From Versification to Phonetics in a Byzantine-Slavonic Contex
From Versification to Phonetics in a Byzantine-Slavonic Contex

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this research paper is to unravel some unknown sound features of the language of the disciples of St. Cyril and St. Methodius by analyzing the rhythmic structure of four Old Bulgarian canons in 12-syllable verses. Each of the verses in these works follows one of the variants of the dodecasyllable used in the three Byzantine iambic canons by St. John of Damascus, which are briefly presented in the article. The restriction of the line to exactly 12 syllables makes it possible to clarify: a) whether the vocals ъ and ь (jers) in a weak position began to disappear as early as the 9th and the beginning of the 10th century; b) whether jers positioned before [j] were syllabic; and c) whether Old Bulgarian hymnographers used contracted endings of the adjectives.

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