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LIN 505 - Second written homework assignment [due in class on Thursday, October 1]
(Fall 2015)
In doing this assignment, feel free to write your answer in the spaces provided on these pages. If you do,
write neatly and in pen. If you type your answer on a separate page, please label the parts of your answer
(a) through (g) to make it clear which question each part of your answer addresses. Graduate students
should type their answer to the B question at the bottom of page 2.
A. For everyone:
Examine the following two Icelandic verb paradigms, then answer questions (a)-(g) below. Note that í
represents a long /i/ and that ö represents a mid front rounded vowel. Note also the following
abbreviations: 1, 2, 3 = first, second, third person; sg = singular; pl = plural.
Paradigms of two Icelandic verbs
1sg
2sg
GRÍPA 3sg
‘grasp’ 1pl
2pl
3pl
Indicative
Present
Past
gríp
greip
grípur greipst
grípur greip
grípum gripum
grípið gripuð
grípa
gripu
Subjunctive
Present
Past
grípi
gripi
grípir gripir
grípi
gripi
grípum gripum
grípið gripuð
grípi
gripu
1sg
2sg
KALLA 3sg
‘shout’ 1pl
2pl
3pl
kalla
kallar
kallar
köllum
kallið
kalla
kalli
kallir
kalli
köllum
kallið
kalli
kallaði
kallaðir
kallaði
kölluðum
kölluðuð
kölluðu
Imperative
gríp
Nonfinite forms
grípa
Infinitive:
1st participle: grípandi
2nd participle: gripið
grípum
grípið
kallaði
kallaðir kalla
kallaði
kölluðum köllum
kölluðuð kallið
kölluðu
kalla
Infinitive:
1st participle: kallandi
2nd participle: kallað
(a)
The paradigm of GRÍPA ‘grasp’ exhibits three stems: gríp-, grip and greip-. What combination of
morphosyntactic properties does the stem greip- express? In other words, what set of
morphosyntactic properties is shared by all words based on greip- and by no other words in the
paradigm of GRÍPA?
(b)
The paradigm of KALLA ‘shout’ exhibits two stems: kall- and köll-. The stem köll- expresses two
different morphosyntactic property sets: set A in some words and set B in others. What are these
two property sets A and B?
Set A:
Set B:
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(c)
The suffix -um appears in both paradigms. What set of morphosyntactic properties does -um
express wherever it appears?
(d)
The suffix -uð appears word-finally in both paradigms. What set of morphosyntactic properties
does word-final -uð express wherever it appears?
(e)
In the paradigm of KALLA ‘shout’, certain words contain a suffix -ð that appears word-medially
(always between two vowels) rather than word-finally. What morphosyntactic property does this
word-medial -ð express wherever it appears in the paradigm of KALLA?
(f)
The verbs GRÍPA ‘grasp’ and KALLA ‘shout’ belong to different conjugations. The word-medial
suffix -ð mentioned in (e) appears in the conjugation of KALLA but not that of GRÍPA. Now name an
affix (one that has not already been mentioned) that appears in the conjugation of GRÍPA but not in
that of KALLA. What set of morphosyntactic properties does this suffix express in the paradigm of
GRÍPA?
(g)
Both of the conjiugations exhibit syncretism. Identify a pattern of syncretism that appears in both
paradigms. Then identify a pattern of syncretism that appears in the inflection of KALLA ‘shout’ but
not that of GRÍPA ‘grasp’.
Pattern of syncretism found in both paradigms:
Pattern of syncretism found in the paradigm
of KALLA ‘shout’ but not that of GRÍPA ‘grasp’:
B. For graduate students only:
Icelandic is a North Germanic language, and is therefore fairly closely related to English (a West
Germanic language); thus, the verbs GRÍPA ‘grasp’ and KALLA ‘shout’ are cognates of the English verbs
GRIP and CALL. Do these verbs belong to different conjugations in Modern English, as they do in
Icelandic? Explain your reasoning. How would you account for the difference in complexity between the
Icelandic paradigms given above and their Modern English counterparts?