ME Grammar Noun, pronoun, adjective

Noun Case Case Gender Gender Declension Declension

Case system fiscas (OE Nom/Acc. Plural of a- stem) fiscas (OE Nom/Acc. Plural of a- stem) fishes (ME Nom/Acc. Plural but also Genitive and Dative) fishes (ME Nom/Acc. Plural but also Genitive and Dative)

OE Early ME Late ME late1400s NominativeCommonCommon Accusative DativeDative GenitiveGenitiveGenitive

OE –es ending (a-stem Sing., Gen., M/N) OE –es ending (a-stem Sing., Gen., M/N) Possessive case: Possessive case: Arthur his men – Arthur’s men Arthur his men – Arthur’s men His → is → - s His → is → - s

Question on ME phonetics Variant 1 Variant 1 1) How did the pronunciation of the following stressed OE vowels change in ME: [ā], [æ:], [æ], [ ü ]? 1) How did the pronunciation of the following stressed OE vowels change in ME: [ā], [æ:], [æ], [ ü ]? Variant 2 Variant 2 1) Which new diphthongs appeared as the result of vocalization of [w, , ’]? 1) Which new diphthongs appeared as the result of vocalization of [w, , ’]?

Question on ME phonetics Variant 1 Variant 1 2) What was the general tendency in the development of the OE diphthongs? 2) What was the general tendency in the development of the OE diphthongs? Variant 2 Variant 2 2) How did the spelling of the OE words cēpan, c īld, cumen change? 2) How did the spelling of the OE words cēpan, c īld, cumen change?

Variant 1 Variant 1 3) In which position did the stressed OE vowels become long in ME? 3) In which position did the stressed OE vowels become long in ME? Variant 2 Variant 2 3) In which position did the stressed OE vowels become short in ME? 3) In which position did the stressed OE vowels become short in ME?

The Adjective It lost all its grammatical categories with the exception of the degrees of comparison. It lost all its grammatical categories with the exception of the degrees of comparison. The agreement of the adjective with the noun was practically lost during ME. The agreement of the adjective with the noun was practically lost during ME. The 1 st category to disappear was gender, which ceased to be distinguished in the 11 th century. The 1 st category to disappear was gender, which ceased to be distinguished in the 11 th century.

The category of number was expressed with the ending –e The category of number was expressed with the ending –e The distinctions of strong and weak declension is only obvious in the singular The distinctions of strong and weak declension is only obvious in the singular Strong – good, Weak – goode Strong – good, Weak – goode By the XV the ending –e disappeared By the XV the ending –e disappeared The adjective turned into an uninflected part of speech. The adjective turned into an uninflected part of speech.

Degrees of comparison OE –ra ME –re → –er OE –ra ME –re → –er OE –est/ -ost ME –est OE –est/ -ost ME –est The only adjective with the root vowel interchange in ME is ‘old’ The only adjective with the root vowel interchange in ME is ‘old’ A new means for the formation of the degrees of comparison – analytical: with the help of ‘more’ and ‘most’. A new means for the formation of the degrees of comparison – analytical: with the help of ‘more’ and ‘most’.

Pronoun Personal pronouns the loss of dual number the loss of dual number The genitive case > possessive pronouns The genitive case > possessive pronouns Accusative + Dative = Objective Accusative + Dative = Objective

hēo (3rd, Sing, Fem.) hēo (3rd, Sing, Fem.) she she they with its oblique forms them, their they with its oblique forms them, their my (+cons.), myn(+vowel). my (+cons.), myn(+vowel).

Case SingularPlural 1 Person 2 Person 3 Person 1 Person 2 Person 3 Person Masc.Femin.Neut. Com mon ic/ich> i >I thouHeshehitweyehi, they Objec tive metheehimherehitusyouhem

Demonstrative pronouns In Early ME the OE demonstrative pronouns lost most of their inflected forms. In Early ME the OE demonstrative pronouns lost most of their inflected forms. This/that This/that This – thise (thes(e)) This – thise (thes(e)) That – tho (thos(e)) That – tho (thos(e))

Interrogative The paradigm of hw ā The paradigm of hw ā Who (Nom.) Who (Nom.) Whom (Objective) Whom (Objective) The genitive case of hw ā – hwæs, developed into a separate interrogative pronoun whose The genitive case of hw ā – hwæs, developed into a separate interrogative pronoun whose OE hwi (instrumental case) – ME hwy OE hwi (instrumental case) – ME hwy

Indefinite pronouns Most indefinite pronouns of the OE period simplified their morphological structure and some of them fell out of use Most indefinite pronouns of the OE period simplified their morphological structure and some of them fell out of use OE ǣƷhwelc – ME eech OE ǣƷhwelc – ME eech OE þyslic – ME such OE þyslic – ME such OE n ān-þinƷ – ME nothing OE n ān-þinƷ – ME nothing OE demonstrative and interrogative pronouns became a source of a new type of pronouns - relative OE demonstrative and interrogative pronouns became a source of a new type of pronouns - relative

Development of articles The definite article developed on the basis of d emonstrative pronouns sē, sēo, þæt. The definite article developed on the basis of d emonstrative pronouns sē, sēo, þæt. In OE they were used as noun determiners In OE they were used as noun determiners

During ME there was an important formal difference between the demonstrative pronoun and the definite article During ME there was an important formal difference between the demonstrative pronoun and the definite article The demonstrative pronoun had the number distinction, while the definite article acquired the weakened form the, and became uninflected. The demonstrative pronoun had the number distinction, while the definite article acquired the weakened form the, and became uninflected.

Indefinite article It developed from the OE numeral and indefinite pronoun ān It developed from the OE numeral and indefinite pronoun ān In the 13 th c. - oone/one and their reduced form an/a are used in all regions In the 13 th c. - oone/one and their reduced form an/a are used in all regions