Running warer...τρεχάμενο

Question

Τρεχάμενο νερό...why has the Ancient Greek middle present participle τρεχόμενος changed into τρεχάμενος; so with alfa instead of omicron?

Other words, like εργαζόμενος, don't have this alteration.

Is there an explanation for this?

Answer 1

In modern greek, we use both τρεχούμενος and τρεχάμενος but they are not always interchangeable.
The most common phrases are: τρεχούμενο νερό (running water) - τρεχάμενο νερό is not very common - & τρεχούμενος λογαριασμός (current account).

Τρεχάμενος is mainly used as a compound word: παρατρεχάμενος = the person who carries out errands on behalf of another person, like a runner or a sidekick.

Only some verbs have this alteration and there is no rule for that. Also, the meaning is usually different. Another example is λεγόμενος and λεγάμενος.

No use of τρεχόμενος in ancient greek.