Old English Pétur Knútsson 2005 week 1

Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum Venerable Bede Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum Angles, Jutes and Saxons Baker 1

Northern, Eastern and Western Germanic Baker 3

Pyles and Algeo mention 6 typical differences:

Pyles and Algeo mention 6 typical differences: 1 Nom. sg –az ending. Proto-Germanic *wulfaz (Latin lupus, vulpes fox) Northern: Icelandic úlfr Eastern: Gothic wulfs Western: Old English wulf Lost in Old English

Pyles and Algeo mention 6 typical differences: 1 Nom. sg –az ending 2 3rd pers sg ending Proto-Germanic -si, -ti Northern: Icelandic (þú) bindr (hann) bindr Eastern: Gothic þu bindis is bindiþ Western: Old English þú bindest hé bindeð 2 → 3 in Icelandic

Pyles and Algeo mention 6 typical differences: 1 Nom. sg –az ending 2 3rd pers sg ending 3 Definite article Northern: Icelandic úlfr-inn Eastern: Gothic sa wulfs Western: Old English se wulf Suffixed in Icelandic

Pyles and Algeo mention 6 typical differences: 1 Nom. sg –az ending 2 3rd pers sg ending 3 Definite article 4 z from Verner’s Law Northern: Icelandic eyra Eastern: Gothic auso Western: Old English éare → r in Icelandic and Old English

Pyles and aAgeo mention 6 typical differences: 1 Nom. sg –az ending 2 3rd pers sg ending 3 Definite article 4 z from Verner’s Law 5 Mutation Northern: Icelandic fótur fæti Eastern: Gothic fótus fótáu Western: Old English fót fét No mutation in Gothic

Pyles and Algeo mention 6 typical differences: 1 Nom. sg –az ending 2 3rd pers sg ending 3 Definite article 4 z from Verner’s Law 5 Mutation 6 ð from Verner’s Law Northern: Icelandic faðir Eastern: Gothic faðar Western: Old English fæder becomes d in Old English

Vowel weakening – further Table base on Strang, p. 415 SINGULAR IE Gmc Go Ice OE ModE nominative dhogos ðagas dags dagr dæg day accusative dhoghom ðagan dag genitive dhogheso ðagesa dagis dæges day’s dative dhogoai ðagai daga degi dæge PLURAL dhogoes ðagoz dagos dagar dagas days dhogoms ðaganz dagans dhogeom ðagon dage dhoghomos ðagomoz dagam dögum dagum

Main characteristics of Germanic which distinguish it from IE The First Germanic Consonant Shift Vowel gradation Nominal reduction to a 4-case system Verbal reduction to a 2-tense system Innovation: weak & strong declensions of adjectives Innovation: weak verbs with "dental" past suffix Stress fixed on the root A common distinctive vocabulary

IE nominal cases nominative vocative accusative genitive dative instrumental ablative locative

Germanic nominal cases nominative vocative accusative genitive dative instrumental ablative locative

Germanic nominal cases nominative nefnifall accusative þolfall genitive eignarfall dative þágufall se dæg cymð – sá dagur kemur that day will come ic geman þone dæg - ég man þann dag I remember that day se nama þæs dæges– dagsins nafn the name of the day – the day’s name on þæm dæge – á þeim degi on that day

Germanic nominal cases nominative nefnifall accusative þolfall genitive eignarfall dative þágufall (instumental) se dæg cymð – sá dagur kemur that day will come ic geman þone dæg - ég man þann dag I remember that day se nama þæs dæges– dagsins nafn the name of the day – the day’s name on þæm dæge – á þeim degi on that day (þý dæge)

Seo læfdige geaf þære cwene þæs cyninges hring Frúin gaf drottningunni hring konungsins The lady gave the queen the king’s ring NOMINATIVE subject DATIVE indirect object given to whom? GENITIVE possession ACCUSATIVE direct object what was given