Avestan
- Language Family
- Indo-European
- Subgroup
- Iranian
- Area
- —
Summary
Metathesis of a vowel and 'r' often takes place.
Sanskrit 'Vr' becomes, with prothesis, 'UrV' in Avesta.
Type(s) of metathesis
| Type | Status | Optionality | Position | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. CV | Diachronic | Obligatory | Adjacent | Root-internal | |
| b. CC | Diachronic | Obligatory | Adjacent | Root-initial |
Case types and qualities
-
- CV
-
- C:
- Rhotic
- V:
- Any
-
- CC
-
- C1:
- Rhotic
- C2:
- Labio-velar fricative
Examples
| Sanskrit | Avestan | |
|---|---|---|
| ɑ́tharvɑ: | ɑ:Travɑ | 'priest' |
| cɑturdɑçɑ́s | cɑTrudɑso: | 'fourteenth' |
| Sanskrit | Avestan | vrɑ́:tɑ:is | urvɑ:tɑ:is | 'with doctrines' |
|---|
Conditions
No conditions could be found
Motivations
No motivations could be found
Symbols
U = subscript 'u' (anticipatory 'u')
ɑ́ = stressed low back vowel
ɑ = low back vowel
ç = palatal fricative
s = palato-alveolar fricative
Comments
Bibliography
- Jackson, A. V. Williams. 1968. An Avesta Grammar in Comparison with Sanskrit. Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft Darmstadt.