Definition
ablaut
noun
- A systematic change in the vowel sound of a word root or stem, especially in Germanic languages, to mark grammatical distinctions such as tense or number.
Usage: linguistics; also called vowel gradation
Examples
- The English verb 'sing, sang, sung' demonstrates ablaut, where the vowel changes to indicate different tenses.
- In German, ablaut is used in verbs like 'singen' (to sing), 'sang' (sang), 'gesungen' (sung).
- Linguists study ablaut as a key feature of Indo-European language evolution.
- The words 'drink' and 'drank' show ablaut in their vowel shift.
- Ablaut patterns help explain irregular verb forms across Germanic languages.