Proto-Indo-European
Lists: Natural languages | Language families | Conlangs | Other Lists
On this page... (hide)
Introduction
The Proto-Indo-European language (PIE) is the unattested, reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European languages, spoken by the Proto-Indo-Europeans. The existence of such a language has been accepted by linguists for over a century, and there have been many attempts at reconstruction. Nevertheless, many disagreements and uncertainties remain.
The Verb
The Indo-European verb system is complex and, as the noun, exhibits a system of ablaut. Verbs have:
- at least four moods: indicative, imperative, subjunctive, optative, and the injunctive
- two voices (active and mediopassive)
- three persons (first, second and third)
- three numbers (singular, dual and plural).
Sample verb
| PRESENT ACTIVE | |||||||
| Indicative | Injunctive | Subjunctive | Optative | Imperative | |||
| Present | Imperfect | I | II | ||||
| Sg.1 | kʷi-néu-mi | h₁é-kʷi-neu-m | kʷi-néu-m | kʷi-néu-oH | kʷi-nu-iéh₁-m | - | - |
| Sg.2 | kʷi-néu-si | h₁é-kʷi-neu-s | kʷi-néu-s | kʷi-néu-eh₁i | kʷi-nu-iéh₁-s | kʷi-nú(-dʰí) | kʷi-nú-tṓd |
| Sg.3 | kʷi-néu-ti | h₁é-kʷi-neu-t | kʷi-néu-t | kʷi-néu-e | kʷi-nu-iéh₁-t | kʷi-néu-tu | kʷi-néu-tṓd |
| Pl.1 | kʷi-nu-més | h₁é-kʷi-nu-mé | kʷi-nu-mé | kʷi-néu-omom | kʷi-nu-ih₁-mé | - | - |
| Pl.2 | kʷi-nu-th₁é | h₁é-kʷi-nu-té | kʷi-nu-té | kʷi-néu-eth₁e | kʷi-nu-ih₁-té | kʷi-nu-té | kʷi-nu-tṓd |
| Pl.3 | kʷi-nu-énti | h₁é-kʷi-nu-(e)nt | kʷi-nu-ént | kʷi-néu-o | kʷi-néu-ih₁-nt | kʷi-nu-éntu | kʷi-nu-tṓd |
| PRESENT MIDDLE | |||||||
| Indicative | Injunctive | Subjunctive | Optative | Imperative | |||
| Present | Imperfect | I | II | ||||
| Sg.1 | kʷi-nu-mh₂ | h₁é-kʷi-nu-mh₂ | kʷi-nu-mh₂ | kʷi-néu-omh₂ | kʷi-nu-ih₂-h₂ | - | - |
| Sg.2 | kʷi-nu-sth₂ó | h₁é-kʷi-nu-sth₂ó | kʷi-nu-sth₂ó | kʷi-néu-esth₂ó | kʷi-nu-ih₂-th₂ó | kʷi-nu-sué | kʷi-nu-tṓd |
| Sg.3 | kʷi-nu-tó | h₁é-kʷi-nu-to | kʷi-nu-tó | kʷi-néu-eto | kʷi-nu-ih₂-ó | kʷi-nu-tó? | kʷi-nu-tṓd |
| Pl.1 | kʷi-nu-me(s)dʰh₂ | h₁é-kʷi-nu-me(s)dʰh₂ | kʷi-nu-me(s)dʰh₂ | kʷi-néu-ome(s)dʰh₂ | kʷi-nu-ih₂-mé(s)dʰh₂ | - | - |
| Pl.2 | kʷi-nu-dʰue | h₁é-kʷi-nu-dʰue | kʷi-nu-dʰue | kʷi-néu-etdʰue | kʷi-nu-ih₂-dʰué | kʷi-nu-tdʰue | kʷi-nu-tṓd |
| Pl.3 | kʷi-nu-ntro | h₁é-kʷi-nu-ntro | kʷi-nu-ntro | kʷi-néu-ontro | kʷi-nu-ih₂-ro | kʷi-nu-ntó? | kʷi-nu-tṓd |
References
- Beekes, Robert S.P.. Comparative Indo-European linguistics.
John Benjamins Publishing Company. Amsterdam. 1995.
Categories: Indo-European | Language