Old EnglishPétur Knútsson 2005

week 1

Venerable BedeHistoria 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:Gothicwulfs

Western:Old English

wulf

Pyles and Algeo mention 6 typical differences:

Lost in Old English

(Latin lupus,vulpes fox)

1 Nom. sg –az ending2 3rd pers sg ending

Northern:Icelandic(þú) bindr

(hann) bindr

Eastern:Gothic

þu bindisis bindiþ

Western:Old Englishþú bindesthé bindeð

Proto-Germanic-si, -ti

Pyles and Algeo mention 6 typical differences:

2 → 3 in Icelandic

1 Nom. sg –az ending2 3rd pers sg ending3 Definite article

Northern:Icelandicúlfr-inn

Eastern: Gothic

sa wulfs

Western:Old English

se wulf

Pyles and Algeo mention 6 typical differences:

Suffixed in Icelandic

1 Nom. sg –az ending2 3rd pers sg ending3 Definite article4 z from Verner’s Law

Northern:Icelandic

eyra

Eastern: Gothicauso

Western:Old English

éare

Pyles and Algeo mention 6 typical differences:

→ r in Icelandic and Old English

1 Nom. sg –az ending2 3rd pers sg ending3 Definite article4 z from Verner’s Law5 Mutation

Northern:Icelandic

fóturfæti

Eastern: Gothicfótusfótáu

Western:Old English

fótfét

Pyles and aAgeo mention 6 typical differences:

No mutation in Gothic

Pyles and Algeo mention 6 typical differences:

1 Nom. sg –az ending2 3rd pers sg ending3 Definite article4 z from Verner’s Law5 Mutation6 ð from Verner’s Law

Northern:Icelandic

faðir

Eastern: Gothicfaðar

Western:Old English

fæder

becomes d in Old English

SINGULAR IE Gmc Go Ice OE ModE

nominative dhogos ðagas gads dagr dæg day

accusative dhoghom ðagan dag dag dæg day

genitive dhogheso ðagesa dagis dags dæges day’s

dative dhogoai ðagai daga degi dæge day

PLURAL

nominative dhogoes ðagoz dagos dagar dagas days

accusative dhogoms ðaganz dagans daga dagas days

genitive dhogeom ðagon dage daga daga days

dative dhoghomos ðagomoz dagam dögum dagum days

Vowel weakening – furtherTable base on Strang, p. 415

Main characteristics of Germanic which distinguish it from IE

1. The First Germanic Consonant Shift2. Vowel gradation3. Nominal reduction to a 4-case system4. Verbal reduction to a 2-tense system5. Innovation: weak & strong declensions of

adjectives6. Innovation: weak verbs with "dental" past suffix7. Stress fixed on the root8. 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 dagI remember that day

se nama þæs dæges– dagsins nafnthe name of the day – the day’s name

on þæm dæge – á þeim degion 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 dagI remember that day

se nama þæs dæges– dagsins nafnthe name of the day – the day’s name

on þæm dæge – á þeim degion 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

NOMINATIVEsubject

DATIVEindirect object given to whom?

GENITIVEpossession

ACCUSATIVEdirect object

what was given