A statement, propounded by the Danish philologist Karl Verner in 1875, which explains certain apparent exceptions to Grimm's law by the original position of the accent. Primitive Indo-European k, t, p, became first in Teutonic h, th, f, and appear without further change in old Teutonic, if the accent rested on the preceding syllable; but these sounds became voiced and produced g, d, b, if the accent was originally on a different syllable. Similarly s either remained unchanged or it became z and later r. Example: Skt. sapta (accent on ultima), Gr. 'e`pta, Gothic sibun (seven). Examples in English are dead by the side of death, to rise and to rear.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). verner's law. Retrieved October 1, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/verner%27s_law/definitions/2079297 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "verner's law" http://smartdefine.org/verner%27s_law/definitions/2079297 (accessed October 1, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, verner's law, Smart Define, viewed 1 October, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/verner%27s_law/definitions/2079297>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "verner's law" 28 May 2011. Web. 1 October 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/verner%27s_law/definitions/2079297> |