Reduplicated Thematic Present

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35. This formation appears in a few instances only.

μί-μν-ετε await (μέν-ω)
πίπτε fell (πετ-)
ἴσχει holds, for *σι-σχ-ει, from *σεχ-
ἵζει sits, for *σι-σδ-ει, from σεδ-
γίγνεται becomes (γεν-)
τίκτω, for τι-τκ-ω, from τεκ-
νίσομαι go, pass, for νι-νσ-ομαι, or νι-νσ-ιομαι, from νεσ-: related to νέομαι (§ 29.6) as ἴσχω to ἔχω
δίζε sought (thematic form answering to δίζη-μαι, § 16).
ἰαύ-εις sleepest (aorist ἄεσα, for ἀϝε-σα, I slept, cp. αὔξω and ἀέξω).

In this group of verbs the root is in the weak form; the vowel of the reduplication is always ι.

ἰάχω (for ϝι-ϝάχω) is generally placed in this class. The present indicative does not occur, and the past tense ἴαχον is an aorist in Il. 5.860, 14.148, 18.219 ὅτε τʼ ἴαχε σάλπιγξ (§ 79), and may always be so in Homer. As to its original form see 31.1, note. Thus the evidence for ἰάχω is reduced to the participle ἰάχων, and that is not used in a way that is decisive between the present and the aorist.

Suggested Citation

D.B. Monro, A Grammar of the Homeric Dialect. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-947822-04-7. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/grammar/monro/reduplicated-thematic-present