Stop Consonants and Sigma

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• When a labial stop (π, β, φ) and σ combine, the result is pronounced /ps/ and written with the Greek letter ψ:

     ἐ/γραφ/σ/ας > ἔγραψας “you (singular) wrote”

• When a velar stop (κ, γ, χ) and σ combine, the result is pronounced /ks/ and written with the Greek letter ξ:

     ἐ/πραγ/σ/α > ἔπραξα “I did”

• Dental stops (τ, δ, θ) drop before σ:

     ἐ/νομιδ/σ/αν > ἐνόμισαν “they thought”

In the particular case of παθ/σκ/ω, the /t/ of θ drops but the /h/ remains and aspirates the κ nearby: πάσχω.

• When dental stops combine in the process of a word’s formation (explain what this means), σ is inserted between the dental stops, and as expected the first stop drops:

     πίθ/το/ς > πίθστος > πίστος “believable”

     <examples with θη>

     πε/π[ε]ιθ/ται > πέπειθσται > πέπεισται “he has been persuaded”

     < other examples with different base>

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Vocabulary for this lesson (click here for the full lexicon)