o > [o:]: Although {[o:]}, the umlaut of {o}, is common in MHG. and still
commoner in NHG., yet all words containing this umlaut are really new
formations due to levelling or analogy, because primitive Germanic {u}
(Sec. 15) did not become {o} in OHG. when followed by an {[)i]} or {j} in the
next syllable. Examples are: {boc}, _he-goat_, beside dim. {b[o:]ckl[i]n}
(OHG. {pochil[i]}); {dorf}, _village_, beside pl. {d[o:]rfer}; {got}, _God_,
beside {g[o:]tinne}, _goddess_; {hof}, _court_, beside {h[o:]vesch},
_courtly_; {loch} (OHG. {loh}), _hole_, beside pl. {l[o:]cher} (OHG.
{lohhir}); {tohter}, _daughter_, beside dim. {t[o:]hterl[i]n}; pret. subj.
{m[o:]hte} (OHG. {mohti}), _I might_; {t[o:]rste} (OHG. {torsti}), _I might
dare_.

u > [u:]: {d[u:]nne} (OHG. {dunni}), _thin_; {k[u:]nne} (OHG. {kunni}), _race_,
_generation_; pl. {s[u:]ne} (OHG. {suni}), _sons_; {t[u:]r} (OHG. {turi}),
_door_; pret. subj. {z[u:]ge} (OHG. {zugi}), inf. {ziehen}, _to draw_.

NOTE.--In Upper German certain consonant combinations often
prevented umlaut from taking place where it might be expected. Of
these the principal are:--

1. Before a liquid + consonant, as {hulde} (OHG. {huld[i]}), _favour_;
{schuldec} (OHG. {sculd[i]g}), _guilty_; {gedultec} (OHG. {gidult[i]g}),
_indulgent_; {burge} (OHG. {burgi}), dat. of {burc}, _city_;
{sturbe} (OHG. {sturbi}), pret. subj. of {st[e:]rben}, _to die_;
{wurfe} (OHG. {wurfi}), pret. subj. of {w[e:]rfen}, _to throw_, cp.
2 above.

2. {u} fluctuates with {[u:]} when followed by a nasal + consonant,
as {dunken}, _to seem_, {umbe}, _about_, {wunne}, _joy_, beside
{d[u:]nken}, {[u:]mbe} (OHG. {umbi}), {w[u:]nne}. This fluctuation is
especially common in the pret. subjunctive, as {bunde}, {sunge},
beside {b[u:]nde}, {s[u:]nge}, inf. {binden}, _to bind_, {singen}, _to
sing_.

3. {u} fluctuates with {[u:]} when followed by {gg}, {ck}, {pf}, {tz},
{[zz]}, {st}, {ch}, and {g}, as {brugge}, {br[u:]gge}, {brucke},
{br[u:]cke}, _bridge_; {mugge}, {m[u:]gge}, {mucke}, {m[u:]cke}, _midge_;
{drucken}, {dr[u:]cken}, _to press_; {hupfen}, {h[u:]pfen}, _to hop_;
{schupfen}, {sch[u:]pfen}, _to push_; {nutzen}, {n[u:]tzen}, _to use_;
pret. subj. {flu[zz]e}, {fl[u:][zz]e}; {schu[zz]e}, {sch[u:][zz]e}, inf.
{flie[z]en}, _to flow_, {schie[z]en}, _to shoot_; pl. {bruste},
{br[u:]ste}, _breasts_; {kuchen}, {k[u:]chen}, _kitchen_; pret. subj.
{fluge}, {fl[u:]ge}, inf. {fliegen},