Origins of the Greek Verb

“Origins of the Greek Verb” is a book situated at the crossroads of Classical Studies, Indo-European comparative philology, and general historical linguistics. Setting out from a descriptive overview of the verbal system of Ancient Greek, it sketches a comprehensive new picture of the prehistoric developments which led to the historical appearance of this system and, in particular, to the complexities and surface irregularities that characterise it on various levels. This is achieved by combining the methods of comparative and internal reconstruction with a careful examination of the primary philological data as well as paying close attention to general principles of language change and linguistic typology. Besides Greek, evidence from all major branches of Indo-European - including Indo-Iranian, Anatolian, and Italic - is drawn upon throughout, and an exhaustive critical coverage of scholarly debate on many of the most controversial issues in the field is provided. Though designed as an interpretative monograph, the study can thus also serve as an up-to-date reference tool for anyone seeking orientation in a burgeoning but increasingly fragmented area of linguistic research