3. Nasals.
m
§ [48]. m occurs in all positions of a word; as, mizdô, f., reward; mêna, m., moon; ams, m., shoulder; guma, m., man; finally: nam, I took; in the terminations of the dat. pl.,—dagam, etc.; 1st pers. pl.,—nimam, nêmum, etc.—Dubl (mm) in swamms (cp. [§ 80], n. 1), spunge; wamm, n., spot; in the pronominal dat. sg.,—imma, blindamma.
Note. Syllabic m ([§ 27]) in maiþms, present; bagms, tree.
n
§ [49]. Initial n in nahts, night; niujis, new; ni (negation), etc.; medial: kuni, n., kin; ains, one, etc.; final: laun, n., reward; niun, nine; often in inflection; as, dat. sg. hanin, inf. niman, nêmun (3d pers. pl. prt.), etc.
Dubl n (nn) occurs frequently; e. g., brinnan, to burn; spinnan, to spin; rinnan, to run; kann, I know; kannjan, to make known; manna, man; brunna, wel, spring. Dubl n remains finally and before j, but is simplified before other consonants (s. [§ 80]): kant, kunþa (inf. kunnan), rant (2nd pers. sg. prt.; inf. rinnan), brunsts (inf. brinnan), ur-runs (< rinnan), outlet.
Note. Syllabic n ([§ 27]) in usbeisns, f., expectation; taikns, f., token; ibns, even; laugnjan, to deny; swêgnjan, to triumf, rejoice.
§ [50]. Before guttural consonants n becums a guttural nasal which (in imitation of the Gr.) is denoted by g (gg; s. [§ 67]).
Note. The (guttural) nasal disappears before h, and the preceding short vowel is lengthend. S. [§ 5], b; [§ 15], b (Brgm., I, 182 et seq.).