Appendix:Old Irish delenition

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Old Irish has a process by which the fricatives /θ x v ð ɣ/ (and their palatalized equivalents) become stops /t k b d ɡ/ under certain circumstances; this process is called delenition.

Delenition generally happens when two homorganic consonants come into contact with each other. It is found in a variety of contexts, including compounding and affixation, but it is most salient for the learner in conjugation, because there are several verb endings that begin with /θ/, which becomes /t/ in a delenition environment.

The verb endings affected by delenition are:

  • -th(a)e (second-person plural absolute; passive singular imperfect/conditional/past subjunctive; passive singular preterite absolute; past participle)
  • -th(a)i (passive plural preterite absolute; verbal of necessity)
  • -th(a)ir (passive singular absolute, weak conjugations; third-person singular deponent absolute)
  • -thar/-ther (passive singular conjunct and relative, weak conjugations; second-person singular deponent; third-person singular deponent conjunct)
  • -th(e)a (second-person singular imperfect/conditional/past subjunctive; passive plural preterite conjunct)

After /s l l͈ n n͈/ (and their palatalized equivalents), these endings change their initial /θ/ to /t/, for example:

  • ailte, altae ((that has been) nourished) [ˈal͈ʲtʲe], [ˈal͈tɘ], from ail- + -the
  • ·clástae ((it) might be dug) [ˈklaːstɘ], from cláss- + -thae
  • cainte ((it) was being sung) [ˈkan͈ʲtʲe], from can- + -the
  • coínti (that is to be lamented) [ˈkoːi̯n͈ʲtʲi], from coín- + -thi
  • coíntir ((it) is lamented) [ˈkoːi̯n͈ʲtʲirʲ], from coín- + -thir
  • estair ((he) may eat) [ˈestɨrʲ], from ess- + -thair
  • ·céltar ((it) will be hidden) [ˈkʲeːltar], from cél- + -thar
  • dúntar (be closed! sg) [ˈduːn͈tar], from dún- + -thar
  • ·estar ((he) may eat) [ˈestar], from ess- + -thar
  • ·rantar ((it) may be divided) [ˈran͈tar], from rann- + -thar
  • ·lentar ((it) is stuck) [ˈl͈ʲen͈tar], from len- + -thar

Forms like these can be ambiguous with third-person plural forms using endings beginning with /d/, which is also spelled ⟨t⟩, for example:

  • coínte (who lament) [ˈkoːi̯n͈ʲdʲe], from coín- + -te
  • ·cantar ((they) are sung) [ˈkan͈dar], from can- + -tar

Occasionally, there is no delenition after l, e.g. molthair ((he) is praised).

After /t d θ ð/ (and their palatalized equivalents), the stem-final consonant and the ending-initial /θ/ merge into /t/, for example:

  • báite ((he) was drowned) [ˈbaːtʲe], from báid- + -the
  • ·caite ((it) might be consumed) [ˈkatʲe], from caith- + -the
  • ·claite ((it) was being dug) [ˈklatʲe], from claid- + -the
  • ·cret(t)e ((it) was being believed) [ˈkʲrʲetʲe], from creit- + -the
  • ·gétte (you pl would steal) [ˈɡʲeːtʲe], from gét- + -the
  • gláeta ((that has been) held fast) [ˈɡlaːi̯ta], from gláed- + -tha
  • nertae (strengthened) [ˈn͈ʲertɘ], from nert- + -thae
  • roitte ((that has been) set in motion) [ˈr͈otʲe], from roith- + -the
  • foíter (who/which is sent) [ˈfoːi̯tʲer], from foíd- + -ther
  • creti (that is to be believed) [ˈkʲrʲetʲi], from creit- + -thi
  • moíti (that is to be boasted) [ˈmoːi̯tʲi], from moíd- + -ti
  • nertai (that is to be strengthened) [ˈn͈ʲertɨ], from nert- + -thai
  • bátir ((he) is drowned) [ˈbaːtʲirʲ], from báid- + -thir
  • gatair ((it) is stolen) [ˈɡatɨr], from gat- + -thair
  • ·gatar ((it) is stolen) [ˈɡatar], from gat- + -thar
  • (·)nertar ((it) is strengthened/which is strengthened) [ˈn͈ʲertar], from nert- + -thar
  • ·foítea ((they) were sent) [r͈oˈfoːi̯tʲa], from foíd- + -thea
  • ·gatta ((they) were stolen) [ˈɡata], from gat- + -tha

Occasionally, however, there are forms in which the root-final consonant is retained and the ending-initial consonant simply disappears, for example reithe (you pl run) [ˈr͈ʲeθʲe], from reith- + -the.

A similar merger of consonants happens before third-person plural endings that start with /d/ (spelled ⟨t⟩). The voiceless consonants /t θ/ merge with it to /t/, and the voiced consonants /d ð/ merge with it to /d/.

  • ·nertais (they used to strengthen) [ˈn͈ʲertɨsʲ], from nert- + -tais
  • retae (who run) [ˈr͈ʲetɘ], from reith- + -tae
  • crete (who believe) [ˈkʲrʲedʲe], from creit- + -te
  • ·foíter (they may be sent) [ˈfoːi̯dʲer], from foíd- + -ter

The merger of a stem-final /t d θ ð/ with an ending-initial /θ d/ is avoided in many verbs by the insertion of a vowel between the stem and the ending, e.g.:

  • ·bádaitis (they might drown)
  • cretite (who believe) alongside crete
  • gláidaite (who cry out)
  • rothetar (it may be impelled) (a misspelling for rothethar)
  • foíditir (they are sent)

Further reading

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