Merlin

Merlin Consonants (μ, ρ, λ, ν)

Merlin is shorthand that refers to the nasal consonants μ and ν and the liquid consonants ρ and λ. These consonants behave in certain ways when they interact with certain sounds in certain environments.

Merlin in the form of a stag prophesies to Julius Caesar <citation>

Merlin and σ in Verb Stems

When forming verb stems, /σ/ drops when it is added to a base ending in a Merlin consonant. When this happens, the previous vowel stretches:

          ἐ/γαμ/σ/α > ἔγαμ_α > ἔγημα
          L/ἀρ/σ/α > ἦρ_α > ἦρα
          L/ἀγγελ/σ/α > ἤγγελ_α > ἤγγειλα
          ἐ/μεν/σ/α > ἔμεν_α > ἔμεινα

the conception of Merlin <note on demon father>

Merlin and σ in Noun and Adjective Stems

However, when forming noun and adjective stems, the reverse occurs. Namely, –ν/ drops before /ς. As above, the previous vowel stretches:

λέγ/σ/αντ/ς > λέξαντς > λέξανς > λέξας (where α is long)

Complicatedly, when forming a participle like ἀγγέλ/σ/αντ/ς, the aorist marker /σ/ drops, stretching the preceding ε, because ἀγγελ/ is a verb stem. But after τ drops ν also drops before /ς, stretching the preceding α, because –αντ/ς belongs to an adjective stem:

ἀγγέλ/σ/αντ/ς > ἀγγείλ/αντ/ς > ἀγγείλ/αντς > ἀγγείλ/ανς > ἀγγείλας
(where the last α is long)

Merlin Futures

When forming the future, bases ending in a Merlin consonant usually use a /ε/ future time marker rather than /σ/:

          ἀγγελ/ε/ω > ἀγγελέω (Attic ἀγγελῶ after contraction)
          βαλ/ε/ω > βαλέω (Attic βαλῶ after contraction)
          μεν/ε/ω > μενέω (Attic μενῶ after contraction)
          τεμ/ε/ω > τεμέω (Attic τεμῶ after contraction)
          φθερ/ε/ω > φθερέω (Attic φθερῶ after contraction)

Occasionally but rarely a base will use /σ/ but with η intervening between the base and the future time marker:

ὀφειλ/σ/ω > ὀφειλήσω
χαιρ/σ/ω > χαιρήσω

Merlin kills five ducks with a single arrow

Merlin Consonant Clusters

For ease of articulation clusters of Merlin consonants may be broken up by inserting δ:

ἄνρ/Ṇ > ἄνρα > ἄνδρα

The following is rare, but if the Merlin consonant that follows δ is a labial, the dental δ assimilates by becoming the labial β:

μλο/σκ/ω > μλώσκω > μδλώσκω > μβλώσκω > βλώσκω

In the case of μβλώσκω, μ- drops because the cluster μβλ- is too difficult to pronounce at the beginning of a word. See also ἀμβροσία, “immortality,” whose root is μρτ/, “death.” The use of alpha privative results in the following syllabification: ἀμ-βρο-σί-α. This makes the cluster μβρ possible to pronounce.

Stop Merlin Bases

Single syllable verb bases that consist of a stop consonant and Merlin consonant will include α. In some environments, that α appears between the consonants. In other environments, it appears after the cluster:

          βαλ/ or βλα/
          θαν/ or θνα/
          ταμ/ or τμα/ (also basic e-grade τεμ/)

The alternate bases βλα/ and τμα/ are used in the perfect aspect and with the passive marker /θη/ (thus, the future passive and the aorist passive). So for instance βαλ/ε/ω > βαλέω but βλα/θησ/ομαι > βληθήσομαι. The alternate base θνα/ is used in the progressive (ἀπο/θνα/ισκ/ω > ἀποθνῄσκω) and perfect (θε/θνα/κ/α > τέθνηκα).

Merlin and Syllabification

In the syllabification of words, a consonant cluster consisting of a stop consonant followed by a Merlin consonant may be considered a single unit or divided. In other words, δάκρυ may be syllabified δάκ-ρυ, where δάκ- is a heavy syllable, or δά-κρυ, where δά is a light syllable. The gives poets some flexibility when composing poetry. Compare the following verses:

τὸν δ’ ἠμείβετ’ ἔπειτα Θέτις κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσα.

And then Thetis responded to him, shedding a tear.

—Homer, Iliad 1.413

τὸ γὰρ φιλῆσαι τὸν θανόντ’ ἄγει δάκρυ.

Indeed, loving the man who died brings a tear.

—Euripides, Alcestis 1081

In the first passage from Homer, δάκρυ is segmented δάκ-ρυ. In the second from Euripides, it is δά-κρυ. Both serve the needs of the meter (dactylic hexameter in the case of Homer, iambic trimeter in the case of Euripides).