Morphological Classification of Verbs

The categories of Non-Finite Forms.

There were two Non-Finite Forms in OE verb system: the Infinitive and the Participle.

The non-finite forms in OE are more loosely connected with the finite system than in MnE for two reasons:

1) there are no analytic forms in OE, although their prototypes exist as various combinations of link-verbs and predicative;

2) the non-finite forms themselves possess fewer verbal features. Their subsequent (последующее, более позднее) development binds them more closely with the finite verb. Since every OE verb can form verbals, they are considered as part of the verb paradigm.

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The Infinitive had no verbal categories. Being a verbal noun, it had a sort of case system, or (in other words) some case-forms corresponding to the Nominative and Dative Case of nouns.

Thus, there are two infinitive forms in OE:

1) One of them is called the Dative Infinitive (because the IE infinitive had been a declinable noun). This infinitive is preceded by to and has the ending -anne. It is used in independent syntactic positions, mainly as adverbial modifier of purpose, but also as subject and predicative.

2) The infinitive with the ending -an functions, as a rule, in combination with preterite-present verbs and in other verbal collocations (словосочетание). E.g. dēman – tō demanne; bindan - tō bendanne.

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The Participle, as a verbal adjective, was characterized both by verbal and nominal categories. Like adjectives, Participles I and II could be declined and showed case, number and gender distinctions.

Participle I: has the ending - ende and is declined as a weak adjective. It is used attributively in pre- or postposition and predicatively.

Participle II: has the ending - en or - ed, -od, according to the type of the verbs (strong or weak). It is declined as adjective (according both to the strong and the weak pattern) and is used mainly as attribute and predicative.

Participle I was opposed to Participle II through voice and tense differences: Participle I was present and active. Participle II denoted a state resulting from a completed action and was passive in meaning.

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Questions:

1. Are the non-finite forms in OE closely connected with the finite system? Why?

2. Why are they considered as part of the verbs paradigm?

3. How many forms of the infinitive were there in OE? What are they?

4. What ending did Participle I (Participle II) have?

5. What was the syntactical function of the Participle in OE?

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The majority of verbs in OE - as well as in the other IE languages – fell under two large groups according to the way they built their principle forms termed “ strong ” and “ weak ”.

The strong verbs are called so because they have the power of indicating change of tense by a modification of their root vowel or by Ablaut (gradation).

In the weak verbs this change is effected by the addition of a dental suffix -d-.

The strong verbs are much less numerous than weak verbs.

Besides the two major groups of verbs, there existed some minor groups, whose conjugation differed both from the weak and the strong conjugation. They were Preterite-Present Verbs and Irregular Verbs.

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Four features distinguish strong verbs from the weak verbs:

1. Strong verbs are older and primary formation, not derivatives like the weak verbs;

2. Strong verbs form their preterite stems not by suffixation but by internal inflexion (vowel gradation-Ablaut);

3. Strong verbs have a different set of endings in the preterite;

4. Strong verbs form their participles II by vowel gradation and the suffix - en.

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Questions:

1. Into what great classes were all the verbs in the Germanic languages divided?

2. What were the verbs, which had the power of indicating change of tense by a modification of their root vowel called?

3. What was the same change effected by in the weak verbs?

4. What group is more numerous?

5. What features distinguish strong verbs from the weak ones?

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