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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.prf' (Slovenian)
Compare vzeti 'to take' with vzamemo 'we take'.
(Crucially, do not compare vzeti with jemati.)
Root allomorphy (y/n): 0
Jemati 'to take.impf' (Slovenian)
Compare jemati 'to take' with jemljemo 'we take'.
(Crucially, do not compare vzeti with jemati.)
Root allomorphy (y/n): 0
Examples of root allomorphy in BCS
| Infinitive | 1.p.pl | gloss | allomorphs |
|---|---|---|---|
| poslati | pošaljemo | send | ss |
| ići | idemo | go | ss |
| žvakati | žvaćemo | chew | kk |
| doći | dođemo | k | j |
| hteti | hoćemo | jj | č |
Examples of root allomorphy in Slovenian:
| Infinitive | 1.p.pl | gloss | allomorphs |
|---|---|---|---|
| poslati | pošljemo | send | posl, pošlj |
| hoteti | hočemo | go | ss |
| početi | počnemo | chew | kk |
| obiti | obidemo | chew | kk |
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 (kt to ć is productive) piti-pijemo (j epenthesis is productive), obuti-obujemo (j epenthesis is productive), gristi-grizemo (voicing assimilation is productive) pisati-pišemo (pisjemo to pišemo is a productive rule) krasti-krademo (kradti to krasti is a productive rule) kupovati-kupujemo (ova-uje is counted as a theme vowel combination).