Old English Pétur Knútsson 2005 week 1

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

Northern, Eastern and Western Germanic Baker 3

Pyles and Algeo mention 6 typical differences:

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

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

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 Pyles and Algeo mention 6 typical differences: Suffixed in Icelandic

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 Pyles and Algeo mention 6 typical differences: → r in Icelandic and Old English

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 Pyles and aAgeo mention 6 typical differences: 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

SINGULARIEGmcGoIceOEModE nominativedhogosðagasgadsdagrdægday accusativedhoghomðagandag dægday genitivedhoghesoðagesadagisdagsdægesday’s dativedhogoaiðagaidagadegidægeday PLURAL nominativedhogoesðagozdagosdagardagasdays accusativedhogomsðaganzdagansdagadagasdays genitivedhogeomðagondagedaga days dativedhoghomosðagomozdagamdögumdagumdays Vowel weakening – further Table base on Strang, p. 415

Main characteristics of Germanic which distinguish it from IE 1.The First Germanic Consonant Shift 2.Vowel gradation 3.Nominal reduction to a 4-case system 4.Verbal reduction to a 2-tense system 5.Innovation: weak & strong declensions of adjectives 6.Innovation: weak verbs with "dental" past suffix 7.Stress fixed on the root 8.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