Vocalic elements and prosody in Slavic comparatives

Abstract

Abstract The first part of the article deals with the ablaut pattern(s) that may be reconstructed on the basis of Slavic comparatives. It is claimed that three separate morphological categories (including comparatives) support the interpretation of the vowel o in some suppletive roots as derived from the ∅-grade, possibly within the amphikinetic pattern; thus a new sound law is suggested for Proto-Slavic. In the second part, it is illustrated how the remodeling of the Proto-Slavic comparative formative supports the interpretation of Proto-Indo-European comparatives as quasi-primary derivatives of change-of-state verbs; a parallel phenomenon is also described for Kashubian. Finally, accentual matters are briefly referred to. The paper includes some remarks on the vestiges of the Caland system in Slavic, too.