Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics
English equivalent of J.Grimm’s term for the synchronic alternation between voiceless and voiced sounds (primarily fricatives) within etymologically related words of Germanic, cf. Eng. freeze vs Ger. frieren (
rhotacism). The conditions of this sound change were formulated by K.Verner ( Verner’s law) as an exception to the Germanic sound shift ( Grimm’s law); according to this theory. the placement of word accent played a decisive role in the resulting shift of Indo-European intervocalic stops (voiceless vs voiced fricatives). Since Indo-European had free word accent (the present tense and preterite singular had root stress, and the preterite plural and past participle had final syllable stress), grammatical alternation plays an important role particularly in the inflection of strong verbs.
However, this change has been extensively eliminated in modern dialects through analogy, cf. OE cēo-san: coren vs Mod. Eng. choose: chosen.
References
H.-H.Hock. 1986. Principles of historical linguistics. Berlin. (2nd rev. edn 1991.)
language change, sound change, Verner’s law
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