Query: Suppletion in the Present Stem

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Stephen Carlson
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Query: Suppletion in the Present Stem

Post by Stephen Carlson »

One definition of suppletion is that it refers to the use of different roots within one paradigm.

One example is ἐσθίω (Present) and ἔφαγον (Aorist). Another example is ἔρχομαι (Present) vs. ἦλθον (Aorist). (In English, we have "go" and "went.")

These examples involve suppletion between two stems, the present and the aorist stems.

Are there examples involving suppletion within a stem, for example, between the Present and Imperfect?
Stephen C. Carlson, Ph.D.
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MAubrey
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Re: Query: Suppletion in the Present Stem

Post by MAubrey »

Stephen Carlson wrote:Are there examples involving suppletion within a stem, for example, between the Present and Imperfect?
Not that I'm aware of.
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Ken M. Penner
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Re: Query: Suppletion in the Present Stem

Post by Ken M. Penner »

Stephen Carlson wrote:Are there examples involving suppletion within a stem, for example, between the Present and Imperfect?
Well, the -σκ- infix might qualify sometimes. LSJ says the imperfect of ἀγγέλλω is ἀγγέλλεσκον in Hesychius, and of ἀγινέω is ἀγίνεσκον in Od.17.294; of ἀμφιθέω is ἀμφιθέεσκεν in Q.S.5.371. But it doesn't seem to me that such imperfect forms are the rule.
Ken M. Penner
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Stephen Carlson
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Re: Query: Suppletion in the Present Stem

Post by Stephen Carlson »

Ken M. Penner wrote:Well, the -σκ- infix might qualify sometimes. LSJ says the imperfect of ἀγγέλλω is ἀγγέλλεσκον in Hesychius, and of ἀγινέω is ἀγίνεσκον in Od.17.294; of ἀμφιθέω is ἀμφιθέεσκεν in Q.S.5.371. But it doesn't seem to me that such imperfect forms are the rule.
Thanks for thinking outside of the box. I'm not sure whether the -σκ- is some kind of derivational frequentitive marker, which in Old Ionic did not take the augment, or an alternative way of forming imperfects. If the latter, it would be what some term "weak suppletion."

P.S. I've been reading up on the intersection of suppletion and grammaticalization, and that counter-intuitively suppletion is a sign of a rather well-developed grammaticalization.
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Mark Lightman
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Re: Query: Suppletion in the Present Stem

Post by Mark Lightman »

τίθημι μέν, κεῖμαι δέ.
cwconrad
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Re: Query: Suppletion in the Present Stem

Post by cwconrad »

Mark Lightman wrote:τίθημι μέν, κεῖμαι δέ.
κεῖμαι is indeed a present tense, but it functions for the perfect MP of τίθημι, not the present tense.
οὔτοι ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς πάντα θεοὶ θνητοῖς ὑπέδειξαν,
ἀλλὰ χρόνῳ ζητέοντες ἐφευρίσκουσιν ἄμεινον. (Xenophanes, Fragment 16)

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
Stephen Carlson
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Re: Query: Suppletion in the Present Stem

Post by Stephen Carlson »

Thanks for the perfect stem example of suppletion. For diathesis, I suppose one could have διώκω and φεύγω.
Stephen C. Carlson, Ph.D.
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Re: Query: Suppletion in the Present Stem

Post by cwconrad »

Stephen Carlson wrote:Thanks for the perfect stem example of suppletion. For diathesis, I suppose one could have διώκω and φεύγω.
If those of are interest, then there's also ἀποκτείνω and ἀποθνῄσκω and βάλλω and πίπτω -- esp. compounds like ἐκβάλλω and ἐκπίπτω. I'm not sure whether these still hold in Koine.
οὔτοι ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς πάντα θεοὶ θνητοῖς ὑπέδειξαν,
ἀλλὰ χρόνῳ ζητέοντες ἐφευρίσκουσιν ἄμεινον. (Xenophanes, Fragment 16)

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
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