Root Allomorphy
In what follows we describe how root allomorphy is annotated in the Database.
Root allomorphy is taken to be any unpredictable difference in the root (i.e. the material between the prefix and the theme vowel) between the non-finite and finite form of the verb. The exception to 'unpredictability' are defective verbs. Cases of predictable/productive phonological allomorphy (such as pisati, pišem 'to write, we write' in BCS and Slovenian) are not considered as cases of root allomorphy here. We give examples of predictable allomorphy below.
Root allomorphy is annotated in two columns:
- Column Root allomorphy (y/n): 1 is entered if there are any unpredictable differences (i.e. instances of root allomorphy).
- Column Root allomorphs (list): The allomorphs of a verb are listed for verbs that exhibit root allomorphy.
In order to determine whether a verb exhibits root allomorphy, we compared the finite and the non-finite forms of the verb (and not all verbs that have the same root). This is shown below:
Brati 'to read' (BCS and Slovenian)
Compare brati 'to read' with beremo 'we read'.
Root allomorphy (y/n): 1; Root allomorphs (list): br, ber
Vzeti 'to take.pfv' (Slovenian)
Compare vzeti 'to take' with vzamemo 'we take'.
(Crucially, do not compare vzeti with jemati 'to take.ipfv'.)
Root allomorphy (y/n): 0
Jemati 'to take.impf' (Slovenian)
Compare jemati 'to take' with jemljemo 'we take'.
(Crucially, do not compare jemati with vzeti 'to take.pfv'.)
Root allomorphy (y/n): 0
Examples of root allomorphy in BCS
| Infinitive | 1.pl | Gloss | Root allomorphs (list) |
|---|---|---|---|
| početi | počnemo | start | če, čn |
| razneti | raznese | blow up | ne, nes |
| žvakati | žvaćemo | chew | žvak, žvać |
| doći | dođemo | come | č, đ |
Examples of root allomorphy in Slovenian:
| Infinitive | 1.pl | Gloss | Root allomorphs (list) |
|---|---|---|---|
| početi | počnemo | do | č, čn |
| obiti | obidemo | go-around | i, id |
| klati | koljemo | slaughter | kl, kolj |
| gnati | ženemo | goad | gn, žen |
Examples of predictable allomorphy that we do not count as instances of root allomorphy (and are therefore marked with a 0 in the Root allomorphy (y/n)-column):
- peći, pečemo 'to bake, we bake' (kt to ć is productive in BCS)
- piti, pijemo 'to drink, we drink' (j epenthesis is productive)
- obuti, obujemo 'to put on shoes, we put on shoes' (j epenthesis is productive)
- gristi, grizemo 'to bite, we bite' (voicing assimilation is productive in Slovenian)
- pisati, pišemo 'to write, we write' (pisjemo to pišemo is a productive rule)
- krasti, krademo 'to steal, we steal'(kradti to krasti is a productive rule)
- kupovati, kupujemo 'to buy.impf, we buy.impf' (ova-uje is not counted as a root)
Side note: Suppletion
Some verbs have suppletive forms. In the Slovenian base, these are marked with 1 in the Root allomorphy (y/n) column, but in the Root allomorphy (list) column, we list the infinitive, 1sg./pl. present tense form and the l-participle. E.g., biti ‘to be’ has the forms: biti, sem/je, bil.