FINAL CONSONANTS

133

No consonant except ν, ρ, or ς (including ξ and ψ) can stand at the end of a Greek word. All other consonants are dropped.

a. Exceptions are the proclitics (179) ἐκ out of, derived from ἐξ (cp. 104, 136), and οὐκ not, of which οὐ is another form (137).

b. Examples of dropped final consonants: σῶμα body for σωματ (gen. σώματος); παῖ oh boy for παιδ (gen. παιδ-ός); γάλα milk for γαλακτ (gen. γάλακτ-ος); φέρον bearing for φεροντ (gen. φέροντ-ος); κῆρ heart for κηρδ, cp. καρδ-ίᾱ; ἄλλο for ἀλ[ιγλιδε]οδ (110), cp. Lat. aliud; ἔφερε- (τ) was carrying, ἔφερο-ν (τ) were carrying (464 c, e).

c. An original final m preceded by a vowel becomes ν, cp. ἵππον with Lat. equum. So ἕν one from ἑμ (349 a), Lat. sem-el, ἅμα once.