fragmented area of linguistic research.

1. The Greek verbal system
2. From Greek to Proto-Indo-European
3. The reduplicated aorist
4. The reduplicated present
5. The perfect
6. The thematic aorist
7. The augment
8. The s-aorist
9. From Proto-Indo-European to Pre-Proto-Indo-European
10. From Pre-Proto-Indo-European back to Greek.

Subject Areas: Classical history / classical civilisation [HBLA1], Grammar, syntax & morphology [CFK], Historical & comparative linguistics [CFF]