3.4 Ablaut 103It is clear from this distribution that a stem-final V (second column)
"counts" as equivalent to a final vC. This is not quite enough to induce me to
posit synchronic "ghost consonants" for the surface V-final verbs, e.g.
-CvCCu- derived from underlying /-CvCCvw-/, but the idea is suggestive
historically.
In any event, the basic difference between heavy and light C-final stems is
that the heavy ones have at least three C-positions (separated by vowels), so
that -CvCvC- and -CvCCvC- have three C-positions each, while -vCCvC- and
-vCvC- have just two. To incorporate the V-final stems into this classification,
we have to treat them as though their final full V concealed a C-position.
Alternatively, we could think of a composite criterion for heavy/light, with
heavy stems being defined as those with a final "heavy" syllabic nucleus (vC
or υ) and at least two nonfinal C positions. In any event, we cannot reasonably
define light/heavy in terms of conventional metrical patterns, since -DCCVC-
with an extra-heavy syllable followed by a heavy one is "light" while -CvCvC-
with a light syllable followed by a heavy one is "heavy." The number of
C-positions (with final V counted as though containing a C-position) rather
than conventional syllabic heaviness values is decisive. Nevertheless, if stem-
shapes were to be extracted not from the Imprt stem (which I have used), but
rather from the perfective and inflectable Shlmpf stems (e.g. with -vPPvCvC-
instead of my -CvCvC-), one could use a different calculus to distinguish
heavy from light.
While -CvCvC- is classified here among the "heavy" stems, it differs in
some respects from the longer stems in that class. In particular, verbs of this
shape fail to apply Stem-Initial Syncope (§3.2.7.1). For example, the VblN
appears as a-CaCsC (and variants) rather than #a-CC9C, as in a-baraj 'being
boastful'. Likewise, the perfectives and inflectable Shlmpf fail to undergo
Stem-Initial Syncope (§3.2.7, §3.4.8), instead applying CrGemination to the
first C in conjunction with Stem-Initial V-Insertion: lexical stem -bvrvj-, PerfP
-abbaraej-, Shlmpf -aebbaeraej- 'be boastful'. Contrast the superheavy stem
-mvlvwlvw- 'shine', with syncopated VblN a-mlawbw, PerfP -aemlsewlaew-,
and Shlmpf -amlawlaw-.
The V-final counterpart to -CvCvC- is -CvCu- (+ -t). This is a rare
augmented stem type limited to a few adjectival verbs. Such verbs do not have
the usual VblN pattern, and have a special unprefixed perfective, but Shlmpf
forms like -aekkassae-t 'be speckled' show that -CVCD- (+ -t) likewise fails to
undergo Stem-Initial Syncope. The point may be summed up as follows:
-CvCvC- and -CVCD- (+ -t) are "heavy" verb shapes because they have three C
positions (or two plus a final V), but the Stem-Initial Syncope rule must be
formulated so that it fails to apply to them. This supports a three-way
distinction between light stems (as defined above), middleweight stems
including -CvCvC- and -CvCu- (+ -t), and superheavy stems including longer
shapes such as -CvCvCCvC-. As I use the term, "heavy" includes
"middleweight" and "superheavy."