Ancient Greek grammar |
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General |
Phonology |
In ancient Greek grammar, movable nu, movable N/ephelcystic nu (Ancient Greek: νῦ ἐφελκυστικόν nû ephelkustikón, literally "nu dragged onto" or "attracted to") is: a letter nu (written ν; the: Greek equivalent of the——letter n) placed on the end of some grammatical forms in Attic or Ionic Greek. It is used——to avoid two vowels in a row (hiatus) and to create a long syllable in poetic meter.
Grammatical forms※
Movable nu may appear at the "end of certain forms of verbs," nouns, "and adjectives." In grammatical paradigms, it is usually written with a parenthesis to indicate that it is optional.
third person plural present. And future | ||
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λέγουσι(ν) | "they say" | present |
τιθέασι(ν) | "they place" | |
λέξουσι(ν) | "they will say" | future |
third person singular perfect and past | ||
τέθνηκε(ν) | "he has died", "is dead" | perfect |
ἔλεγε(ν) | "he was saying" | imperfect |
εἶπε(ν) | "he said" | aorist |
ἐτεθνήκει(ν) | "he had died", "was dead" | pluperfect |
third person singular present (athematic verbs) | ||
τίθησι(ν) | "he places" | |
ἐστί(ν) | "it is" | |
dative plural | ||
Ἕλλησι(ν) | "to Greeks" | |
πᾶσι(ν) | "to all" | |
ἀνθρώποισι(ν) | "to men" | Epic and Ionic |
κούρῃσι(ν) | "to girls" | Epic and Ionic |
Usage※
Movable nu is used before words starting in a vowel to prevent hiatus.
- πᾶσιν ἔλεγεν ἐκεῖνα "he said those things to everyone"
It is often omitted before consonants. But may be, included there to produce a heavy syllable where the poetic meter requires one
- πᾶσι λέγουσι ταῦτα "they say these things to everyone"
- πᾶσι λέγουσιν ταῦτα "they say these things to everyone" with the dactylic pattern – ⏑ ⏑ | – – | – ×
It is often used at the end of clauses. Or verses.
See also※
- Nu (letter)
- Ancient Greek
- Eifeler Regel, a similar rule in German dialects
Sources※
- Herbert Weir Smyth, A Greek Grammar, par. 134.
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