CHAPTER II
THE INITIAL MUTATIONS
In all the Celtic languages there are certain partly grammatical and partly phonetic changes of the first letters of words, which are called by various names, the most convenient of which is initial mutations, These changes take place in Cornish when words beginning with the letters P, C or K, T or Ch, B, G, D or J, and M are preceded by certain adjectives, prepositions, pronouns, particles, etc., which stand in some governing or qualifying relation to them. Words beginning with other letters, except occasionally F and S, do not change their initials. Very similar changes are often made in the case of the second halves of compound words.
The mutable letters, P, C or K, T or Ch'; B, G, D or J form two classes, with mutual relations to one another. A third class, related to the other two, is formed of F or V, H, Dh, and Th. Of these last F and H are the only ones that can occur as primary or unchanged initials. Of these
- P, C or K, and T or Ch are called tenues or thin (or hard) letters.
- B, G, and D or J are called mediæ or middle (or soft).
- F or V, H, Dh, and Th are called aspirates.
One set of tenuis, media, and aspirate is called labial (or lip letters), a second is called guttural (or throat letters), a third is called dental (or teeth letters), from the parts of the mouth most used in forming them.
68
