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Glite Dictionary
ablaut

ablaut

1 9.9
A change in the vowel sound of related words to show different forms, as in sing, sang, sung
  • noun
  • /ˈæblaʊt/
  • Specialized
: ablaut
  • The English language uses ablaut in forms like 'sing', 'sang', and 'sung' to show tense changes.

Examples

  • Studying ablaut helps linguists explain the variations in vowel sounds across related word forms.

  • The concept of ablaut is important in understanding how vowel changes can mark grammatical distinctions.

  • The ablaut of their development through time and space records the history of the race.

    Academic text (1991)

Surface Forms

ablaut singular
ablauts plural

Etymology

Ablaut comes from German parts ab- meaning 'off' and Laut meaning 'sound', so you can remember it as 'off-sound'. That's why ablaut names the pattern where vowel sounds change in related words, for example sing, sang, sung.