ablaut

Noun. (linguistics) The substitution of one root vowel for another, thus indicating a corresponding modification of use or meaning; vowel permutation; as, (term, get) , (term, gat) , and (term, got) ; (term, sing) and (term, song) ; (term, hang) and (term, hung) , distinct from the phonetic influence of a succeeding vowel.

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This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.