From earlier *θύγατηρ (*thúgatēr) (compare with the Homeric accusative form θύγατρα (thúgatra) created to avoid the four syllables of θυγατέρα (thugatéra) and fit the hexameter) via Limitation Law which required the accent to be placed on the last two syllables, due to the long final syllable. Further via Proto-Hellenic *tʰúgatēr (compare Mycenaean Greek 𐀶𐀏𐀳 (tu-ka-te /tʰúgatēr/)), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰugh₂tḗr. Cognate with Sanskrit दुहितृ (dúhitṛ), Gothic 𐌳𐌰𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌰𐍂 (dauhtar), Old Church Slavonic дъщи (dŭšti), Old English dohtor (whence English daughter) and Old High German tohter (cp. German Tochter).
θυγάτηρ • (thugátēr) f (genitive θῠγᾰτέρος or θῠγᾰτρός); third declension
The forms with three or more syllables do not fit the meter of Homer and other Epic poets, so in these forms the ῠ (u) of the stem is usually lengthened to ῡ (ū). In the following example, the σ (s) of the dative plural ending has also been doubled to σσ (ss) to make it fit the meter.
In the following example, the accusative singular ending -ᾰ (-a) appears to be lengthened to ᾱ (ā), because its syllable is heavy (long), but the actual reason that the syllable is heavy is because in Homer's time the possessive pronoun ἥν (hḗn) began with a doubled voiceless /ʍʍ/ (continuing PIE *sw) that was changed to an initial ῾ (rough breathing) in the Attic version of the text.
Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | ἡ θῠγᾰ́τηρ hē thugátēr |
τὼ θῠγᾰ́τερε tṑ thugátere |
αἱ θῠγᾰτέρες / θῠ́γᾰτρες hai thugatéres / thúgatres | ||||||||||
Genitive | τῆς θῠγᾰτέρος / θῠγᾰτρός tês thugatéros / thugatrós |
τοῖν θῠγᾰτέροιν toîn thugatéroin |
τῶν θῠγᾰτέρων / θῠγᾰτρῶν tôn thugatérōn / thugatrôn | ||||||||||
Dative | τῇ θῠγᾰτέρῐ / θῠγᾰτρί têi thugatéri / thugatrí |
τοῖν θῠγᾰτέροιν toîn thugatéroin |
ταῖς θῠγᾰτέρσῐ / θῠγᾰτέρσῐν / θῠγᾰτρᾰ́σῐ / θῠγᾰτρᾰ́σῐν taîs thugatérsi(n) / thugatrási(n) | ||||||||||
Accusative | τὴν θῠγᾰ́τερᾰ / θῠγᾰτέρᾰ / θῠ́γᾰτρᾰ tḕn thugátera / thugatéra / thúgatra |
τὼ θῠγᾰ́τερε tṑ thugátere |
τᾱ̀ς θῠγᾰτέρᾰς tā̀s thugatéras | ||||||||||
Vocative | θῠγᾰ́τερ / θῠ́γᾰτερ thugáter / thúgater |
θῠγᾰ́τερε thugátere |
θῠγᾰτέρες / θῠ́γᾰτρες thugatéres / thúgatres | ||||||||||
Notes: |
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