Практикум по истории языка (древнеанглийский период). Пятышина Т.Г - 13 стр.

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It was noted long ago that in some words of Germanic languages

we find some consonants which do not "fit" into Grimm's Law. This

phenomenon was analyzed by another famous linguist, Verner, and was

termed Verner’s law.

It is important to understand that at the time of this change the

stress pattern of the language was still moveable, so Verner's Law may be

summarized thus: if the preceding vowel did not cary the main stress of the

word, certain consonants changed, according to the following list:

s − z, f − v, Þ − ð , h − g, hw – gw:

s – z (the initial sound of ModE "zoo",) which later developed to r:

cēosan – cēas – curon – coren, this phenomenon was and still is

called "Rhotacism".

f – v (which, however, was spelt f in OE) lufu – lufian. "to love"

θ – ð (the initial sound of ModE "this" which later developed to d).

weoÞan – wearp – wurdon – wurden "to become".

hw – gw seon – sawon, sewen. "to see"

h – g In examples of this change the h has been lost in the infinitive

owing to loss of h, but it can be observed in verbs of the

Past Simple:

leōn – lah – ligon, ligen – "to grant"

fleōn – fleāh – flugon – flōgen. "to flee"

In the Germc. infinitive sehwan the w early disappeared and

breaking, loss of h and lengthening took place. In the past plural and past

participle Verner's Law gave gw, and then either the letter g or w

disappeared.