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A Descriptive Syntax Of King Alfred'S Soliloquies

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A Descriptive Syntax Of King Alfred'S Soliloquies

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Content A DESCRIPTIVE SYNTAX OF
KING ALFRED'S SOLILOQUIES
by
Robert Edward Barela
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
(Linguistics)
June 1971
72-538
BARELA, Robert Edward, 1929-
A DESCRIPTIVE SYNTAX OF KING ALFRED’S
SOLILOQUIES.
i University of Southern California, Ph.D.,
i 1971
; Language and Literature, linguistics
I
| University Microfilms, A XERO\Company , Ann Arbor, Michigan
© Copyright by
ROBERT EDWARD BARELA
1971
THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED ,
UNIVERSITY O F S O U T H E R N CALIFORNIA
THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY PARK
LO S ANGELES. CALIFORNIA 9 0 0 0 7
This dissertation, written by
. R p .b .? .r t..J E d M a r ji..B a r B J .a ........................
under the direction of hXSi... Dissertation Com
mittee, and approved by all its members, has
been presented to and accepted by The Gradu
ate School, in partial fulfillment of require
ments of the degree of
D O C T O R OF P H IL O S O P H Y
C1 Dean
n„„ J“ne 1971
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE
A . r ? ? : 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF TABLES ................................
Chapter
I. INTRODUCTION ..........................
Importance of the Soliloquies
Manuscript and Present Edition
Dialect
The Latin Influence
Previous Grammatical Analyses
Purpose
. . . . 1
II. CASE USAGE ............................
Introduction
Nominative Functions
Genitive Functions
Dative Functions
Accusative Functions
. . . . 15
Ill. NOMINALS ..............................
Functions of the Nominal
Structures of Modification
The Order of the Modifiers
Adverbial Modification
Phrasal Modification
. . . . 47
Summary
ii
Chapter Page
IV. THE STRUCTURE OF THE CLAUSE.................... 75
Major Elements of the Clause
The Order of the Major Elements
V. CLAUSE T Y P E S ..................................... 105
The Subjectless Construction
Ellipsis and Parataxis
Dependent and Nondependent Clauses
VI. CONCLUSION....................................... 133
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................... 136
LIST OF TABLES
Table - Page
1. Frequencies of Clause Types ................... 102
2. Frequencies of Clause Types in Alfred's
Pastoral Care ................................... 103
3. Frequencies of Clause Types in the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle...........................104
4. Dependent and Nondependent Clauses with
Three Major Elements.............................131
5. Dependent and Nondependent Clauses in
the Pastoral C a r e ...............................132
iv
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Importance of the Soliloquies
King Alfred's version of St. Augustine's Soliloquiorum,
Alfred's last known work, was written in the latter part of
the ninth century, presumably not long before he died in
899. The only surviving manuscript of the Soliloquies, how
ever, is placed in the twelfth century by the majority of
scholars.'*' The syntax of this extant manuscript belongs to
^See Thomas A. Carnicelli, ed., King Alfred's Version
of St. Augustine's Soliloquies (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard
Univ. Press, 1969), p. 3; Wilhelm Endter, ed., Konig Alfreds
des Grofien Bearbeitung der Soliloquien des Augustins (1922;
rpt. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 1964),
p. viii; Max Forster, Die Beowulf-Handschrift (Leipzig:
Teubner, 1919), p. 50; Henry Lee Hargrove, ed., King Al
fred's Old English Version of St. Augustine's Soliloquies
(New York: Holt, 1902), p. xviii (hereafter cited as Har
grove [1902]); William H. Hulme, Die Sprache der Altengli-
schen Bearbeitung der Soliloquien Augustins (Darmstadt:
Otto, 1894), p. 3, and Kenneth Sisam, "The Beowulf Manu
script, 1 1 in Studies in the History of Old English Literature
(Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1953), p. 65.
1
the Old English period, although a few of the morphological
2
forms may be considered as belonging to Middle English.
The following examples illustrate the levelling of the Old
3
English inflections found in the Soliloquies. Thus we find
sylfe for sylfne, riht for rihtne, and nacode for nacodne:
59.20-21. Hu wot ic hys Sonne hu ic hine lufia scyle,
gyf ic nat hweSer ic me sylfe lufige,
'Regarding Him, how do I then know how I should love
Him, if I do not know whether I love myself,
67.4-5. Saet he hebbe festne geleafan and rihte tohopan
and fulle lufe.
'that he may have a firm faith and a just hope and a
full love.1
75.22-24. Ic ongyte nu past (pu) lufast pone wisdom
swa swiSe, and pe lyst hine swa wel nacode ongitan
and gefredan . . .
'Now I understand that you love wisdom very much, and
it pleases you very much to perceive and feel it
naked ...1
Carnicelli states that "Obvious ME forms are not com
mon in the Sol. ME change „is, however, often a possibility
in forms that may also be otherwise explained" (p. 16).
^For the levelling of OE adjectival inflections, see
Karl Brunner, An Outline of Middle English Grammar, trans.
Grahame Johnston (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Univ. Press,
1963), pp. 51-52.
^All citations from the Soliloquies are from Carni-
celli's edition. The numbers refer to the page(s) and
line(s) of this edition. The translations are primarily my
own. However, I have used Henry L. Hargrove, King Alfred's
Old English Version of St. Augustine's Soliloquies Turned
into Modern English (New York: Holt, 1904), for an occa
sional rendering of an Old English passage.
3
The Soliloquies may be regarded as an example of native
prose, since from a syntactic point of view it is essen
tially independent of its Latin source. The Latin influence
will be discussed on pp. 6-10 below.
Manuscript and Present Edition
The manuscript of King Alfred's version of St. Augus
tine's Soliloquiorum is part of the first codex of the
Beowulf Manuscript, Cotton Vitellius A XV, found today in
5
the British Museum. The first codex, sometimes called the
6 7
Southwick codex, is written in two hands with entries from
C
In addition to the manuscript found m the British
Museum is a transcript of King Alfred's Soliloquies made in
the seventeenth century by Franciscus Junius. This copy,
known as Jun. 70.1, is located in the Bodleian. See Endter,
p. viii.
g
The manuscript belonged to St. Mary's Priory in South
wick, Hampshire. In addition to Alfred's Soliloquies, this
Southwick codex contains The Gospel of Nicodemus, The Debate
of Solomon and Saturn, and a Homily on St. Quintin. The
second codex contains The Life of St. Christopher, Wonders
of the East, Alexander's Letter to Aristotle. Beowulf, and
Judith. Both codices are referred to as the Beowulf Manu
script. See N. R. Ker, Catalogue of Manuscripts Containing
Anglo-Saxon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1957), pp. 279-280.
7
See Forster, pp. 24-29. Also, for a study of the
alphabet, script style, and orthographic variations found in
this manuscript, see Carnicelli, pp. 19-24.
g
folios 4a to 94b. Alfred's Soliloquies (folios 4a-59b)
"appears to be the work of a single scribe" (Carnicelli,
p. 1) . Its dimensions are approximately 7 3/4 inches in
length by 5 1/4 inches in width, and with eighteen lines to
a page (Hargrove [1902], p. xvii). The latest edition of
the Soliloquies, that of Carnicelli, has approximately
9,735 words in Book I (pp. 47-83), 2,456 words in Book II
9
(pp. 83-92), and 1,500 words in Book III (pp. 92-97).
Dialect
The dialect of the extant manuscript of the Solilo
quies is essentially West Saxon, with some Kentish influ
ence.^ The non-West Saxon grammatical forms in the text
are as follows:
®For a complete discussion of the foliations see
Bertram Colgrave, Kemp Malone, and Knud Schibsbye, eds.,
The Nowell Codex. Vol. XII of Early English Manuscripts in
Facsimile (Copenhagen: Rosenkilde and Bagger, 1963), pp.
12-14, and Forster, pp. 4-10.
^Earlier editions of the Soliloquies are Oswald
Cockayne, The Shrine (London: Williams and Norgate, 1864-
70), pp. 163-204; William H. Hulme, "Blooms von Konig Ael-
fred," Enqlische Studien, 18 (1893), 331-356, and those of
Hargrove and Endter cited above.
^•®For a thorough study of the West Saxon phonology in
the Soliloquies see Hulme, Die Sprache der Altenqlischen
Bearbeitung der Soliloquien Augustins. See also Carnicelli
for examples of phonological forms of early West Saxon as
well as late West Saxon (pp. 3-15) . __________________________
5
85.2 paat, me Sing (3), seo^ Sin hehste good and mac
p in god.
'That, it seems to me, is the highest good, and also
your God.1
12
94.21 and ic hmbbe me saelf gesegen . . .
'and I myself have seen . . . '
92.6-7. Ac beo nu godes modes, and smaea pset pu nu
leornodes,
'But be now of a good mind, and consider now what you
learned,1
13
60.15. wost pu paet pu leornodes pone creft pe we
hataS geometrica?
'Do you know that you learned the science which we
call geometry?'
90.2-3. forSam 3u genoh geare wistes pset hyt is seo
ealra hehsta and seo seleste godes gesceafta;
'for you clearly enough knew that they are the highest
and the most blessed of the creatures of God;'
90.3-4. and 3u wast aeac genoh geare paet he nane
gesceafta ne forlet eallunga gewitan swa paet hy14 to
nawuihte weorSe,
■^See pp. 349-351 in Al'istair Campbell, An Old English
Grammar (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1959), for dialectal
variations of West Saxon pres. subj . sie and sien.
•^This Anglian form of the past participle of seon
appears only once in the Soliloquies.
13
Wilhelm Endter (p. 79) suggests that leornodes may be
the result of consonant assimilation and haplographic spel
ling; i.e., leornodes pone < leornodes5 pone < leornodest
pone. This may also be the case for wistes in the following
example, 90.2-3.
^During the Old English period, hi_ sometimes appeared
for heo, and thus became a regular Kentish form in Middle
English. See Brunner, p. 59.
'and you know clearly enough that He allows no creature
entirely to depart so that he comes to nothing.'
90.9-10. Nu Su miht geheran past nan gesceaft swa clene
on wasg ne gewit paet hjL aeft ne cume,
'Now you can hear that no creature so completely passes
away that he does not come again,'
In addition to these Kentish forms, the other early Middle
English forms in the Soliloquies are predominately South-
15
ern. "The state of the language," Carnicelli concludes,
"indicates that the MS of the Sol. was written in the
Southeast of England during the first half of the twelfth
century" (p. 4).
The Latin Influence
Although King Alfred used St. Augustine's Soliloquiorum
16
as his main source, he was not bound by it. According to
■^For examples of these early Middle English forms
found in the Soliloquies, see Carnicelli, pp. 16-19.
•^Other acknowledged sources are Augustine's De Vivendo
Deo, Gregory the Great's Dialogues and Morals, and Jerome's
Vulgate and Commentary on Luke. See Hargrove (1902), p.
xxxvii; Carnicelli, pp. 28-29; and Dorothy Whitelock, "The
Prose of Alfred's Reign," in Continuations and Beginnings:
Studies in Old English Literature, ed. E. G. Stanley (Lon
don: Nelson, 1966), p. 88. There are some similar passages
in the Soliloquies and in Alfred's translation of Boethius'
Consolation of Philosophy. F . G. Hubbard makes a thorough
comparison of these two works in "The Relation of the
'Blooms of King Alfred' to the Anglo-Saxon Translation of
Boethius," Modern Language Notes, 9 (1894), 161-171. See
also Carnicelli, pp. 29-37. _____________
7
Hargrove, "In Book I we may say, he was a translator; in
Book II he was an adapter; in Book III he was author, at
least so far as Augustine is concerned" ([1902], p. xl) .
Even in Book I, however, Alfred expands on Augustine's
Latin. Thus, Augustine states in the beginning of Book I:
Volventi mihi multa ac varia mecum diu, ac per multos
dies sedulo quaerenti memetipsum ac bonum meum, quidve
mali evitandum esset; ait mihi subito, sive ego ipse,
sive alius quis extrinsecus, sive intrinsecus, nescio;
nam hoc ipsum est quod magnopere scire molior: (869.A.)
18
Alfred translates and expands the Latin into:
•^All citations from the Latin text of the Soliloquies
are from Jacques P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Latina, XXXII
(Paris: Garnier Fratres, 1877), 869-904. The number and
letter refer to page and section in Migne's edition.
•*-®Alfred does not adhere to his Latin source very
closely. For example, he uses a third person singular when
the Latin passage is in the first person. Paul Bacquet, La
Structure de la phrase verbale a l'epoque Alfredienne
(Paris: Societe d'Editions, 1962), concludes that Alfred
is essentially paraphrasing or adding to the original Latin
source: "Si nous avons traite dans un m§me chapitre les
oeuvres alfrediennes et les traductions interlineaires en
insistant sur le Collogue, c'est pour montrer la distance
qui les separe. D'un cdte, le traducteur nous off re des
paraphrases dont 1' independance vis-a-vis de l'original
varie suivant les textes, de I1 autre le glossateur se met
volontairement en tutelle. Grande dans un recit historique
comme 1'Prose, cette independance est moindre dans les
oeuvres d 'inspiration philosophique, theologique ou eccle-
siastique comme le Boece, la Cura Pastoralis et 1'Histoire
Ecclesiastique, encore que, selon nos propres calculs, des
deux tiers des Soliloques d'Augustin represententent des
additions personnelles du 'traducteur' au texte de l'ev§que
8
48.18-49.1-3. Ba reahte he, hys mod for oft geasciende
and smeagende mis lieu and selcuS ping, and ealles swiSust
ymbe hyne sylfne: hweet he sylf ware, hwasper hys mod and
hys sawel deadlic were and crewitendlice, pe heo were
alibbendu and ecu; and eft ymbe hys god: hwat he were
and hwilce he were, and hwile good him were betst to
donne and hwile yfel betst to forletende. [The itali
cized words are those Alfred adds to the Latin.]
'Then he said, his mind often went inquiring and exam
ining many rare things, and most of all regarding him
self: what he himself was, whether his mind and his
soul were mortal and perishable, or whether it was ever-
living and eternal; and again about his Good: What it
was and of what nature it was, and of what good it was
best for him to do, and what evil best to forsake.'
In Book II Alfred expands considerably more on the Latin
than he does in Book I:
A. Satis intermissum est opus nostrum, et impatiens
est amor, nec lacrymis modus fit, nisi amori detur quod
amatur: quare, aggrediamur librum secundum. (885.A.)
Alfred begins with a sentence that is not contained in the
Latin:
83.14. ( H)er oncring seo gadorung pssre blostmena pasre
seftran bee:
'Here begins the blossoms of the second book:'
The Latin begins with the perfect passive intermissum est,
which has opus nostrum as the subject. Alfred uses wit as
the subject, with wesan plus the predicate adjective
d'Hippone et que, pour le reste, Alfred ne fasse que para-
phraser au sens tres large l'original latin" (p. 62).
9
asmettige:
83.15. (B)a cwasS ic; eala, lange weron wit nu asmettige,
'Then I said: Alas! We were idle a long time now, '
The idea conveyed in the Latin "et impatiens est amor, nec
lacrymis modus fit, nisi amori detur quod amatur" is not
used by Alfred. He continues:
83.15-16. past wit ne spyredon after Sam pe pu me aer
qehet.
'yet we did not seek after that which You promised me
before.'
Before Alfred translates "quare, aggrediamur librum secun
dum, " he changes speakers and adds his own imperative sen
tence :
83.17. Ba cwae3 heo: uton gebetan hyt, uton fon on o3re
boc forewearde!
'Then it said: Let us make amends for it; let us carry
it forward into another book.'
A few lines below, Augustine states:
erit id quidem magnum, sed id mihi parum. (885 .A.)
Alfred paraphrases "erit id quidem magnum," and expands upon
the Latin:
84.16-20. ©a cwasS ic: past is swi3e good gytsung. sege
peah hwet (ic) pe after acsode, hwasSer ic a lybbende
were; and si55an ic wolde witan hwasSer ic, asfter pass
lychoman gedale and pasre sawle, a mare wisse ponne ic
nu wot asalles pass pe ic nu lange wilnode to witanne;
10
forSam ic ne mag nanwiht ongytan baatre on men ponne he
wite. and nanwith wvrse Sonne he nyte.
'Then I said: That is a very good desire. However,
say what I ask you about, whether I will always live;
and then I would know whether I, after the parting of
the body and soul, will always know more than I now
know of all that which I have long wished to know; for
I cannot find anything better in man than he know, and
nothing worse than he not know.'
Augustine's Soliloquiorum consists of two books. After
Chapter I of the second book, which consists of twenty chap
ters, Alfred no longer follows the Latin text and cannot be
19
considered a translator. In Book III, as m the bulk of
Book II, Alfred is essentially an author and not a transla
tor. It appears, then, that Alfred had Latin sources to
work from, but he was certainly not bound by them. The
Latin influence on Alfred appears to be minimal and in
direct .
Previous Grammatical Analyses
The first grammatical analysis of the Soliloquies is
William H. Hulme's dissertation, Die Sprache der
19
This xs not to say that Alfred did not have any other
sources in mind. See note 16 above for other acknowledged
sources. Hargrove (1902), p. xxxvii, states that "It might
be even safer to say that the Soliloquies is the chief
source, and that no specific source can with certainty be
named for the remainder, since its subject-matter is merely
similar to that found in various places." See also White-
lock, pp. 88-89. ________________________________
11
Altenqlischen Bearbeitung der Soliloquien Augustins .
Hulme's primary concern is with phonology, but he does in
clude "Die Flexionen," Chapter VII (pp. 92-97). This chap
ter is not intended to be a complete investigation of the
morphology; Hulme lists only a few of the grammatical forms
in the Soliloquies. J. E. Wiilfing treats the Soliloquies
among seven other texts in Die Syntax in den Werken Alfreds
des Grofien, 2 vols. (Bonn: Hanstein, 1894-1901). "Der
erste Hauptteil" is a thorough study of the parts of speech
and a very helpful source of information for case usage, but
Wulfing does not deal with word order. The "zweite Haupt
teil, " which was to treat the syntax of the sentence, was
never completed. Hargrove 1s edition of the Soliloquies
contains three pages of grammatical observations which in
clude some of the orthographic variations. In addition, he
briefly mentions the inflectional endings of nouns, adjec
tives, pronouns, and verbs. But Hargrove, like Hulme, makes
no claim for grammatical completeness. Wilhelm Endter, in
his Konig Alfreds des Grofien Bearbeitung der Soliloquien,
restricts his discussion in the brief "Anmerkungen" to some
of the phonological and morphological aspects found in the
Soliloquies. Ludwig Borinski, in his Der Stil Konigs Al
freds . 2nd ed. (Leipzig: Tauchnitz, 1934), does deal with
12
word order, but from a psychological point of view; more
over, his explanations for word patterns are highly subjec
tive. Paul Bacquet's La Structure de la phrase verbale a
l'epogue Alfredienne studies a group of Old English works
including the Soliloquies. He establishes an ordre de base
for constructions with a verb as the head word and attrib-
20
utes variations of the ordre de base to stylistic reasons.
F. Th. Visser in his An Historical Syntax of the English
Language, 3 vols. (Leiden: Brill, 1963- ), illustrates
at successive chronological periods all construction types
with the verb form as nucleus, and uses examples from the
Soliloguies in some of his illustrations. The most recent
grammatical investigation of the Soliloguies is that of
Carnicelli in the introduction to his edition, King Alfred's
Version of St. Augustine's Soliloguies. In section v,
"Syntax" (pp. 24-28), Carnicelli focuses attention on cer
tain typical and unusual syntactical features of the Solilo
guies . This brief section, although informative, is
2 0
Carnicelli writes that "Bacquet's conclusions are
generally convincing, and his careful research . . . repre
sents an indispensable first step toward the literary appre
ciation of OE prose" (p. 25, n. 44).
13
21
nevertheless not complete.
21
It should be mentioned that some of the examples
listed by Carnicelli might better belong under a section on
"Style" rather than "Syntax." For example:
1. The alliteration of paired^ words or words which
begin with the same prefix:
72.16-17. and pa men on gehabban and gehealdan pe ic
forSian seel;
'and keep and support the men whom I must help;1
78.9-10. ne parf he nan oSres la3tewes ne larewas pas
sunnan to geseonne butan pare hasle;
'He does not need any other guide or teacher to see the
sun, except his health;'
70.27. ponne cym3 oSer Sing pe me ping(3) rihlicre and
radlicre,
'When another thing comes which seems to me more right
and more reasonable,'
2. The use of pat is as a clarifying device:
84.3-5. forgyf me 3a twa Sincg pe ic simle wilnode,
pat is, pat ic mage pe ongitan and me selfne.
'grant me these two things which I always wanted, that
is, that I may understand You and myself.'
79.9-11. ny gelyfe ic na pat hyt afre geweorSe pat me
nanwiht ne lyste pisse weorlde ara buton an Sing gewir3e:
3at is, pat ic geseo pa ara pe pu me gehast.
'I do not believe that it will ever be that I will not
desire after this world's honors at all, unless one
thing happens, that is, that I see those honors which
you promised me .'
3. The pleonastic result clause:
52.5 ©u us wel lerdest pat we ongeatan . . .
'You teach us well that we understand . . .'
51.24. pat we nefre aallunga ne forwur3ap swa pat we
(to) nawcte weorSam.
'so that we will never entirely perish so that we become
nothing.'
14
Purpose
The purpose of this dissertation is to present a de
scriptive analysis of the syntax of the Soliloquies, since
no work yet has focused solely on its syntactic features .
Chapter II demonstrates the uses of the Old English cases,
showing the various verbs, prepositions, and adjectives that
may govern them. Chapter III discusses some nominal con
structions and structures of modification. Chapter IV dis
cusses the structure of the clause, showing its major ele
ments and their order, and Chapter V discusses the clause
types, including the subjectless construction, ellipsis, and
parataxis .
CHAPTER II
CASE USAGE
Introduction
This chapter will illustrate from the Soliloquies all
the uses of the Old English cases and the various verbs,
prepositions, and adjectives that may govern them.'*'
The nominative case is used as the subject of verbs,
predicative nominative, predicative adjective, after ponne
in comparative constructions, in direct address, and in the
listing of nouns in answer to a question. The genitive case
is used subjectively, objectively, adverbially, with cardi
nal numbers, and with beon + gepafa. In addition, the
various verbs and prepositions that govern the genitive are
■ * ■ 1 have not included verbs that govern the accusative
case in this study, since listing all of them would prove
too unwieldy. See Wulfing, I, 149-266 for a complete list
ing of these verbs.
15
16
2
listed and exemplified. The dative case is used posses
sively, instrumentally, and adverbially. It is also used
with the noun pane in an impersonal construction, with cer
tain verbs used reflexively, with some adjectives, and as
the case that designates the indirect object, object of
certain prepositions, and as the object of certain verbs.
The various adjectives, verbs, and prepositions that govern
the dative are listed and exemplified. The accusative case
is used as a direct object, as an adverbial, with reflexive
verbs, and as the object of certain prepositions. The
various reflexive verbs and prepositions that govern this
case are also listed and exemplified.
Nominative Functions
1. Subject of the verb.
74.8. forSam pa wyrttruman magon eft Sanon asprettan.
'for the roots can sprout out again.'
^Since the forms of the instrumental case, which for
merly expressed means, accompaniment, manner, or agency, are
identical with that of the dative, excepting in the demon
strative and interrogative pronouns, and since the dative
case expresses the functions of the instrumental case, the
instrumental case will not be discussed as a separate and
distinct case. See Wulfing, I, 270-275, for examples of
instrumental functions of the dative.
17
2. Predicate nominative.
54.11-13. forSam 3u eart min god, and min drihte, and
min feder, and min sceapen(d), and min gemetgyend, and
min toopa, and min sped, and min swySscipe, and min hus,
and min edel, and min hsBle, and min lyfe.
'for You are my God, and my Lord, and my Father, and my
Creator, and my Ruler, and my Hope, and my Prosperity,
and my Worship, and my Home, and my Inheritance, and my
Salvation, and my Life.'
3. Predicate adjective.
63.4 ne wene ic past aenig man si swa dysiq pa3 (he) pass
wene.
'I do not believe that any man is so foolish as to be
lieve that. '
4. After ponne in comparative statements.
79.26-27. Se laeca wot gearnor ponne se seoca hweSer
he hine gelacnian maeg pe ne masg,
"The doctor knows better than the sick man whether he
can heal him or not,'
5. In the listing of nouns in answer to a question.
62.6-9. Hwaet sint pa oSre creftas?
Wysdom, and eadmeto, and warscype, and gemetgung,
rihtwisnes and mildheor(t)nes, gesceadwisnes, gestad-
pines, and welwilnes, clennes and forheafdnes.
'What are the other virtues?
'Wisdom, and humility, and honor, and temperance, right
eousness and mercy, prudence, constancy and benevolence,
chastity, and abstinence.'
6 . Direct address.
50.10. DRIHTEN, pu 3e eart scypend ealra gesceafta,
'Lord, You who are the Creator of all creatures,'
18
Genitive Functions
Subjective
1. Subjective genitive.
62.22-23. gepenc nu gyf Sines hlafordes serendqewrit
and hys insegel to Se cym3,
'Suppose now if a letter and its seal from your master
came to you,'
2. Appositive genitive.
i
52.18. and us sillest pone hlaf eces lyfes . . .
'and give us the bread of eternal life . . .'
3. Possessive genitive.
53.9. pe pinre hese hweorfS seo heofne and eall tungla
heora rina behealdaS•
'At your command heaven revolves and all the stars hold
their courses;'
Objective
1. Objective genitive.
61.8. . . . pe pu leornedost ymbe pises rodores hwyrft,
'. . .on which you learned about the revolution of the
heavens, '
2. Descriptive genitive.
50.27-29. forpam pu eart faader soSfestnesse, and wis-
somes and sopes lyfes, and pass hehstan lyfes, and para
hehsten gesaalpe, and pas hehstan goodes, and para hehstan
beorhtnesse, and pass angitlican leohtes;
'Because You are the Father of Truth, and of Wisdom and
of the True Life, and of the Highest Life, and of the
19
Highest Blessedness* and of the Highest Good* and of
the Highest Brightness* and of the Intelligible Light;1
3. Partitive genitive.
69.18-19. Bridde* past heo feala pinga onlyht myd hyre
sciman.
'Third* that it lights many things with its brightness.'
Adverbial
1. Adverbial genitive.
I
70.10-11. Ac ic wolde witan hu pu past ongytan woldest*
hweSer pe pu woldest unafanddes geleafan*
'But I would know how you would understand that* whether
you would believe it without experience*'
2 . Genitive of respect.
3
59.20. Hu wot ic hys Sonne hu ic hine lufia scyle*
'Regarding Him, how do I then know how I should love
Him* '
Genitive with cardinal numbers
53.12-13. ©u recst past gear and redst purh paet gewrixle
paera feower tyda.
'You rule and fix the year through the alternation of
the four seasons.'
71.8. -Bara fif pinga . . .
'Five of these things . . . '
3
hys here can also be considered as the direct object
of wot (witan) . Thus Wiilfing* p. 18. Endter considers it
a genitive of respect (p. 78).
20
60.19-20 Wost pu nu pat pe man pseron tehte para twelf
tungla stede and para sunna fareId?
'Do you know what was taught to you there about the
positions of the twelve stars and the path of the sun?1
72.12-13. ic hasbbe nu XXXIII wintra,
' I am now thirty-three years old,'
Genitive with beon + gepafa
'agreeing, consenting'4
* 71.11. Ic eom gepafa pees pe pu me segst.
'I admit what you say to me.'
Verbs governing the genitive
. . 5
The verbs that govern the genitive case are: astsacan,
agymian, amyrran, anbidian, behofian, bepurfan, brucan,
byddan, earnian, fagnian, fandian, forwyrnan, gedwaalian,
gelyfan, gemunan, geornan, geswican, hawian, lettan, lys tan,
notian, nyttian, tilian, purfan, unnan, wealdan, wenan,
wilnian, witan, and wundrian.
1. astsacan ' to deny' .
71.16. rihte pu hyt ongytst, ne masg ic pass setsacan,
'You understand it correctly, I cannot deny that,'
^This particular construction occurs six times in the
text.
^It should be noted that not all-of the verbs listed
here govern the genitive case exclusively. For example,
byddan is used with the genitive, dative, and accusative,
in addition to its use as a reflexive verb.________________
21
2. aqymian 'to consider'.
63 .22-23. and peah pam timum pe ic hys agyrae and me
aenig onbrednes cym(3) be 3am mean lyfe,
'and yet at times when I consider him and some inspira
tion comes to me about the eternal life,'
3. amyrran 'to mis lead, hinder1.
70.25-26. . . . me ponne 5incg(3) pmt me nan ping ne
mage paes ammrran . . .
'. . .it seems to me then that nothing can hinder it
for me ...'
4. anbidian 'to wait for'.
69.12-13. and swi3e gefagen anbidie para gehata;
'and very joyfully abide of the promises:'
5 . behofian 'to need'.
65.8-9. aelces licuman seagan behofa3 preora pinqa
on hym silfum to habbmne;
'The eyes of every body need three things to have for
themselves;'
6 . bepurfan 'to need'.
73.15-16. Ic bepearf peah micle maren to Sara manna
pearfa 3e ic bewitan sceal " ! ]
' However, I need much more for the wants of those men
that I must take care of . . .'
C .
This is not a clear indication of the genitive. The
other example of bepurfan with the genitive is equally un
clear: 47.5-6. "on mlcum treowo ic geseah hwsethwugu pses pe
ic set ham beporfte," 'In each tree I saw something of that
which I needed at home.' See Wiilfing (I, 26) for examples
from The Consolation of Philosophy and the Pastoral Care.
22
7. brucan 'to use, enjoy'.
72.15. ne hys ful ungemetlice ne bruce,
'nor enjoy it too immoderately,'
8. byddan 'to pray, entreat, ask for'.
70.7-8. Ac ic bidde gyt pass pe pe me aer gehet.
'But I still pray for that which you promised me
before.'
9. earnian 'to earn, merit'.
56.13. Ac seige nu hwaas pu earnodest,
'But say now what you merited,'
10. fagnian 'to rejoice'
72.14-15. ne fagnige ic hys na ful swi3e.
'nor would I rejoice about it very much.'
11. fandian 'to test, examine1.
72.6-7. ne gebelg pu pe wit me peah ic pe frasige and
9in fandige,
'Do not be angry with me although I question you and
examine you,'
12. forwyrnan 'to deny, deprive of'.
95.12-13. Ac gepenc paet pu hym forwyrndest aslcra
getesa 3a git begen on lichaman weron,
'But consider that you did withhold from him all the
comforts when you both were in the body,'
13. gedwselian 'to be in error'.
61.10. ne masg nan man pas gedweslian.
'no one can mistake that.'
23
14. gelyfan 'to believe' .
86.5-6. Ac ic pe wille secgan get peah hwas (ic) peer
fssstlice gelyfe,
'But I will yet say to you, however, what I firmly
believe,'
15. gemunan 'to remember'.
96.20-21. hy gemunan swiSe oft agSer ge 8as godes ge
pees yfeles pe hy on pisse weorulde hee(f)don,
'they will remember very often both the good and the
evil which they had in this world.'
16. geornan 'to yearn, desire'.
94.11-12. swa eer he hear swiSor swincS and swiSor
giornS wisdomes and rihtwisne (sse),
'as he works better here and yearns better for wisdom
and righteousness,'
17. qeswican 'to abandon, renounce'.
96.2. forSam hy nellaS heora yfeles geswican,
'because they do not wish to renounce their wicked
ness, '
18. hawian 'to look, look at'.
69.10-11. pset man spurige aefter gode and hys hawie
and hine geseo.
'that one should seek after God and gaze on Him and
see Him. '
19. lettan 'to hinder' .
74.26. ac hu Sonne gyf hi 3e myrraS and lettaS pas
24
7
(pe pu spurast?)
'But how then if they disturb you and hinder that which
you seek after?'
20. lystan 'to please'.
72 .21-22 . ne lyste pe faqeres wifes, and sceamfestes,
and wel geleredes, and gooSra peawa,
'Do you not desire a beautiful wife, and one who is
modest and well educated and of good manners,'
21. notian 'to use, enjoy'.
79.22-23. Ac nota psbs wisdomes pe pu habba,
'But enjoy.the wisdom which you have,'
22. nyttian 'to use, profit by'.
78.3. Sume beoS stareblinde and nyttiaS peah pare
sunnan.
'Some are totally blind and still profit by the sun.'
23. tilian 'to provide for'.
48.7-8. and his on gehwilce wisan to pere lanan tilian,
'and to provide for it in every way according to the
lease.'
24. purfan 'to need'.
55.28. forSam pu bet wast ponne ic wite hwas ic Serf.
^There are no other examples of lettan with the geni
tive in the Soliloquies. Wulfing shows lettan with an accu
sative object only (I, 230) . Carnicelli takes pas as the
genitive object of lettaS and adds pe pu spurast on the
basis of the Latin ab inquirendo and of pe pu spurast from
74.19. Textual corruption is evident in lines 26-27 on p.
74. See Carnicelli's note on these lines.
25
'for you know better than I what I need.'
25. unnan 'to grant'.
76.20-21. and peah ic hys uSe aalcum men minum willan,
'and yet I would grant it to each man of my will,'
26. wealdan 'to rule, control, govern'.
51.9-10. drihten, pu pe asalles middanqeardes wealst.
'Lord, You who govern all the earth.'
27. wenan 'to suppose, believe, expect'.
63.4. ne wene ic past aenig man si swa dysig pa3 (he)
pass wene.
'I do not believe that any man is so foolish as to
believe that.'
28. wilnian 'to wish, desire, ask for, entreat'.
70.23. Ic pe andette past ic nu ne wilnigie nanes Singes
swiSor.
'I confess to you that I now do not wish for anything
more. '
29. witan 'to know'.
84.18-19. a mare wisse ponne ic nu wot aealles pass pe
ic nu lange wilnode to witanne;
'will ever know more than I now know of all that which
I have long wished to know;'
30. wundrian 'to wonder, admire'.
57.9. ic wondrie Sin.
'I admire you,'
26
Prepositions governing the
genitive
The three prepositions that govern the genitive case
are anlang, wi3, and butan.
1. anlang 'along1 .
60.18-19. Wost 3u nu pat pu leornedest on pam ylcam
crefte be anre linan p(e) (w)as awritan anlang middes
pass poperes?
'Do you know that you learned the same science about
a line which was drawn along the middle of the ball?1
2. wi3 'towards'.
91.2. and hyt forSi fundige wi3 pass pe hyt aer were,
'and therefore it aspires towards that which it was
before.'
3. butan 'without, except'.
70.23-24. Ac ic ne der paet gehaten past me nanre wihte
asalles ne lasste buton pass
'But I dare not promise that I desire anything else
except that.'
Dative Functions
The dative case functions in the following ways :
®In reference to 63.2-3 ". . . pu wene past masge habban
eall pat 3et pu nu hafst butan pines hlafordes freond-
schype, " ' . . . you believe that you can have all that you
now have without your Lord's friendship," Carnicelli says:
"Since there are no other examples in Alfred's works of a
genitive object after butan, Wiilfing (II, 1043) dismisses MS
freondscypes here as a mere scribal error." Apparently
70.23-24 was overlooked by both Wiilfing and Carnicelli._____
27
1. Possessive dative.
70.24-25. forSam me is swiSe geheme (pset) , psaah me
hwset cume to mode . . .
'however, that is very common for me although something
comes into my mind . . .'
2. Instrumental dative.
70.1. pe we lichamlicum eagum onlocia3.
'which we look at with bodily eyes,'
3 . Adverbial dative.
85.5-6. Sam he hine miclum lufige, sam he hine lytlum
lufige,
'Whether he likes it very much or whether he likes it
very little,'
4. As the designation of the indirect object.
82.19-20. and he gyf eac mannum msanega and mislicum
gooda gifa on pissa wurlda,
'and He also gives to the men many and diverse good
gifts in this world,'
5. With the noun pane in an impersonal construction.
64.9-10. me. is swiSe mycel pane past pu me gehatst paS
pu swa swotole hit me getecan wille.
'I am very grateful that you promise me that you will
teach it to me very clearly.'
9
6. With certain verbs used reflexively.
9
The other reflexive verb with the dative is ondredan
'to be afraid of' . 60.22. "ne ondredest Su 3e^ nu Achape-
micos," 'Are you not afraid of the Academicians.' For
28
50.4. nat ic ponne nanwiht betere ponne pu 3e_ gebidde.
11 do not know anything better than that you should
pray.'
7. With certain adjectives . ^
63.9. hweSer hi sion Se pisum gelice Se ace?
'whether they are similar to these or whether they are
eternal?1
8. As the object of certain verbs.
89.19. swa ic cwseS and giet cwssSe peet ic Sam gelyfe,
'So I say and say again that I believe them,'
9. As the object of certain prepositions.
61.23-24. for Sam pingum is Searf past pu rihte hawie
mid modes aaagum to gode,
'It is necessary for these things that you look rightly
with the eyes of the mind to God,1
Adjectives governing the dative
The adjectives that govern the dative are cup, fremde,
geheme, gelic, leof, licworSe, neodbehafe, nytt, and ange
lic .
1. cup 'known, clear, familiar'.
57.1. nat ic nan pin(g) me swa cuS . . .
clearer examples of these reflexive verbs with the dative,
see Wiilfing, II, 16-17.
■^For a complete listing of the adjectives, verbs, and
prepositions governing the dative, see pp. 28-43 below.
29
'I do not know anything so well known to me . . . '
2. fremde 'unfriendly, unnatural, alien'.
52.8. . . . peat we ieo we(n)don past us_ fremde were,
'that we believed formerly what was alien to us, '
3. geheme 'customary, common1.
70.24-25. for3am me is swi3e geheme (past),
'However, that is very customary for me, '
4. gelic 'like, similar'.
63.9. hwe3er hi sion 3e pisum gelice 3e asce?
'whether they are similar to these or whether they are
eternal?'
5. leof 'pleasing'.
59.3. ac me waere leofre past ic hyt wiste;
'but it would be more pleasing for me that I knew itj'
6. licworSe 'acceptable, pleasing'.
56.2. . . . ic simle pone read arasdige 3e pje licworSe
si,
' . . . I always utter the counsel which is acceptable
to you,'
7. neodbehasfe 'necessary'.
68.8. 6reo pine sint neodbehasfe 3am eaqan elcere sawle.
'There are three things necessary for the eyes of each
soul. '
8. nytt 'useful'.
74.24-25. hi beo3 xne_ on sumum 3ingum nytte,
30
'They will be useful for me in some things, '
9. ungelic 'unlike'.
55.12., forpem heo is ungelic mallum goodum.
'for it is unlike all other good things.'
Verbs governing the dative
The fifty-six verbs governing the dative case are:^
astfasstan, agyfan, andswarian, andwyrdan, arian, asecgan,
astyran, bebeodan, becuman, befaastan, behatan, bringan,
byddan, cuman, cy9an, don, eowian, fetian, folgian, for-
gyfan, forgyldan, fultumian, gaderian, gearwian, gebyrian,
geda fenian, gehatan, ge less tan, gelyfan, gemylsian, geneale-
can, gereccan, getecean, helan, helpan, herian, lican,
nemnan, ondredan, onfon, onhagian, onlocian, reccan, scea-
wian, secgan, sellan, talian, treowan, truwian, peowian,
pincan, underpieddan, untynan, wealdan, wilnian, and wi5~
sprecan.
1. astfasstan 'to fasten to, fix, to impart to' .
61.17. siS3an pa eagan hyt astfasstnodon minum ingepance.
'after the eyes had fixed it in my mind.'
■'■■'"These verbs do not exclusively govern the dative.
Thus some of the examples show both dative and accusative
objects.
31
2. agyfan 'to give up, deliver*
55.1. ne agyf me naafre eft hym,
'Never again deliver me to them, '
3. andswarian 'to answer'.
95.4. ©a answarede he an (h)is agnum inqepancum and
cwseS:
"Then he answered his own mind only, and said:'
4 . andwyrdan 'to answer'.
79.13. ne Sing(3) me nu past pu me awiht gesceadlice
andwyrde.
'I do not think that you answered me with reason.1
5. arian 'to be merciful to, show favor to, to honor'.
96.1-2. Ac pa goodan nellaS heora yflum freo(n)dum
arian,
'But the good will not honor their evil friends,'
6. asecgan, 'to tell, say'.
95.17. peat he him asecge on hwilcum gewite ic eom,
'so that he may tell them what punishment I am in.'
7. astyran 'to govern, guide' .
53.10-11. be para anlicnesse pu astyrst and wildest
eBallum pis middangearde,
'By the image of these, you govern and rule all the
world,'
12
Both asyran and wealdan govern the dative.
32
8. bebeodan 'to command., entrust'.
49.13-14. is pin gemind swa mihtig peat hit mage eall
gehealden pat pu geSengst and hym bebeotst to healdenne?
'Is your mind so strong that it can hold all those things
that you consider and command it to hold?'
9. becuman 'to come, arrive, befall'.
83.4-5. gyf he peah gepafaS pat £e^ awiht wiSerweardes
becymS,
'However, if He permits any adversity to befall you,'
10. befastan 'to entrust, commit'.
49.7-8. pe wel cunne healdan pat pat 3u gestreone and
him befaste,
'who can well hold that which you get and commit to him, '
11. behatan 'to promise'.
69.13. pat pu me behete pat pu . . .
'that you promised me that you . . .'
12. bringan 'to bring, carry'.
55.2-3. nebbe ic £e^ nanwiht to bringende butan goodne
willan,
'I have nothing to bring to you except good will,'
13. byddan 'to pray, entreat, ask for'.
51.3. ©e_ ic bydde, drihten,
'I pray to you, Lord,'
14. cuman 'to come'.
63.22-23. . . . pe ic hys agyme and me_anig onbrerdnes
cym(3) . ._. _________________________________________________
33
' . . . when I consider him and any inspiration comes
to me . . . 1
15. cy8an 'to make known, tell'.
82.26. ponne cySe ic hyt 2®. sona.
'then I will tell it to you immediately.'
16. don 'to do, make, cause1.
52.16. . . . and simle us_ good dest,
'and always do good for us,1
17. eowian 'to show, reveal'.
76.2. ponne eowaS he hyt swiSe feawum mannum.
'then he will show it to very few men. '
18. fetian 'to obtain, fetch' .
47.8. fetige hym par ma,
'let him obtain there more, '
19. folqian 'to follow'.
62.30-31. me pincS betere past ic forlete pa gyfe and
folgyge pam qyfan,
'It seems to me better that I forsake the gifts and
follow the giver,'
20. forgyfan 'to give, forgive' .
83.22. buton hine god unc forgyfe.
'unless God give it to us.'
21. forgyldan 'to reward'.
64.9. god aslmihtig £je forgylde.
'Almighty God reward you.'______
34
22. fultumian 1 to help' .
92.7-9. forSam he gehet past he wolde fultumian eslcum
para pe to hym cleopode and rihtes wilnode;
'For he promised that He would help everyone of those
people who called to Him and wished rightly;'
23. qaderian 'to collect, gather'.
47.1. Gaderode me ponne kigclas and stupansceaftas,
'Then I gathered thick sticks and props for myself,'
24. gewarwian 'to prepare, bloom'.
52.25-26. and us_ asac gyrwast to pam mean lyfe .
'and prepare for us also for the eternal life.'
25. gebyrian 'to happen, belong to'.
79.17-18. pset ne maeg furSum pam asallra hales turn 69agum
gebyrrian . . .
'It cannot happen even to the strongest of all eyes . . .'
26. gedafenian 'to befit, behoove'.
70. 17-18. Se_gadafenaS to lerrenne and me to hlistenne,
'It behooves you to learn and me to listen,'
27. qehatan 'to promise, call'.
64.9-10. me is swiSe mycel pane peat pu me gehatst . . .
'I am truly thankful that you promised me ...'
28. ge lass tan 'to perform, do' .
69.16. Ic Se_ gelaste past ic pe gehet.
'I will do for you what I promised you.'
35
29. gelyfan 'to believe'.
89.19. swa ic cwm3 and giet cwesSe pest ic Sam gelyfe,
'So I say and say again that I believe them.'
30. gemylsian 'to show mercy'.
51.23. cum to me, and gemylsa me;
'come to me and have mercy on me j1
31. genealecan 'to draw near'.
80.22-23. gyf ic a genealece Sam leohte.
'if I ever draw near to the light.'
32. gereccan 'to explain, relate'.
90.14-15. me SincS nu SaS pu hyt me hasfdest genoh
swaetele gereaht be pisse anre bysena,
' It seems to me now that you had explained it to me
clearly enough by this one example,'
33. getecan 'to teach, show'.
50.17-18. To pam ic clypige, pe getaecd feawum wisum
mannum . . .
'To Him I call, who teaches to a few wise men . . .'
34. helan 'to conceal'.
82.22-23. ne hel hyt me,
'do not conceal it from me,'
35. helpan 'to help'.
95.26. and pa gooda helpaS Sam goodum,
'and the good help the good,'
36
36. herian 'to praise'.
81.1. gyf pu hym hsare .
'if you praise him.'
37. lican 'to please'.
47.12. Ac se pe me leerde, pam se wudu licode,
'But he who taught me and to whom the wood was pleasing.'
38. nemnan 'to name, mention' .
92.11. past pu meaht gehyran micle openlicor on pare
bee pe ic £e ser nemde,
'which you may hear about more clearly in the book
which I mentioned to you before,'
39. ondredan 'to fear, dread' .
95.8. Sa se yfela welega pe on helle tintregum (was)
ondreed hys freo (n)dum . . .
'when the evil rich man who in the torments of hell
was afraid for his friends . . .'
40. onfon 'to receive, grasp' .
76.3. Ac ic nat hu pu hym onfon mage mid geglofedum
handum.
'But I do not know how you can receive it with gloved
hands . '
41. onhagian 'be possible, be fitting'.
48.11. forgife me pmt me to asgSrum onhagige:
'grant me to be fit for each: '
42. onlocian 'to look at' .
64.13-14. Ic woS fol lytle Se gearor hwile seo sunne
37
is, peaht ic hyre elcas dasge onlocige.
'I know very little what the sun is, although I see it
each day.1
43. reccan 'to explain, tell, rule'.
60.13-14. forSam ic wolde nu past pu roe reahtest . . .
'Therefore, I would wish that you tell me ...'
44. sceawian 'to display, choose'.
49.8. sceawa hyne me.
'show him to me.'
45. secqan 'to say, tell'.
•56.18. ic £<2 secge sona:
'I say to you immediately:'
46. sellan 'to give'.
51.23. forpampe pu mycela gyfta us. sealdest,
'because you give to us many gifts,'
47 . talian 'to count'.
74.9. ne talige ic jpe. peah past to nanre scylde,
'Yet I do not count that to you for any protection,'
48. treowan 'to trust, believe'.
87.18-19. ic wat past 8u hefst Sone hlaford nu todaeg
8e pu treowast ast elcum pingum bet ponne pe siluum,
'I know that you have today the Lord whom you trust
in all things better than yourself,'
49. truwian 'to trust'.
59.5. me pinc9 nu past pu ne truwie 9am uttram gewitte,
38
'It seems to me now that you do not trust the external
senses,'
50. peowian 'to serve'.
54.25-26. genoh lange ic polede pa witu Se ic nu hwile
polode, and leng peowede pinum feo(n)dum Sonne ic
sceolde,
'I suffered long enough the torments which I have now
suffered and served your enemies longer than I should,'
51. pincan 'to seem, appear1.
83.21-22. Ac me pincS past se geleafa ne si on uncrum
onwealde .
'But it seems to me that faith is not in our power . . .'
52. underpieddan 'to subject, subjugate'.
53.8. ©e_ ys ebIc god sawl underpsed.
'Each good soul is subjected to You.'
53. untynan 'to open'.
55.2. Ac untin me pine dura,
'But open your door for me,'
54. wealdan 'to rule, control' .
53.10-11. be para anlicnesse pu astyrst and wildest
sea Hum pis middanqearde,
'By the image of these, You govern and rule all the
world,'
55. wilnian 'to wish, desire, ask for'.
50.4-5. Wilna 3e_ to gode,
'Will yourself to God,'
39
56. wiBsprecan 'to converse with'.
64.5-6. . . . ic eom seo ges(c)eadwisnes Sines modes,
pe 3e_ wiBsprecB,
'I am the judgment of your mind that speaks to you,'
Prepositions governing the
dative
The prepositions governing the dative case are after,
ser, at, baftam, be, betweon, benioSan, bufan, butan, for,
fram, gemanq, in, innan, mid, of, ofer, on, o3_, to, to-
eacan, and under.
1. after 'after, according to, concerning'.
73.5. hwi acsast pu ma after 5am?
'why do you ask me more about that?'
2. ffir 'before'.
94.20. ne pas pe ar us was, ne aac pas pe after us
gewyrB.
'nor of that which was before us, nor also of that
which shall come after us.'
3. at 'at, from, in'.
92.2. ponne by5 par forlytlu wynsumnes at pam lyfe.
'Then there is very little beauty in that life.'
13
The prepositions at, ofer, butan, for, mid, on, and
o3. are also used with the accusative case. See pp. 44-46
below.
40
4. baftam 'after'.
95.2-3. o53e hwe3er hy enige geminde hefde para
freonda pe hi be(a)ftan heom lefdon on pisse weorulde.
'or whether they had any remembrance of their friends
whom they left after them in this world.'
5. be 'be, about, concerning, according to'.
48.13. Augustinus, Cartaina bisceop, worhte two bee be
his agnum inqepance;
'Augustine, Bishop of Carthage, wrote two books concern
ing his own mindj'
6. betweon 'between'.
93.4-5. ne furSam peah per nan wolcne si betweon jj®.
and hyre.
'Even though there is no cloud between you and it.'
7. benio3an 'beneath, below'.
78.22. pe hym ponne benioSan by5,
'which is then beneath him, '
8. bufan 'above'.
78.22-23. ge eeac ofer pat land pe hym eer bufan was.
'and also over the land which was formerly above him.'
9. butan 'without, except, outside'.
50.15-16. to pam ic clypige, pe aalle gesceafta smicere
gewordte butan allcum andweorce.
'To Him I call, who made all creatures beautiful without
any substance.'
41
10. for 'for, because of, through'.
61.23-24. for Sam pingum is Searf past pu rihte hawie
mid modes aeagum to gode,
'It is necessary for these things that you look rightly
with the eyes of the mind to God,'
11. fram 'from'.
54.29. ic eom fleonde fram hym.
'for I am fleeing from them.'
12. gemang 'in the midst of, among'.
14
68.4. . . . pe paet scyp Ses modes healdaS on gemang
Sam brogan para ySa.
'. . . which sustain the ship of the mind in the midst
of the terror of the waves.'
13 . in_ ' in1 .
56.8-9. and gedo me wyrSne peat ic si wyniende in pinum
eadegan rice.
'and make me worthy that I may dwell in your blessed
kingdom.'
14. innan 'from within'.
49.5. ne paet nat, hwasSer hit waes innan me Se utan;
'nor do I know whether it was from within me or from
without;'
^Carnicelli in his glossary (p. 113) lists gemang as a
noun, and offers no explanation on p. 68 why Sam brogan is
in the dative. Wiilfing (II, 660-661) lists both gemong and
ongemong as prepositions governing the dative, and cites
68.4. as an example.
42
15. mid 'with, by'.
47.8-9. and gefeSrige hys wsanas mid fegrum gerdum,
'and load his wagons with fair branches,'
16. of_ 'of, from, concerning'.
55.19. wel alyse me of 8am gedwolan pe ic 08 pisum
dwealde,
'free me well from the errors which I wandered into
before this, '
17',. ofer 'over, above'.
49.9-10. forSam pu ne meaht ssgSer ge ealne weig ofor
pam sittan 3e pu gestryned hssfst and healdan,
'for you cannot both always remain and keep watch over
that which you have gained,'
18. on 'on, upon, into, in, to'.
47.5-6. on eslcum treowo ic geseah hwsethwugu pass pe
ic set ham beporfte.
'In each tree I saw something of that which I needed
at home.'
19. o3_ 'until, before'.
55.19. wel alyse me of Sam gedwolan pe ic 08 pisum
dewalde,
'free me well from the errors which I wandered into
before this,'
20. tco 'to, towards, for, from, according to'.
72.23-24. ne 3e ne unaamtige to 3inum wyllan?
'nor distract you from your will?'
43
21. to-eacan 'in addition to'.
62.5. gesceadwisness* to-eeacan oSrum creftum.
'Reason, in addition to other skills.' < ?
22. under 'under'.
77.19. 78.1-2 . swa swa sealle men lybbaS under anre
sunnan . . .
'just as all men live under one sun . . .'
Accusative Functions
The accusative case functions in the following ways:
1. Direct object.
87.18. ic wat pest Su hefst 5one hlaford nu todssg . . .
' I know that you have the Lord today . . . '
2. Adverbial accusative.
89.23-25. and ic beo ealne weig micle gefegenra ponne
Su me myd pillicum ofasrstaelest ponne ic esfre werse ponne
ic oSerne man ofersteelde.
'and I shall always be much more happy when you convince
me of such things than I ever was when I convinced an
other man. '
3. As the object of reflexive verbs.
72.9 ne gebelge ic me. nawiht wiS pe,
'I am not angry with you at all,'
4. As the object of certain prepositions.
61.8-9. hweSer pu eac wite ymbe pone poper pe seo lyne
on awriten is.
44
'whether you also know about the ball which the line
is drawn on.'
Accusative with reflexive verbs
The accusative is used with the following reflexive
verbs: beseon. forSencan, gebelqan, and gerestan.
1. beseon 1 to look1.
54.20. and getsac me pider ic me^ beseon sceolde to pe,
'and teach me whether I should look to you,'
2. forSencan 'to despair, despise'.
52.3-4. peat we us_ ne forpohton on nanum geswince ne
on nanum ungelimpe.
'that we would not despair in any work nor in any mis
fortune .'
3. gebelqan 'to become angry'.
72.9. ne gebelge ic me nawiht wi3 pe,
'I am not angry with you at all,'
4. gerestan 'to rest, remain'.
48.6-7. paat he hine mote hwilum par-on gerestan,
'that he may at times rest therein,'
Prepositions governing the
accusative
The prepositions that appear with the accusative case
are sat, butan. for. mid, ofer, ongean. on, o5, purh, wi3,
and ymbe.
1. sat 'at, from, in' .
45
47.5-6. . . . ic qeseah hwaethwuqu peas pe ic eat ham
beporfte.
' . . . I saw something which I needed at home. '
2. butan 'without, except, outside of'.
55.2-3. nebbe ic pe nanwiht to brinqende butan qoodne
willan,
'I have nothing to bring to you except good will,'
3. for 'for, because of, through'.
53.19. Ac cumaS oSre for hy,
'But others come for them, '
4 . mid ' with, by ' .
92 .22 . 93 .1. ac peat mod is mid pa lichaman qehefeqod
and abysgod,
'But the mind is weighed down and occupied with the body, '
5. ofer 'over, above'.
54.7-8. nys naht of or hyne.
'There is nothing above Him.'
6 . onqean 'towards, against'.
78.13-14. aarSam he onqean pa sunnan locie.
'before he looks towards the sun.'
7. on 'on, upon, into, in, to'.
70.13-14. Ic hvt ne rehte qyt pe on pa wisan pe pu hvt
mihtest afandod witan;
' I did not explain it yet to you in such a way that you
could know it by experience; '
46
8. o3_ 'until, before'.
48.8-9. o3 pone fyrst pe he bocland and ace yrfe purh
his hlafordes miltse geearnige.
'until the time when he shall gain the land and the
eternal inheritance through his Lord's mercy.'
9. purh 'through, by means of'.
50.5-6. paet 3u mage purh 5a hele begitan past peat pu
wilnast;
'that you may obtain through salvation what you wish;'
10. wi5 'against, with, by, from'.
71.2. . . . peat ic me scyle gedealan wi3 mine freond,
'. . . that I must separate myself from my friend,'
11. ymbe 'about, concerning'.
61.8-9. hweSer pu eac wite ymbe pone poper pe seo lyne
on awriten is.
'whether you also know about the ball which the line is
drawn on.'
CHAPTER III
NOMINALS
This chapter presents some nominal constructions and
the various structures of modification with the nominal as
the head word.
Functions of the Nominal
1. Subject.
62.1-2. peah past scyp si ute on Saare sea on pam ydum
hyt byS gesund (and) untoslegen, gef se streng apolaS;
'though the ship be out in the sea on the waves, it
will be strong and unbroken if the cable will hold;1
2. Direct object.
90.17. sec nu on Se selfum 8a bysena and pa tacnu.
'Seek now in yourself the examples and the signs.'
3. Indirect object.
82.17. engelum he gef be heora andefne,
'He gives to the angels according to their capacity,'
47
48
4. Subjective complement.
70.13. nis peat nan wundor.
'that is no wonder.1
5. Objective complement.
56.8. and, god, gedo me lufiende and onfondne pines
wisdomes ;
'and God, make me a lover and perceiver of your wisdom;1
6. Appos ition.
88.1-2. hu pincS pe nu gyf se pin hlaford Se hwilc spel
segS para Se pu nefre ear ne geherdest,
'How does it seem to you now if He, your Lord, should
tell you some story which you never heard before,'
7. Object of preposition.
75.12. "Of twam Singum we sint peat we sint, paet ys, of
saule and of lichaman;"
'"Of two things we are what we are, that is, of soul and
of body;"'
Structures of Modification
Equality and subordination are the basic relationships
found within the noun phrase.^
Equality
Equality is shown by both apposition and coordination.
■^For this classification I follow William H. Brown, Jr.,
A Syntax of King Alfred's Pastoral Care (The Hague: Mouton,
1970), pp. 38-50.
49
Nine structures of apposition occur with personal names as
the head:
48.13. Augustinus, Cartaina bisceop, worhte twa bee be
his agnum ingepance;
'Augustine, Bishop of Carthage, wrote two books concern
ing his own mind;'
88.12. . . . Honorius, Peodosius sunu,
1 . . . Honorius, the son of Theodosius, 1
88.13. . . . Crist, qodes sunu.
' . . . Christ, the Son of God.'
95.10. . . . past he bede Abraham past he sende Ladzarus,
8one pearfan, to hum,
'. . . that he entreated Abraham to send Lazarus, the
beggar, to him,'
Two structures have a demonstrative pronoun as head:
88.1. hu pincS pe nu gyf se pin hlaford . . .
'How does it seem to you now if He, your Lord . . .'
88.27. past pas pine wurldhlafordes . . .
'that these, your vTorldly lords . . .’
One structure has a personal pronoun as head:
55.24. Bu, se aldsta feder,
'You, The most ancient Father, '
One appositional structure does not agree in case because a
preposition governs the head word in the preceding clause:
50.4-5. Wilna Se to gode, haalend modes and lichaman,
'Will yourself to God, Savior of the mind and body,'
50
The structures of coordination occur either as head or as
modifier:
67.4-5. Seat he hebbe festne geleafan and rihte tohopan
and fulle lufe.
'that He may have an abiding faith and a just hope, and
a full love,1
90.17. sec nu on Se selfum 5a bysena and pa tacnu.
'Seek now in yourself the examples and the proofs,'
74.14. Ic hi lufige for freondscype and for gefersedenne,
'I love them for friendship and for companionship,'
50.27 . forpam pu eart feader soSfestnesse, and wisdomes ,
'because You are the Father of Truth and Wisdom,'
88.19-20. pe byS kyng ealra kcynga and ealra gesceafta
scypend and wealdend.
'who is the King of all Kings and the Creator and Ruler
of all creatures .'
91.25. . . . eefter pass lichaman gedale and pare sawle
'. . . after the parting of the body and of the soul . . . '
Subordination
The nominal modifier can be adjectival, genitive, ad
verbial, or phrasal. The adjectival modifier agrees in
case, gender, and number with the head word. It may be:
1. Demonstrative: 54.25. "|>a_ witu" 'the torments'.
2. Numeral: 67.6-7. "betweona twam pincgum" 'between
two things'.
51
3. Adjective: 47.10. "fegerne tun" 'fair town'.
4. Past participle: 60.16-17. "on aege atefred" 'on
a painted egg' .
5. Present participle: 54.22. "wyrcende drihten"
'working Lord'.
6. Proper noun: 97.17. "Alfred Kining" 'King Alfred'.
7. Indefinite pronoun: 48.7-8. "on gehwilce wisan"
'in every manner1.
8. Intensive pronoun: 76.27. "wisdom selfne" 'wisdom
itself' .
The demonstrative, the adjective, and the numeral are the
most frequent nominal modifiers, while the noun, indefinite
pronoun, and present participle are the most infrequent.
The genitive modifier, which is independent of case,
gender, and number, may be:^
1. Noun: 72.27-28. "for bearna gestreone" 'for the
rearing of children'.
2. Pronoun: 49.21. "to pinum crefte" 'for your
skill' .
3. Demonstrative: 60.23-24. "pass nanwiht" 'anything
Possessive pronouns, along with the uninflected forms
of his, hiere, and hiera. are considered here as genitive
modifiers. See Brown, p. 39, n. 2 . ____________________
52
of that1.
4. Adiective: 83.5. "awiht wiSerweardes" 'anything
that is hostile'.
The possessive pronoun is the most common nominal modifier
and the adjective the least common. A genitive phrase can
also function as a nominal modifier:
47.2. alcum para tola 'each of the tools'.
67.12-13. para preo pinqa ealra 'all of the
things'.
three
The adverbial modifier occurs twice in the text. It
always occurs with the adverb peer.
78.26. pa sprece par 'the conversation there
1
•
92.1. pat lyf par 'the life there'.
Phrasal modification consists of relative clauses and
prepositional and adverbial phrases:
47.14 . ecan hame 5e he us qehaten
'the eternal home which He promised us'
85.4-5. ale man on pisse wurlde
'every man in this world'
97.16. acan lyfe par us nanwiht ne by3 dyqles
'the eternal life where nothing is hidden from us . '
The relative clause modifier occurs 173 times in the text
and is by far the most common phrasal modifier. The
53
prepositional phrase modifier occurs ten times and the ad
verbial phrase occurs six times.
The Order of the Modifiers
&djectivals
The noun, the demonstrative, and the indefinite pronoun
always precede the headj the adjective modifier generally
3
precedes, unless it is self, in which case it always fol
lows :
51.4. 3u pe aaart se hehstan wysdon,
'You who are the highest wisdom,'
51.5-6. pu pe aaart riht lif,
'You who are the true life,1
54.6-7. and panan ys gegyered and forlasten aelc good to
us para pe we habbat.
'and from there is prepared and granted to us every good
of those which we have.'
68.7-8. ponne wot he gewiss smelte wedere towaaard.
'then he knows..for sure that calm weather is coming.'
76.26-27. gyf pu Sone wisdom selfne geseon wilt swa
ba9rne,
'if you wish to behold wisdom itself thus bare,'
3
In addition to the adjective self, I am including
words such as an and bam when they function as intensifiers;
e.g., 54.17. "forpam pu ana ..." 'for You alone' or 70.
17. "oSSe on unc bam" 'or in us both'.
54
76.31. 77.1. ponne se Se ealra scearpost locian (maeg)
ne mseg peah pa sunnan selfe geseon swilce swilce heo ys,
'even he who can look the sharpest of all cannot see the
sun itself just as it is,'
89.2-3. pe weron Cristes selfes Segnas?
'who were the servants of Christ Himself?'
89.3-4. OSSe pam witgum, pe god self Surht spec to hys
folce past past he wolde?
'Or the Prophets, through whom God Himself spoke to His
people what He wished?'
When an adjectival other than self follows the head, the
nominal phrase, in most cases, contains more than one modi
fier :
48.19. 49.1. hwasper hys mod and hys sawel deadlic
were and gewitendlice,
'whether his mind and his soul were mortal and perish
able, '
49.20. and fasawa cuSe men and crefticre mid pe,
'and a few known and skillful men with you,'
55.8. gyt gyf Se purht oSerne creft hwilcne findan . . .
'yet if they find through you some other skill . . .'
70.3-4. . . . pa ecan sunnan and aslmyhtian . . .
'. . . the eternal and almighty sun . . .'
95.5. pe habbaS fulne freodom and eall . . .
'who have full and complete freedom . . .'
In nine examples the adjective follows the head without
additional adjectival or genitive modifiers. Six of these
are predicative adjuncts:
55
49.8-9. gyf pu ponne nane swa geradne nsebbe,
'but if you then have none so skillful,1
55.4. ne ic nanwiht betere nat . . .
'I do not know anything better . . .'
55.24-25. pat pu hine gehealde halne.
1 so that you may keep it whole. 1
55.26-27. ne peat nat hu lange 5u hyne wil haealne
gehealdan.
'Nor do I know how long you will keep it whole. '
56.6. and gedo me unmodigne.
'and make me humble.'
89.16-17. Hwy ne myhte pu Sonne pam aaallum gelyfan,
'Why can you not then believe them all, '
In one example there is an objective complement:
47.5. gif ic hyne ealne aberan meihtej
'even if I could carry it allj'
Of the other two examples, one is a numeral modifying an
other numeral, and one is a fixed phrase:
82.16-17. and oSre manega . . .
'and many others . . .'
^Visser distinguishes between objective complements and
predicative adjuncts. In the former, the adjective or noun
does not affect the meaning of the verb, whereas in the
latter, the adjective or noun is not merely a qualification
of the object, but becomes an adjunct affecting the meaning
of the verb. See I, 550-586. _____________________
56
64.9. god salmihtig pe f orgylde.
'May Almighty God reward you. 1
Adjectival and genitive
modifiers
Phrases with both adjectivals and possessive pronouns
precede the head:
48.13. . . .be his agnum ingepance;
'. . . concerning his own mind;1
54.28-29 . Ac onfon me nu, pinne agene peawa,
'But receive me now, your own servant,'
57.13. . . . and mine agene saule;
'. . . and my own soul;'
69.24. he byt simle scynunde of hys agnum leohte . . .
'He is always shining from his own light . . .'
83.1-2. and ne wilna na to swiSe pines agnes willan
ofer hys.
'and do not seek too much of your own will over his.'
90.19-2 0. Acsa Sin agen mod for hwi hyt swa willen si
and swa geornful to witanne psatte ear webs,
'Ask your own mind why it is so willing and so eager to
know what was formerly,'
The possessive pronoun and adjectival occur twenty-three
times in the text. In five examples the adjectival is not
agen:
73.17-18. . . .pin ealde gytsung and seo gemsehS . . .
'. . . your old desire and ambition . . .'
57
85.2. . . . 9in hehste good . . .
1 . . . your highest good . . . '
95.11. . . . myd hys lytlan fingre . . .
' . . . with his little finger . . . 1
95.16. onsend hyne to minum V bro9rum . . .
'send him to my five brothers . . .'
96.1-2. Ac pa goodan nellaS heora yflum freo(n)dum
arian,
'But the good will not honor their evil friends,'
Nominal phrases whose genitive modifiers are not possessive
pronouns have two different patterns: (1) adjectival + head
+ genitive and (2) adjectival + genitive + head.
1. Adjectival + head + genitive.
54.2. hy habbaS peah sumne daal gestaspinesse,
'they have yet a certain share of stability,'
71.23-24. . . . aallce qedrefednesse, asq5er qe modes ge
lichaman,
'. . . any trouble, either of the mind or of the body,'
71.27-28. past ic nawer eorSan nat hwilcne daal haale ic
haabbe,
'so that I by no means know what portion of health I
have,'
82.15-16. pam he sealde sumne daal ecra gyfa,
'to whom he gave a certain portion of eternal gifts,'
The most frequent adjectival in this pattern is the demon
strative, which occurs thirty-four times:
58
51.1. . • .of pam slepe ure synna,
'. . . from the sleep of our sins,'
53.12-13. . . . purh pest gewrixle para feower tyda,
1. . . through the alternation of the four seasons,1
54 .6 . . . . se aewilm salces erodes,
1. . . the source of every good,'
55.10-11. and iac on me pone toopan pass sacan lyfes,
'and increase in me the hope of eternal life,'
57.25-26. pa ic hatige forpipe hi pat god pare
gescea(d)wisnesse wendaS on yfel.
'I hate those because they turn the good of reason into
evil,'
68.3-4. Sat sint pa preo anceras pe pat scyp Ses modes
healdaS . . .
"These are the three anchors which sustain the ship of
the mind . . .'
2. Adjectival + genitive + head.
75.17-18. . . . pat alcum men ys se aalra betsta
cr(e)ft . . .
' . . . that it is to every man the best of all virtues
I
91.13-14. and gelyf eallum hys halgum.
'and believe all of his saints,'
90.4-5. ne furSum pa ealra unweorSlicostan;
'nor even the most unworthy of all;'
93.17. pa ealra wissestan . . .
'the wisest of all . . .'
In one example the genitive precedes the adjective:
59
86.22. Ic hys haabbe goodne dssl gehyred,
'I have heard a good deal of it,1
In one example, adjectival + genitive + head and adjectival
+ head + genitive are both used:
90.2-3. . . . hyt is seo ealra hehsta and seo seleste
godes gesceafta;
1. . . it is the highest of all and the most blessed of
the creatures of Godj1
Genitive modifiers
Nominals may be modified by a single genitive that may
be a noun, adjective, pronoun, or demonstrative. Twenty-
eight phrases have a head and a genitive noun. In twenty-
six examples the genitive precedes:
52 .23 . . . . manna sawla naebben nan edlean . . .
'. . . the souls of men have no reward . . .'
62.4. hweet is paet 3aet pu hest modes eagan?
'What is that which you call the eyes of the mind?'
72.27. peah hwa cweeSe past hyt si betere to habbenne
for bearna gestreone.
'though some one said that it is better to have for
the rearing of children.'
77.5. GeSenc nu hweSer awiht mani mann cynges ham
sece . . .
'Consider now whether any man seeks the king's home . . .'
86.6-7. ne getweoge ic nawuht be godes aacnesse . . .
'I did not doubt anything about the eternity of God . . .'
60
In two examples, where the noun is a partitive genitive, the
modifier follows the head:
63.23-24. ponne ne lufige ic nanwiht pisses andweardan
lyfes ofer pset,
'then I do not prefer anything of this present life to
that,'
69.2-3. We witon past nam man mag n a w y h t qoodes wyrcan
buton hym god myd wyrce;
'We know that no man can perform any good work unless
God works with him; '
The genitive adjective occurs five times and always
follows the head. All are partitive genitives.
50.19. Drihten, pu pe eall medemu geworhtest and naht
unmedemes,
'Lord, You who made all things perfect, and nothing
imperfect,'
52.9. Du pe us lardest pat we nawt unalyfdes dydon,
'You who taught us that we do nothing unlawful,'
57.9-10. hwi pu secge pat pu gode nawiht gelices nyte,
'why do you say that you do not know anything which is
similar to God,'
83.4-5. gyf he peah gepafa3 pat pe awiht wiSerweardes
becym3,
'if, however, he permits anything which is hostile to
come to you,1
The possessive pronoun, which always precedes the head,
occurs 153 times:
47.8-9. and gefeSrige hys wanas . . .
'and load his wagons . . .' __________________ _____
61
50.26. . . . pe geclaansode beo3 on heora mode.
' . . . who are pure in their minds .'
51.21. Ure toopa us ahefS to pe.
'Our hope lifts us to You.'
54.11. forpam pu eart min god, and min drihten, and
min feder,
'for You are my God, and my Lord, and my Father,'
54.16. under pinum anwealde ic wilnie to wunienne,
'under Your Rule I wish to live,'
83.21-22. Ac me pinc3 past se geleafa ne si on uncrum
onwealde pe ma pe peet pe wit paer seca3,
'But I think that faith is not in our power, any more
than that which we seek there, '
The partitive genitive pronoun occurs twenty-one times and
always precedes the head:
50.21-22. . . . peat heora nan ne mseg o3erne mid aelle
fordon;
'. . . that none of them can entirely destroy the other;'
59.7. 5a3 pu 3urh Sara aanig swa sweotole ongytan maage
past peat pu woldest,
'that you through any of these may understand so clearly
that which you wished,'
76.22-23. for3am ic wot paat ure lufede sale o3erne . . .
'for I know that each of us would love the other . . . '
85.12-13. o33e hweSer heora enig aace weraa;
'or whether any of them were eternal;'
95.26. 96.1. and pa gooda helpa3 3am goodum, and heora
aalc o3rum be 3am daale pe hy magon.
'And the good help the good, and each of them helps
62
another to the extent that they can.1
The demonstrative genitive occurs nineteen times and
follows the head in fourteen examples:
50.1. ic nebbe nan para,
'I do not have any of these,'
51.14. Forpampe aalc para afealS pe pe flygS,
'For everyone falls who flees from You,1
61.10. gea, aegSer para ic wot;
'Yes, I know both of them; '
75.2. An para vs hefig sar;
'One of those is heavy sorrow; '
In five examples the demonstrative precedes the head:
53.10-11. be para anlicnesse . . .
'Regarding the image of these . . . '
57.13. and ic nat peah hwil(c) Sara aSer ys.
'and I do not know, however, what either of them is.'
59.7. . . . Surh Sara aanig . . .
'through any of those . . . '
60.23-24. nu pu segst past Se pass nanwith ne tweonige?
'now you say that you do not doubt anything of that?'
In one example the demonstrative is split from the head
word:
53.14. para wrixlaS aalc wyS oSSer . . .
'Each of those changes with the other . . .'
63
Two genitive modifiers
NominaIs may be modified by two genitives that may con
sist of demonstrative + noun; adjective + noun; pronoun +
noun; pronoun + adjective; and two coordinate nouns.
The demonstrative + noun precedes the head thirty-one
times in the forty-three examples. All thirty-one examples
are nonpartitive nouns:
58.20. . . . pes monan feereld . . .
1. . . the motion of the moon . . . 1
61.8. . . . ymbe pises rodores hwyrft,
'. . . about the revolution of the heavens,'
60.17-18. . . . pu meahtest beo pasre tefrunge ongytan
pises roSores ymbehwirft and para tungla fasreld.
'. . . you might by the painting understand the motion
of the heavens and the course of the stars.1
64.8. . . . myd Sass licuman aeagan . . .
'. . . with the eyes of the body . . .'
67.1. pare saule hawung is gescadwisnes and smeaung.
'The vision of the soul is reason and contemplation.'
One of the thirty-one examples has coordinate heads:
68.2. . . . for pass licuman hefenesse and gedrefed-
nesse,
1. . . for the sorrow and tribulation of the body,1
In twelve examples the modifiers follow the head:
50.29. 51.1. 3u pe asrt feder pass suna pe us awehte . . .
'You who are the Father of the Son who awakens us ...'
64
68.4. . . . pest scyp 9es modes . . .
1 . . . the ship of the mind . . .'
86.20. . . .be undeadlycnesse pasre sawle?
1 . . . regarding the immortality of the soul?'
One of the twelve examples has a coordinate head:
68.5-6. . . .pa ungelimp and pa ungesselpa pisse
wurlde . . .
1 . . . the misfortunes and unhappiness of this world . . . '
Of the twelve examples of this pattern, eight have partitive
nouns :
54.9. and asalc para manna . . .
'and each of the men . . . 1
73.10. ne lyst me nawiht Sara metta . . .
'None of the food pleases me . . .'
75.20-21. Hu ne wost 3u nu pest aslc para manna pe oSerne
swiSe lufaS,
'Do you not know that each of the men who loves another
very much,'
76.18. Mlc para 9inga pe ic swiSost lufige,
'Each of the things that I love the most,'
The variation appears to be between (demonstrative + noun)+
head, and head + (demonstrative + noun), since the partitive
genitive may be considered as a comparatively fixed struc
ture of modification.
The adjective + noun modifying the head occurs eighteen
times. The modifiers precede the head fifteen times:
65
53.5-6. ForSam pe nanes godes nis wana,
'for to you there is no want of any goodness, 1
65.8-9. alces licuman aagan behofaS preora pinga on
hym silfum to habbanej
1 It behooves the eyes of every human body to have three
things;'
87.4. . . . be unleasra manna ssegena.
1. . . from the sayings of unreliable men.'
95.19. hi habbaS haligra fedra bee . . .
'they have the books of the Holy Fathers . . .'
In two examples the pattern is head + (adjective + noun),
and in both cases the adjective is eall- :
50.10. pu 3e eart scypend ealra gesceafta,
'You who are the Creator of all creatures,'
69.9-10. 3e is creft ealra crefta,
'for you is the science of all sciences,'
One example with coordinate heads has both patterns:
88.19-20. pe by5 kyng ealra kcynga and ealra gesceafta
scypend and wealend.
'who is the King of all Kings and the Creator and Ruler
of all Creatures.'
The possessive pronoun + noun modifying the head occurs
twenty-seven times . In twenty-four examples the modifica
tion precedes the head:
48.5-6. . . .on his hlafordes lane . . .
'. . .in his Lord's lease . . .'
66
69.14-15. . . . pmt ic mihte god geseon myd mynes modes
magan swa sweotele swa ic nu geseo pa sunnan myd mines
lichaman Began.
'. . . that I might see God with the eyes of my mind as
clearly as I now see the sun with the eyes of my body.'
71.7. Sinra freonda lyf,
'the life of your friends,'
86.17. . . .be ure sawle life . . .
'. . . regarding the life of our soul . . .'
Two examples have coordinate heads:
62.22-23. . . . Sines hlafordes mrendgewrit and hys
insegel . . .
' el letter and its seal from your lord . . . '
73.14-15. . . . mynes lichaman hele and strengSe . . .
'. . . the health and strength of my body . . .'
In three cases the pattern is head + (possessive pronoun +
noun). Two examples have partitive genitives:
58.1. . . . ic lufige aelcne minra freonda,
'. . . I love all of my friends,'
85.15. malle myne giornesse . . .
'All of my desires . . .'
Dne of the three in this pattern is an objective complement:
56.8. and, gedo me lufiende and onfondne pines wisdomes;
'and God, make me a lover and perceiver of your wisdom;'
The patterns (adjective + noun) + head and (possessive pro
noun + noun) + head are the prevailing structures. When
67
the pattern is head + modification, it is either a partitive
genitive or a structure with an objective complement.
The possessive pronoun + adjective + head occurs three
times:
47.16-17. . . . for heora ealra earnunqe,
' . . . for the merits of them all,'
63.18. (Se) hlaford is incer beiqra wealdend,
'The Lord is the Ruler of you both,1
93.27. pat heom pince heora silfra wite . . .
'it seems to them their own torments . . .'
Head and two coordinate nouns. Two examples. In one
example the coordinate nouns follow the head:
50.5. halend modes and lichaman,
'the Savior of the mind and body,'
In one example the modifiers are split:
89.13. . . . ymbe Honorius seqene and hys peqna.
'. . . regarding the saying of Honorius and his servants.'
Three qenitive modifiers
Of the six examples, two have a structure of modifica
tion consisting of (demonstrative + adjectival + noun) +
head:
60.20. . . . para twelf tunqla stede . . .
' . . . the position of the twelve stars . . .'
68
67.12-13. . . . para preo pinga ealra . . .
' . . . all of the three things . . .'
Two examples have head + partitive genitives:
63.23-24. ponne ne lufige ic nanwiht pisses andweardan
lyfes . . .
'then I do not prefer anything of this present life . . .'
84.32. . . . ic ongyte aac hwilce para preora pinga . . .
1 . . . I know also which of the three things . . . 1
One example has the pattern (indefinite pronoun + adjectival
+ noun) + head:
76.11. . . . for hwilces o3res pinges 3ingum,
1. . . for one thing for the sake of the other things,'
One example has the pattern (demonstrative + noun + noun) +
head:
79.17. . . . para sunnan leohtes pone dal . . .
1. . . the part of the sun's light . . .'
Multiple genitive modifiers
One structure has multiple genitive modifiers following
the head word:
50.27-29. forpam pu eart fader soSfestness, and wis-
domes, and sopes lyfes, and pas hehstan lyfes, and para
hehstan gesalpe and pas hehstan goodes, and para hehstan
beorhtnesse, and pas anqitlican leohtes:
'because You are the Father of Truth and Wisdom, and of
the True and Highest Life, and of the Highest Blessedness,
and of the Highest Good, and of the Highest Brightness,
and of the Intelligible Light;'
69
Adverbial Modification
Adverbial modification, which consists of the adverb
par, occurs twice and follows the nominal head:
78.26. ne pu pa sprece peer ne forletse.
'nor leave off the conversation there.'
92.1. Ne wene ic na pset peet lyf peer beo butan gewitte,
'I do not believe that the life there shall be without
reason,'
Phrasal Modification
Phrasal modification consists of relative clauses and
adverbial phrases .
The relative clause is the most frequent modifier,
occurring 173 times and always following the head:
47.14. ge eac on pam ecan hame 5e he us gehaten . . .
'and also in the eternal home which He promised us . . . '
78.24. . . . sefter Bam ylcan pe wit ssr spureden.
'. . . after the same things which we sought before. '
78.22-23. . . . ofer past land pe hym asr bufan was.
'. . . over the land which was above him before.'
79.4. . . . be Bam wisdome pe 3u wilnast;
'. . . regarding the wisdom which you desire;'
55.19. wel alyse me of 3am gedwalan pe ic on oB pisum
dwealde,
'release me from the errors which I wandered into before
this,'
70
The relative clause can also modify personal pronouns. In
the 173 examples this occurs thirty-three times:
51.8-9. ©u pe eeart past andgitlice leoht,
'You who are the intelligible light,1
51.19-20. Se se pe lufaS, se pe ssecS; se se pe fyliS,
se pe hesfS .
'He who loves you, he will seek you; He who follows you,
he will have you;'
51.22-23. ©u pe asart forgyfende, cum to me, and gemylsa
me;
'You who are forgiving, come to me and have mercy on me;'
In fourteen of the 173 examples, the relative clause modi
fies both a head and a genitive modifier:
47.7. . . . aelcne Sara pe maga si . . .
' . . . each of those who is able . . .'
55.16-17. nis nan para Se pe rihte sehS . . .
'There is no one who rightly seeks you . . .'
58.1-2. and aelcne para pe ic ma lufige ponne oSerne.
'and each of those whom I love more than the other,'
In sixteen of the 173 examples, the relative clause modi
fies a demonstrative pronoun:
50.15-16. to pam ic clypige, pe asalle gesceafta smicere
gewordte butan aellcum andweorce.
'I call to Him, who made all creatures beautiful without
any matter.'
87.8. . . .be Sam pe 3u esr acsodest,
' . . . about that which you asked about before,'
71
97.4. . . . ponne pa waron pe past sedon past wit pear
ymb sint.
' . . . than those were who said what we are seeking.' , .
94.20. ne paas pe ar us waas,
'neither of that which was before us, '
Adverbial phrases modifying nouns occur sixteen times
and always follow the head. Ten of these are prepositional
phrases :
47.13. . . . ic softor eardian (mage) agSer ge on pisum
laanan stoclife be pis wage . . .
' . . . I may dwell more comfortably both in this tempo
rary cottage by the road . . . '
62.17. . . . pu heaafst para lusta on wurlde forlaaten.
'. . . you have renounced the lusts in the world.'
65.8. . . . aalcum manniscum mode on pam stale . . .
' . . .to any human mind in that place . . . '
85.4-5. . . . aelc man on pisse wurlde . . .
'. . . each man in this world . . .'
47.7-8. paat he menige to pam ilcan wuda par ic 5as
stuSansceaftas cearf,
'that he may proceed to the same wood where I cut the
posts, '
80.20. sume dale naar pam l(e)ohte Sas andgyttes . . .
'some place nearer the light of reason . . . '
97.16. . . . mote cuman to Sam mean lyfe par us nan-
wiht ne byS dygles.
' . . . might come to the eternal life where nothing is
hidden from us.'
72
Summary
Adjectival modifiers generally precede the head. The
adjectival modifiers follow the head in five different
cases: (1) the adjective self, (2) predicative adjuncts/
object complement, (3) a numeral adjective modifying another
numeral, (4) one fixed phrase, and (5) nominals containing
more than one adjectival or genitive modifier.
In phrases containing both adjectival and genitive
modifiers, the adjectival generally precedes the head and
the genitive generally follows. If the phrase contains a
possessive pronoun and an adjective, however, both modifiers
precede the head. If the nominal contains an adjectival and
a pronoun that is not a possessive, there are two general
patterns: (1) adjectival + head + genitive and (2) adjec
tival + genitive + head.
The single genitive noun modifier always precedes the
head as well as the possessive pronoun. The genitive ad
jective modifier follows the head, and the demonstrative
modifier usually follows the head; it precedes it in only
five of nineteen examples.
In nominal phrases with two genitive modifiers, the
demonstrative + noun precedes the head in thirty-one of
forty-three examples. When the modifier is adjectival +
73
noun it precedes the head fifteen times in eighteen exam
ples . When the modifier is possessive pronoun + noun, in
twenty-four examples out of twenty-seven the modifier pre
cedes . When the modifier is possessive pronoun + adjec
tival, it always precedes the head.
In phrases with three genitive modifiers, the pattern
demonstrative + adjectival + noun precedes the head twice.
Two examples have head + (demonstrative + adjectival +
noun). In the patterns indefinite pronoun + adjectival +
noun and demonstrative + noun + noun, both precede the head.
The adverb pasr follows the head in two examples.
In phrasal modification, the relative clause and the
adverbial phrase all follow the head.
In conclusion, we can schematize the structure of the
noun phrase in the following simplified formula:
1. Adjectival modifier
a. adjective + head
2. Adjectival + genitive modifier
a. possessive pronoun + adjectival + head
b. adjectival + head + genitive
c. adjectival + genitive + head
3. Genitive modifiers
a . noun + head
b. adjectival + head
74
c. possessive pronoun + head
d. head + demonstrative
4. Two genitives
a. demonstrative + noun + head
b. adjective + noun + head
c. possessive pronoun + noun + head
d. possessive pronoun + adjective + head
e . head + coordinate nouns
5 . Three genitive modifiers
a. demonstrative + adjectival + noun + head
b. indefinite pronoun + adjectival + noun+ head
c. demonstrative + noun + noun + head
d. head + demonstrative + adjective + noun
6. Adverbs
a. head + adverb
7. Phrasal
a. head + relative clause
b. head + adverbial phrase
CHAPTER IV
THE STRUCTURE OF THE CLAUSE
Major Elements of the Clause
There are 2,301 clauses in the Soliloquies.^ Eighty-
four per cent consist of subject and predicate. The 16 per
cent consisting of predicate alone may be divided into three
groups:
1. Clauses whose subject is in a preceding clause
(167 examples):
52.18-19. and us sillest pone hlaf eces lyfes and pone
drinc of lyfes wylle.
'and You give us the bread of eternal life and the drink
of life's well. '
The clause is the most convenient unit for the de
scription of Old English syntax. The designation of senten
ces in printed Old English texts is due to modern editors,
since punctuation in manuscripts is often haphazard. The
function of the markings and punctuation in manuscripts is
not clearly understood, and they may be rhetorical rather
than grammatical indicators. John W. Clark states : "Punc
tuation is rare, sporadic, and above all (from a modern
point of view) inconsistent and unsystematic and often vir
tually meaningless" (Early English [New York: Norton,
1964], p. 81).
75
76
57.23-24. and habba3 gescea(d)wisnesse on here mode . . .
'and they have reason in their minds . . .'
63.15. and eac ondrest and wel dest:
'and also you fear and do well:'
69.12-13. and swiSe gefagen anbidie para gehata:
'and I very joyfully wait for those promises:'
2 . Clauses whose finite verb is imperative (114 ex
amples ) :
49.17. befssste hit ponne bocstafum and awrit hit.
'Then commit it to words and write it down.1
51.22-23. ©u pe mart forgyfende, cum to me* and ge-
mylsa me;
'You who are forgiving, come to me and have mercy on me;'
55.7. Ac qetssc hit me, and qefultuma me.
'But teach it to me, and help me.'
55.8. sile me pa treowa;
'give me the faith;'
3. Subjectless constructions (102 examples):
54.25. Ac gyf pe nu pinc3 swa swa me 5inc5,
'But if it seems to you as it seems to me,'
56.21-22. ne lyst me peah nanes pinges swiSor to
witanne ponne pises.
'However, it does not please me to know anything more
than this.'
93.14. Ac us ys gehaten butan salcum tweon,
'But it is promised to us without any doubt,1
77
The subjectless construction is treated separately on pp.
!
105-113 below.
The subject
The subjects of clauses may be either pronominal or
nominal.
1. Pronominal.
54.9. and aealc para manna pe hine silfne ongyt,
'and each of the men who understands himself,'
70.23. Ic pe andette Past ic nu ne wilnigie nanes
Singes swiSor.
'I confess to you that I now desire nothing more.'
84.16. past is swiSe good gytsung.
'That is a very good desire.'
93.13-14. we sceolun gelifan pane del pe we hys ne
geseoS.
'We must believe the part which we did not see of it.'
2. Nominal.
48.18-19. hys mod for oft geasciende and smeagende
mislieu and selcuS ping,
'his mind often went inquiring and examining many rare
things,'
53.10. be pinre hese seo sunne bringS leohnte dasg,
'at Your command the sun brings the bright day, '
53.22-23. Ge furpum manna lichaman forealdiaS,
'Yes, even the bodies of men decay,'
67.1. pare saule hawuncr is gescadwisnes and smeaung.
78
'The vision of the soul is reason and contemplation.'
83.13. (H)er endiaS pa blostman pare forman boce.
'The blossoms of the first book end here.'
89.8-9. oS3e hwet saedon pa apostolos and ssalle halicre
federas,
'or what did the Apostles and all the Holy Fathers say, '
The subject, always in the nominative case, generally
agrees in number with its verb. In seven examples the sub
jects do not show number concord with their verbs . In three
of the seven examples a singular verb occurs with compound
subjects that precede the verb:
48.19. 49.1. hwseper hys mod and hys sawel deadlic were
and gewitendlice,
'whether his mind and his soul were mortal and perish
able, '
73.17-18. . . . si(o) pin ealde gytsung and seo gemahS
eallunga of Sinum mode astyfcod were and wyrtwalod,
' . . . the old desire and ambition of your mind were
entirely destroyed and uprooted,'
91.22-23. and eall peat min mod and min gescadwisnesse
goodra crefta gegadrad,
'and all that my mind and my reason gathered of good
skills,'
In two examples a singular verb occurs when one part of the
compound subject precedes the verb and the other part fol
lows :
89.12. Nu pu geherest hwat Crist cwa5 and hys pegnas .
'Now you hear what Christ and his Apostles say.'
79
91.27-28. Ic wat nu pest pest lyf a by3 and pest gewit.
'Now I know that life and the soul are eternal.'
In one example a singular verb occurs when it precedes a
plural subject:
91.23. pest mot pa simle habban,
'that they may always have,'
In one example a singular verb occurs in a relative clause
that has a plural antecedent:
97.6-7. and asac feala oSra pincga pe ssr urum dagum
geweordon wees .
'and also many other things which had existed before
our days.'
The object
Objects, like subjects, are both pronominal and nomi
nal .
1. Pronominal.
59.1-2. past ic pe msage don gewisram be gode ponne pu
eart be Sam monan?
'that I can make you wiser about God than you are about
the moon?'
47.5. gif ic hyne ealne aberan meihte;
'if I could carry it all;'
61.1. na, ne ondrasde ic hi^ me nawit swiSe,
'no, I do not fear them very much at all,'
61.14. 3a eagan me gebrodton on pam angytte.
'The eyes brought me to understanding.'
80
2. Nominal
49.7. Gyf 3u enige godne heorde habbe.
'If you have a good guardian,'
52.12. ©u pe oferswiSdest 3one dea5.
'You who overcame death,1
54.18-19. pat ic mage geseon pine wundru;
'so that I may see your wonders;'
55.2. Ac untin me pine dura,
'But open your door for me,'
57.16. hwi gyf ic sawle lufige, hu ne lufige ic minne
freond?
'Why if I love a soul, do I not love my friend?'
62.12. Ac ic ne mag ongytan hu ic pa ancras begytan
mage,
'But I cannot understand how I shall obtain the anchors,'
78.8-9. ale man pa hale aagan haf5,
'Every man that has strong eyes,'
The double object construction
Sixty-one clauses have double objects. In fifty-six of
them the indirect object is in the dative and the direct
object is in the accusative:
52.25. 3u us simle gearwast ace lyf,
'You always prepare an eternal life for us,'
2
For examples of verbs that have genitive and dative
objects see pp. 20-25 and 30-39 above.
81
55.8. sile me pa treowa;
'give me Truthsj'
55.24. ic pe befeaste mynne lycuman,
11 commit my body to you,'
92.3-4. ac ic hyt pe ne mmg myd faawum weordum gesecgan.
'but I cannot say it to you in few words.'
Three examples have both objects in the accusative. All
occur with lseran: ^
52.15. and pu pe us lerst ealle rihtwysnesse,
'and You who teach us all righteousness, '
76.29. peah ic hyt pe leere,
'though I advise you of it, '
52.15. and us_ simle good lerst . . .
'and always teach us goodness . . .'
Two clauses, both with unnan, show the direct object in the
genitive and the indirect object in the dative:
76.19. ne an ic hys nanum men butan me selfum,
'I do not grant it to any man except to myself,'
76.20-21. and peah ic hys u3e aslcum men minum willan,
'and yet I do grant it to any man of my will, '
The sixty-one clauses are divided into four groups:
3
The indirect objects here are not clear examples of
the accusative. See Visser (I, 636) and Wiilfing (I, 264)
for unambiguous examples.
82
1. Direct object (pronominal)— indirect object (pro-
nominal). Thirty-three examples. In thirty of these the
direct object precedes the indirect object:
47.14-15. ge eac on pam ecan hame 3o he us gehatan
hef3 purh sanctus Augustinus . . .
'and also in the eternal home which He has promised
us through Saint Augustine . . .'
55.27. forpi ic hine befeste 3e . . .
1 therefore I commit it to you ...1
62.13. buton pu hyt me swsatolocor getece.
'except that you teach it to me more clearly.'
70.13. Ic hyt ne rehte gyt j^e on pa wisan . . .
'and yet I did not explain it to you in such a way
1
• • •
In three examples the indirect object precedes the direct
object:
62.15-16. sy33an pu Sonne me past assed heafst,
'after you have asked me that,'
80.9. hym ic roe befeste,
'I commit myself to Him,'
83.12. ponne secge pu me past,
'then you will tell it to me.'
2. Indirect object (pronominal)— direct object (nomi-
nal). Sixteen examples. In thirteen examples the indirect
object precedes the direct object:
52.2-3. Pu pe us sealdest pset qypyld,
'You who gave us that patience,'
83
52.25. 3u us_ simle gearwast esce lyf,
'You always prepare an eternal life for us,'
77.4. Ic pe mssg tecan asac o5re bysne . . .
'I may also teach another example to you . . .'
95.12-13. Ac gepenc pmt pu hym forwyrndest eelcra getesa
3a git begen on lichaman weron,
'But consider that you did withhold from him all comforts
when you were both in the body,'
In three examples the direct object precedes the indirect
4
object:
51.23. forpampe pu mycela gyfta us sealdest,
'because you gave us many gifts,'
69.5. rihtne weg pu teecst.
'You teach me the right way.'
70.9. twa 3 ing ic £e^ gehet . . .
'I promised two things for you . . .'
3. Direct object (pronominal)— indirect object (nomi
nal) . Eight examples. In seven examples the direct object
precedes the indirect object:
50.25. pu pe nelt £e eallunga geeowian openlice nanum
o3rum . . .
'You who will not altogether show yourself clearly to
any others . . . '
^In context, the direct objects here seem to be rhe
torically prominent. In reference to 69.5., Bacquet states;
"On voit ainsi que cette structure est surtout employee si
l'on veut mettre en valeur le complement de chose" (p. 713).
84
60.2. ne mag ic hyt nan (um) uttram angyttum geatecam.
'nor can I teach it to anyone by the external senses.'
61.17. siSSan pa eagan hyt setfasstnodon minum inqepance.
'after the eyes had fixed it to my mind.'
75.24. 76.1. ac he hine wyle swiSe seldon eanegum maan
swa openlice ge(e)awian.
'But it will seldom reveal itself so openly to any man.'
In one example the indirect object precedes the direct ob-
• 4. 5
ject:
80.9. and hys welwylnesse ic me bebeode.
'and I entrust myself to his benevolence.'
4. Direct object (nominal)— indirect object (nominal).
Four examples. In two examples the direct object precedes
the indirect object:
52.10-11. pu pe us lserdesd past we underpieddan urne
lycuman ure mode.
'You who taught us that we subject our body to our mind.'
54.3. se god seadle fridom manna saulum,
'God gave freedom to men's souls,'
In two examples the indirect object precedes the direct
object:
^In context this is parallel to the preceding clause:
"hym ic me befest." There is nothing irregular in the Latin
to suggest the Old English word order, particularly since
the direct object me_ in the Latin precedes the indirect ob
ject: "jam me totum ejus clementiae curaeque committo"
(883 .A.).
85
82.17-18. and manna saulum he gyf3, ealcre by hyre
andefne, swilca gyfa.
'and He gives to men's souls such gifts according to
their capacity.'
- 82.19-20. and he gyf3 eac mannum maenega and mislicum
crooda gifa on pissa wurlda,
'and He also gives to men many and diverse good gifts
in this world,'
To summarize: when both objects are pronominal or both are
nominal, the direct object precedes the indirect object in
thirty-two out of thirty-seven examples . With both pro
nominal and nominal objects, the pronominal object precedes
the nominal in twenty out of twenty-four examples.
The object complement
construction
There are twenty-three object complements. All follow
their objects . The object complement can be an adjective,
present participle, genitive adjective, or a nominal.
1. Adjective (eleven examples).
47.17. 48.1. asgSer ge pisne weig gelimpfulran gedo
ponne he asr pis sum wes,
'both make this way more convenient than it was before
this, '
55.24-25. ic pe befmste mynne lycuman, pat pu hine
gehealde halne.
' I commit my body to you, so that you may keep it whole. '
86
56.8-9. and gedo my wyrSne pset ic si wyniende in pinum
eadegan rice.
'and make me worthy that I may be living in Your Blessed
Kingdom.'
76.26-27. and ic segge eac, gyf pu 3one wisdom selfne
geseon wilt swa bssrne,
'and I say also, if you behold wisdom itself thus bare,'
2. Present participle (two examples).
56.8. and, god, gedo me lufiende and onfondne pines
wisdomes;
'and God, make me a lover and receiver of your wisdom;'
g
3. Genitive adjective' (five examples).
52 .9 . ©u pe us laerdest psBt we nawt unalyfdes dydon,
'You who teach us that we do nothing which is unlawful,'
4. Nominal (five examples with hatan and one example
with nemnan).
60.15. wost pu pset pu leornodes pone creft pe we ,hata5
geometrica?
'Do you know that you did learn the skill which we call
geometry?'
82.12-13. Ac pat pu soSfestnes hsstst, pset ys god;
'But that which you call Truth, that is God;'
92.13. (H)ser endia3 pa blostman psere seftran bee pe we
hata5 Soliloquiorum.
'Here ends the blossoms of the second book which we call
Soliloquies.'
g
For a complete listing of these genitive adjectives,
see p. 60 above._____________________________________________
87
92.11-12. pat pu meaht gehyran micle openlicor on pare
bee pe ic pe ar nemde, de uidendo deo.
'which you may hear about more clearly in the book that
I have named De Videndo Deo to you before.'
The subjective complement
Pronominal and nominal subjective complements occur
seventy-nine times. The pronominal ( hwat, hwelc, and one
example of se) occurs sixteen times with beon:
4 8 . 1 9 . and ealles swiSust ymbe hyne sylfne: hwat he
sylf ware,
'and most of all regarding himself: what he himself was, '
5 7 .1 0 . and furpan gyt nast hwile he ys.
'and further, you do not know what he is yet.1
6 4 .1 3 . Ic wo3 fol lytle 3e gearor hwile seo sunne is,
'I know very little better what the sun is, '
9 5 . 9 . pat wes se 3e Crist sede on hys godspelle . . .
'It was he whom Christ spoke of in his Gospel . . .'
The nominal subjective complement occurs sixty-three times
with beon and hatan:
5 7 .2 1 . Ic hi ne lufige forpipe hi sint flesclicu
nytenu, nes men.
'I do not love them because they are carnal animals,
not men.'
6 5 . 7 . ic eom qesceadwisnes,
'I am Reason,'
6 9 .2 4 . he is seo hea sunne.
'He is the High Sun.'
88
81.11. . . . Crist cwade pest he were weig and soSfasnes
and lyf.
1. . . Christ said that He was the Way, the Truth, and
the Life.1
48.13-14. pa bee sint gehatene Soliloquiorum,
'These books are called Soliloquies.'
92.5-6. Seo boc is on englisc gehaten be qodes ansyne.
'In English the book is called Of Seeing God.'
The predicate adjective
The predicate adjective occurs with the verbs beon,
pincan, and weorSan. It regularly agrees with the subject
of the sentence, unless it is part of the subjectless con
struction. The predicate adjective occurs 172 times, and
can be divided into the simple predicate adjective con
struction and the complex predicate adjective construction.
Simple predicate adjective construction.— The simple
predicate adjective construction occurs ninety-nine times
without any additional complement or object:
v
62.2. hyt byS qesund (and) untosleqen.
'it will be safe and unbroken,'
63-10. hwa is swa wod pat he dyrre cweSan pat god ne
se ace?
'Who is so mad that he dare say that God is not eternal?'
75.12-13. seo sawel is gastlic and se lichaman, eordlic.
'The soul is spiritual and the body earthly.'
89
80.13-14. pu were asr to ungemeetlice unrot . . .
'you were formerly too excessively sad . . .'
81.22. gyf wis man dead wurde, hwasSer wisdom ponne
dead wurde;
'if a wise man were dead, whether wisdom would be dead;1
82.12. eall pset byd soS,
'All that is true,1
Complex predicate adjective construction.— The seventy-
three examples may be divided into four groups:
1. The predicate adjective with an inflected infini
tive complement:
4 9 . 2 - 3 . and hwile good him were betst to donne and
hwile yfel betst to forletende.
'and what good were best for him to do and what evil
best to forsake.'
2 . The predicate adjective with either a pronominal or
a nominal complement:
9 1 . 2 0 - 2 1 . and ic eom pass swa gefagen . . .
'and I am very glad of that . . .'
7 9 . 3 . ForSam ic wat, swa swa Su freora byst pissa
weorlde pinga,
'For I know that you are the freer from the things of
this world,'
3 . Predicate adjective followed by a prepositional
phrase:
5 0 .2 6 . . . . pe geclasnsode beoS on heora mode.
90
'. . . who are pure in their minds.'
4. The predicate adjective with a dative complement
which belongs to a subjectless construction:
93.9-10. and peah ne pincS us_ hwilum pe bradder pe an
scyld for pare firle .
'and yet it does not seem to us at times wider than a
shield because of the distance.'
There are seven examples of the predicate adjective
followed by an inflected infinitive complement:
74.10-11. ac for pass Sincges lufum pe Se rihtre ys to
luf ianne ponne paet.
'but for the love of this thing which is more correct
to love than that.'
82.1. depplicu is seo acsung and winsumu to witanne . . .
'The question is very profound and pleasant to know . . . '
One of the seven examples has an inflected infinitive com
plement with a dative object:
54.16. ]?e_ ic eom gearu to peowianne.
'I am ready to serve you.'
One of the seven examples has an inflected infinitive com
plement followed by a prepositional phrase:
72 .27. peah hwa cwseSe pset hyt si betere to habbenne for
bearna gestreone.'
'though someone said that it is better to have for the
rearing of children.'
In twenty-three examples the predicate adjective has a
91
pronominal complement and in twelve examples a nominal com
plement. The pronominal complement precedes the adjective
in all of the examples . Seven of the pronominal complements
are genitive:
77.15-16. ale para pe hys wilnaS and pe hys geornful
byt,
'Each of those who wishes it and who is eager for it*'
90.2. forSam 3u genoh geare wistes psat hyt is seo
ealra hehsta . . .
'for you clearly know that it is the highest of all . . .'
91.20-21. and ic eom pas swa gefagen . . .
'And I am so glad of that . . .'
Sixteen of the pronominal complements are dative:
52.5-6. Bu us wel lerdest pat we ongeatan pat us was
fremde . . .
'You who teach us well what was alien to us . . .'
58.11. Allippius me is cu3re ponne god,
'Alypius is better known to me than God, '
70.24-25. forSam me_ is swiSe geheme (pat),
'However, that is very customary for me,'
94.18-19. Ac ic gelyfe after domes dage pat us_ ne beo
nanwiht dyhle.
'But I believe that after doomsday nothing will be
hidden from us.'
The nominal complement is either genitive or dative. The
four genitive complements all follow the predicate adjec
tive :
92
50.7. peat pu si Se werSer pines creftes;
'so that you may be worthier of your skillj'
85.3. hwat is se hehsta wysdom ssalles . . .
'what is the highest wisdom of all . . .'
Four of the seven dative complements precede the adjective:
96.3-4. forSam (he) ongest pa(t) he gode nses swa eadmod
swa swa he myd rihte sceol(de) .
'because he perceived that he was not so humble to God
as he should rightly be.'
72.22. and seo pinum willum and welun peod (seo),
'and who is devoted to your will and welfare,1
Two of the seven dative complements follow the adjective:
55.12. forpem heo is unqelic sBallum goodum.
1 for it is unlike all good things .'
68.8. ©reo pine sint neodbehesfe Sam eagan elcere sawle.
'Three things are necessary for the eyes of each soul.'
In eighteen examples the predicate adjective has a
prepositional phrase. Sixteen out of eighteen examples show
the prepositional phrase following the predicate adjective:
54.29. for ic eom fleonde fram hym.
'for I am fleeing from them.'
70.28-29. and forSam hwilum me gebyraS pset byS
hwsathwugu swa fssste on mode . . .
'and therefore it happens that at times something is
so fixed in my mind . . .'
79.25. nis nanwiht wyrse on Sam men,
'There is nothing worse in men, ' ____________________________
93
In two examples the prepositional phrase precedes the
predicate adjective:
68.10-11. To pam prim is godes fultumes Serf,
'God's help is necessary for these three things,'
80.17-18. Sy lsest ic awSer oSSer on mode oSSe on
lichaman py mettrumra si,
'lest I be the weaker either in mind or body,'
The thirteen examples of the predicate adjective with
dative complement belong to the subjectless construction.
Twelve of the thirteen examples show the dative object pre
ceding the adjective:
64.1. me ne pincS nanwiht hasfig . . .
'it does not seem heavy at all for me ...'
62.30-31. me pincS betere pat ic forlete pa gyfe and
folgyge pam gyfan,
'It seems to me better that I forsake the gifts and
follow the giver,'
In one example the dative complement follows the adjective:
61.20. EaSre me pincS peah myd scipe on drigum lande . . .
'It seems easier for me however with the ship on dry
land . . .'
In addition to the verbs beon, pincan, and weorSan,
which signal predicate adjectives functioning as subjective
complements, are the two verbs weaxan and wunian that can
94
7
be considered quasi copulas since m three examples they
also designate predicate adjectives :
53.6. Ac pu simle wunast swa ful ealces goodes on
ecnesse.
'but You always remain full of every good into eternity.'
53.20-21. and cyimaS oSSer, grenu wexaS, and gearwaS,
'and others come, grow green, and bloom,'
84.3. Drihten, drihten, pu pe simle unawendlenlic e
wunast,
'Lord, Lord, You who always remain unchanged,'
In one example the present participle with the verb faran
g
replaces the infinitive:
48.18-19. ©a reahte he, hys mod for oft geasciende and
smeagende mislieu and selcuS ping,
'Then he said, his mind often went inquiring and examin
ing various and rare things,'
The Order of the Major Elements
The following sections will present the type and the
subtype of clauses. The numbers following the headings give
the total for the particular type.
7See Visser, I, 215.
®Karl Brunner points out that the present participle
begins to replace the infinitive in later West Saxon with
verbs of movement and rest (Die Englische Sprache, 2nd ed.
[Tubingen: Niemeyer, 1962], II, 364).
95
Subject + verb (701)
1. Subject + verb (579).
53.11-12. swa peat ealle gesceafta wrixliaS swa daag and
nyht.
'so that all creatures change, even as day and night.'
53.22-23. Ge furpum manna lichaman forealdiaS,
'Yes, even the bodies of men decay,'
77.15. swa hit biS aaac be pam wisdome:
'so it is also regarding wisdom:'
2. Verb + subject (122).
54.23-24. and pa fleah ic fram pe to deofle,
'and then I fled from You to the devil,'
53.17. WrixliaS sume peah on oSSer wyssan,
'Some change however in other ways,'
83.13. (H)er endiaS pa blostman pare forman boce.
'The blossoms of the first booh end here.'
Subject + verb + object (975)
1. Subject + verb + object (328) .
62.9-10. myd pisum ancrum pu scealt gefastnian 3one
streng on gode,
'with these anchors you shall fasten the cable to God,'
80.15. pu woldest gemetigan mynne wop and myne unrot-
nesse,
'You would restrain my weeping and my sorrow,'
95.19. hi habbaS haligra fedra bee myd heom a on eorSan.
96
'They always have the books of the Holy Fathers with
them on earth. '
2. Subject + object + verb (411) .
62.14. ic pe myhte getecen.
11 could teach you.'
80.11. ar ic pone wisdom selfne geseo.
'until I see wisdom itself.'
93.24. Ealle pa godan hyne geseo3,
'All the good shall see Him,'
3. Verb + subject + object (48).
61.15-16. pa forlmt ic pa sceawunga mid pam eagum and
pohte;
'then I left off looking with the eyes, and reflected;'
63.11-12. hwi ne lufast 5u pane mean hlaford swiSor
ponne 3one laenan?
'why do you not love the eternal Lord more than the
grant?'
75.1-2. ne ondrede ic peah nawiht 3a mettrimnesse gyf
me nmre for 3rim Singum.
'I would not fear the infirmities at all if it were not
for three things.'
4. Verb + object + subject (9) .
56.12. Pa answarode me min gesceadwisnes and cwasd:
'Then my reason answered me and said:'
70.30. ponne cym3 me peah sum gedrefnesse . . .
'then however, some trouble comes to me . . .'
97.11-12. Ne ssedon hyt me peah nane swa soSfeste men . . .
97
1However, not so trustworthy men told it to me . . . 1
5. Object + subject + verb (152).
56.18-19. god ic wold(e) ongytan, and mine agene saule
ic wolde witan.
'I would understand God, and I would know my own soul.1
58.21. ©one monnan ic geseo purh mine eaga.
'I see the moon with my eyes.'
76.20. hine ic lufige ofer eallum oSrum ping(urn),
'I love Him over all other things,'
6. Object + verb + subject (27).
52.21. paet us ne magon pa ungelyfaadan amirram.
'so that the unbelievers cannot harm us.'
63.8. hwast wenst pu be gode and be pam ancrum . . .
'What do you believe about God and the anchors . . .'
89.8-9. o3Se hwet saadon pa apostolos and aaalle halige
federas,
'Or what did the Apostles and all the Holy Fathers say,'
Subject + verb + complement (242)
1. Subject + verb + complement (139).
50.27. forpam pu eart faader soSfestnesse, and wisdomes,
'because You are the Father of Truth and Wisdom,'
63.18. (Se) hlaford is incer beigra wealdend,
'The Lord is the Ruler of you both,'
75.2. An para ys hefig sar;
'One of them is heavy sorrow;'
98
2. Subject + complement + verb (66).
57.23. ne lufige ic hi na for3i, ac for3am3e hi men
sint,
'I do not love them for this, but because they are men,1
61.3. forSi ic wot past ic gyt wis ne eom.
' for I know that I am not yet wise.1
78.5-6. and swa swa pass lichaman asagan halren beoS,
'and just as the eyes of the body are healthier,1
3. Verb + subject + complement (15).
52.4. nys past nan wundor,
'That is no wonder,'
53.27. peah wass seo sawl simle lybbende . . .
'yet the soul was ever living . . .'
75.9-10. . . . past on aslcum men wasre wysdom past hehste
good . . .
' . . . that in every man wisdom is the highest good . . .'
4. Complement + subject + verb (16).
64.10. uncuS peht ic wasre,
'although I was unknown,'
81.9-10. o33e hwast wilt pu secgan hwast god is buton
soSfestnesse?
'or what will you say what God is without truth?'
91.9. genoh sweotol hyt is . . .
'It is clear enough . . .'
5. Complement + verb + subject (1).
82.1. depplicu is seo acsung and winsumu . . .
99
'The question is very profound and pleasant .
1
• •
6. Verb + complement + subject (5).
51.5. and purh pe sint wyse ssalle pa pe wyse
'and through which all those who are wise are
sint.
wise. '
70.24-25. for3am me is swi3e geheme (pset),
'However, that is very common for me,'
88.5. nis nan to 3am ungelyfedlic spel,
'no story is so incredible,'
Verb (126)
50.13-14. ne aeac wunian ne mihte butan pe.
'nor could anything ever live without you.'
63.15. and eac ondrest . . .
'and You also fear . . .'
71.17. gyf 3onne aafre gebyre3 . . .
'If then it ever happens . . .'
Verb + object (237)
1. Verb + object (134).
54.24. and fuleode hys willan,
'and I fulfilled his will,'
77.8-9. and habbaS swi3e lee(n)gne weig and swi3e yfelne
and swi3e earfo3ferne:
'and some have a very long road and one very evil and
difficult to pass:'
80.4. Ne drece me,
'Do not torment me,'
100
2. Object + verb (103).
52.13-14. and us geclenast of seallum urum synnum,
'and You clean us from all of our sins,'
55.11. and pine lufe geiec on me.
'and increase your love in me.'
62.24-25. ne hys willan paar-on gecnawan ne meege.
'nor are you able to recognize his will therein.'
Verb + complement (17)
1. Verb + complement (16).
63.27. nys me nan willa ofer pasne.
'There is no wish for me above that.'
80.13. and beo gemsetlice bliSe —
'and be moderately happy— '
81.18-19. ForSam aeall paatte so3 byS,
'For all that is true,'
2. Complement + verb (1).
56.2-3. and me for bam lyfum best and rihtwyrSost si.
'and which is both best and most righteous for me in
this life.'
9
The tables on the following pages give the frequencies
g
For comparative purposes, I have used tables from both
Brown, p. 37, and Ann Shannon, A Descriptive Syntax of the
Parker Manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle from 734-891
(The Hague: Mouton, 1964), p. 13. Brown uses approximately
2,000 lines of a 7,200-line text, and analyzes 3,515
101
of clause types to the nearest one-half of 1 per cent. The
notation "0" is to be read as less than one-haIf of 1 per
cent.
clauses. Miss Shannon analyzes 630 clauses from a corpus
that is essentially narrativej it contains no questions,
imperatives, or conversational exchanges, and the narrative
is almost entirely in the third person singular and in the
past tense. Further, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, unlike the
Soliloquies and the Pastoral Care, is not based on any Latin
mode1.
TABLE 1
FREQUENCIES OF CLAUSE TYPES
Type Subtype
Number in Percentage Percentage Number Percentage
Subtype of Type of Total in Type of Total
1
SV
VS
582
122
83
17
25
5
704 30
SVO 328 34 14
SOV 411 42 18
2
VSO
VOS
48
9
5
1
2
0
975 42
OSV 152 15 7
OVS 27 3 1 .
SVC 139 57 6
s c v 66 27 3
3
v s c
CSV
15
16
6
7
1
1
242 11
CVS ' 1 0 0
v c s 5 2 0
4 V 126 100 6 126 6
5
VO
ov
134
103
56
43
6
4
237 10
6
VC
cv
16
1
94
6
1
0
17 1
o
. t o .
TABLE 2
FREQUENCIES OF CLAUSE TYPES IN ALFRED'S PASTORAL CARE
Type Subtype
Number in
Subtype
Percentage
of Type
Percentage
of Total
Number
in Type
Percentage
of Total
SV
VS
1,055
238
82
18
30
7
1,293 37
SVO
SOV
VSO
VOS
OSV
OVS
368
606
83
17
292
39
26
44
6
1
21
2
10
17
3
0
8
1
1,405 40
SVC
SCV
VSC
CSV
CVS
VCS
V
VO
OV
VC
cv
165
58
15
21
7
3
230
146
129
36
7
61
21
6
8
3
1
100
53
47
84
16
5
1
0
1
0
0
4
4
1
0
269
230
275
43
8
8
s - >
o
LO
FREQUENCIES OF
TABLE
CLAUSE TYPES IN
3
THE ANGLO-SAXON CHRONICLE
Type Subtype
Number in
S lib type
Percentage
of Type
Percentage
of Total
Number
in Type
Percentage
of Total
SV 200 64 31
1 311 49
VS 111 36 18
SVO 46 30 7
SOV 52 35 8
2
VSO 27 18 4
149 24
VOS 4 3 1
OSV 16 11 3
OVS 4 3 1
SVC 30 86 5
s c v 3 9 1
v s c 2 6 0
3 35 6
CSV — — —
CVS
- - -
v c s
- - -
4 V 49 100 8 49 8
VO 15 18 2
5 85 13
ov 70 82 11
C
VC 1 100 0
1 n
D
c v
- - -
H -*
o
CHAPTER V
CLAUSE TYPES
The Subjectless Construction
Constructions with impersonal
verb
Of the 102 examples of the subjectless construction,
eighty-nine have an impersonal verb: a5reotan, gebyrian,
gedafenian, lystan, onhagian, sceamian, tweogan, and
p incan. Forty-three of the eighty-nine examples introduce
a dependent clause.
1. aSreotan 'to irk, displease'. One example, with a
dative object:
72.20. Ic pe andete psBt ic paS wilnode o3 me_ nu aSreaS
swiBe niwan.
'I confess to you that I wished that until very recently
it displeased me.'
2. gebyrian 'to happen, occur, belong to'. Three
examples. Two examples, one with a dative object, intro
duce dependent clauses:
105
106
70.28-30. and forSam hwilum me gebyraS past by8
hwaathwugu swa fesste on mode paat ic pence past ic naafre
be me cwucum aletan ne scile,
'and therefore at times it happens that something is
so fixed in my mind, that I think I shall never let it
go while I am alive,'
71.17-18. gyf Sonne aafre gebyreS paat pu pe ful halne
and ful trumne ongytst,
'If then it ever happens that you find yourself very
whole and very strong,'
In the other example the verb is preceded by a prepositional
phrase:
91.17-18. oSSe wilnige paas 5e heo ne ahte, ne hyre to
ne gebyrede.
'or wich for that which it does not own, or which does
not belong to it.'
3. gedafenian 'to befit'. One example, with compound
dative objects that have infinitive complements:
70.17-18. 3e_ gedafenaS to lerrenne and me to hlistenne,
'It befits you to learn and me to listen,'
4. lystan 'to please'. Sixteen examples, of which
nine have both dative and genitive objects. In six of these
nine the dative object precedes the genitive:
72.21-22. ne lyste £e faageres wifes, and sceamfestes,
and wel geleredes, and gooSra peawa,
'Do you not desire a beautiful wife, and one who is
modest and well educated and of good manners,'
79.9-10. ne gelyfe ic na past hyt aafre geweorSe paat me_
nanwiht ne lyste pisse weorlde ara.
107
'I do not believe that it will ever be that I will not
at all yearn after this world's honors,'
In one example the genitive is followed by a dependent
clause:
73.10-11. Ac me lyst 5ara pe ic qetiohhod habbe to
aatanne,
'I desire those things which I have thought right to eat,'
In three examples the genitive object precedes the dative:
73.6-7. hvs me lyst swa laang swa laes;
'the longer, the less is my desire for it; '
74.4-5. seall ic hyt wille eft underfon for heora lufum,
peah hvs me for wel ne lyste,
'I will take in all again for their love, yet it does not
please me to do so,'
81.5. gea, pas anes me lyst.
'Yes, that alone pleases me.'
Six examples have a dative object preceding an infinitive-
plus -object:
47.4-5. ne com ic naper mid anre byrSene ham pe me ne
lyste ealne pane wude ham brengan,
'nor did I come home with a burden, for it did not please
me to bring all the wood home, '
56.21-22. ne lyst me peah nanes pinqes swi5or to witanne
ponne pises.
'However, it does not please me to know more about any
thing than this.'
75.23-24. and jpe_ lyst hine swa wel nacode onqitan and
gefredan . . .
108
'and it pleases you to know and feel it naked so well
I
• • •
5. orihagian 'to be possible, sufficient, convenient'
The four examples are all preceded by a dative object:
48.11. forgife me past me_ to asgSrum orihagige:
'grant me that for me it be convenient for both:'
78.28. ic hyt ongynne, gyf me onhagaS.
'I will understand it, if it is possible.'
In two examples the dative object is followed by an in
flected infinitive-plus-object:
64.6. . . . 3e nie onhagaS Se to gerihtreccenne,
'. . . therefore it is convenient to make clear to you,'
92.20. me ne onhagaS nu pa boc ealle to asmasaganne.
'It is not possible for me to consider all that book.'
6. sceamian 'to cause shame'. The six examples all
have dative objects:
87.17. gedo paat me scamige forSi.
'make it so that it shames me therefore.'
Five of the examples have a dative object and a dependent
clause:
80.6-7. Ac me sceamaS nu paat ic wende peas pe hyt naas .
'But it shames me now that I believed that which was not.'
80.21-22. uncuS psaah me sy33an scamige pat ic eft hawige
wi3 3ara Seostra pe ic ar wilnode to forlatanne,
'perhaps I may be ashamed afterwards that I may look
109
again toward the darkness which I formerly desired to
forsake,'
7. tweogan 'to cause doubt, feel doubt'. The two ex
amples have a dative object followed by a prepositional
phrase:
83.11-12. and gif pje be asngum pissa pinga awiht tweoge,
'and if you doubt any of these things,'
88.3-4. Bine (5) pe hweBer £e awuht set his segene tweoge,
'Does it seem to you that you would doubt his statement
at all,'
8. tweonian 'to cause doubt'. The two examples have
dative objects which precede the verb:
60.23-24. nu pu segst pset 3e_ pees nanwiht ne tweonige?
'now you say that you do not doubt yourself anything
about that?'
82.25. and gyf me set enugum pingum tweonaS,
'and if I have doubts about, anything,1
9. pincan 'to seem, appear'. Fifty-four examples.
Forty-three of these have a dative object followed by a
dependent clause:
59.5. me pincS nu pset pu ne truwie 5am uttram gewitte,
'it seems to me now that you do not trust the external
senses,'
59.16. ne pincS me pset ic swa hyt witan mage swa swa
ic wolde.
'It does not seem to me that I can know it as I would. '
110
61.19-20. forpam him pincS sySSan paat he masge asS butan
faran ponneim j.d.
'it seeins^o him then that he can travel easier without
it than with it.1
In six of the forty-three examples, the dative object is
followed by a predicate adjective or nominal followed by a
dependent clause:
62.25-26. cweS ponne hweSer pe rihtra pince pe pu hys
willan folgie,
'say then whether it seems to you better that you follow
his will,'
64.14-15. me puhte peaht good past ic mythte god swa
swotole geseon.
'However, it seemed good to me that I might thus clearly
see God. '
71.15. ne SincS me asac nan wundor peah pu si unrot
for Sam.
'nor does it seem to me any wonder that you are sad
for that reason.'
88.14-15. Ac me^ pincS uneSe past Su hi togeadere metst.
'But it seems to me difficult that you compare them
together.'
In four examples the dative object is followed by an adjec
tive :
58.7-8. hweSer 5e_ ponne on Sam genoh puhte,
'whether it would seem sufficient for you, '
60.5-6. forSam ic nat hweSer him genoh puhte on Sam pe
hy pasr wiston.
'because I do not know whether it seemed to them suffi
cient in regard to that which they knew.'
Ill
81.17. hweSer SincS pe ponne betre,
'whether it seems to you then better,'
In two examples the dative object is followed by an in
flected infinitive:
61.20-21. EaSre me pincS peah myd scipe on drigum lande
to farande ponne me pynce mid Sam eagum buta para ge-
scea (d)wisnesse as(ni)gne creft to geleornianne,
'However, it seems to me easier to travel by ship on dry
land than to learn any science with the eyes but without
the reason,'
In two examples the dative object is followed by a nominal:
93.27-28. peat heom pince heora silfra wite pe mare,
'so that it seems to them that their own torments are
greater,'
94.2. forSam pset heom Since heora agnu (ar) pe mare.
'so that their own glory may seem the greater to them.'
Constructions without
impersonal verb
The thirteen examples without an impersonal verb may be
divided into three kinds: (1) verb and dative object, (2)
beon and adjective or noun complement, and (3) beon with
predicate adjective or nominal and dative object.
1. Verb and dative object. Five examples. Four occur
with beon + the past participle of alyfan, hatan, and secqan.
57.26. forSam mis ys egSer para alyfad,
'since I am permitted both of them>'
112
93.14. Ac us. ys gehatan butan sslcum tweon,
'But it is promised to us without ciny doubt, '
93.18-19. and efter domes dssge us ys gehaten pset we
moten god geseon openlice,
'and after Doomsday it is promised to us that we might
see God clearly,'
94.13-14. hwesBer nu geet si genoh sweotole gesed be
pam wisdome and be pare godes ansine?'
'whether it is now clearly enough explained to you about
wisdom and about the vision of God?1
The other example:
96.8-9. Ac hym by5 ponne swa swa pam mannum pe her beo3
on sumes kincges carcerne gebrohte,
'But it shall be with them even as it is with men, who
are brought here into the prison of some king,'
2. Beon and adjective or noun complement. Two exam
ples introduce a dependent clause:
61.23-24. for Sam pingum is Searf pset pu rihte hawie
mid modes ssagum to gode,
'It is necessary for these things that you lock correctly
to God with the eyes of the mind,'
55.16-17. nis nan para 5e pe rihte seh3 pss5 he pe ne
finde.
'There is none who rightly seeks You who does not find
You.'
3. Beon with predicate adjective or predicate nominal
and dative object. Six examples. The dative object always
precedes the predicate adjective/nominal, and usually pre
cedes the verb.
113
56.2-3. and me for bam lyfum best and rihtwyrSost si.
'and which is both best and most righteous for me in this
life. '
63.27. nys me nan willa ofer pane.
1There is no wish above that.'
Two of the examples have dependent clauses :
58.22-23. Ac me is uncuS peah hine wille god for sumum
dieglum pinqum pe we nyton on oSSere wisan weendan.
'But it is unknown to me whether God will, for some
secret reasons, which we do not know of, change it in
another way.'
59.3. gea, ic hys gelife, ac me ware leofre pat ic hyt
wiste;
'Yes, I believe it, but I should prefer that I know itj '
In two examples the predicate nominal has a genitive object:
53.5-6. ForSam pe nanes godes nis wana,
'For to You there is no want of good, '
93.20. Ne byS us nafre sySSan nanes wisdomes wana.
'For us there will never be a lack of any wisdom. '
Ellipsis and Parataxis
Ellipsis
Elliptical constructions may be classified into three
groups:
1. A finite verb in one clause refers to a structure
of predication in a preceding clause:
114
74.17-18. ForSam ic wot pset ic meeg raS myd heora fultume
after spurian ponne ic butan mage.
'For I know that I can more easily seek after Him with
their help than I can without.'
2. A nominal in a clause refers to a structure of
modification in a preceding clause:
58.1. forSam ic lufige salcne minra freonda, sume las,
sume swySor;
'therefore I love all of my friends, some less., and some
more;'
3. A structure lacking a finite verb refers to a
structure of predication in a preceding clause:
58.14. Woldest (pu) cunnan god swa swa Alippius?
'Would you know God as well as you know Alypius?'
Five verbs refer to a structure of predication in a
preceding clause: sculan, magan, willan, Surfan, and don.
1. sculan 'to have to, be obliged to'. Six examples.
54.26. and leng peowede pinum feo(n)dum Sonne ic
sceolde,
'and I served your enemies longer than I should,'
73.15-16. . . . to Sara manna pearfa 3e ic bewitan
sceal— pees ssac (ic) wilnige and nede sceal.
'. . . for the wants of those men that I shall care
for— I desire and of necessity shall also desire that.'
88.17-18. hi ic wille wyrSian swa swa man worldhlaford
sceal,
'I will honor them just as a man should honor a worldly
lord,'
115
2. magan 'be able'. Nineteen examples.
80.24-25. Uton andian pas boc nu (h)ar rihte, and secgen
on oSra bee scyrtran wag, gyf wet magen.
'Let us now end this book here properly, and name a
shorter way in another book, if we can.'
81.2. Ic pe folige gyf ic mag.
'I will follow you if I can.'
87.12-14. purh swylcra manna gesewenan sculon ge(ly)fan
3a pe hyt swa sweotolo ongytan ne magon swa swa hi meah-
ton;
'Through the sayings of such men we should infer that we
cannot understand it as clearly as they could;'
3. willan 'to wish, desire, be willing'. Eighteen
examples.
54.4. pat hy moston don swa good swa yfel, swaSer hy
woldon:
'so that they might do either good or evil, whatever
they would;'
58.11-12. Allippius me is cu5re ponne god, and ne can
ic hine peah swa georne swa ic wolde.
'Alypius is better known to me than God, yet even him I
do not know as well as I would.'
84.28. pat is so3. pa preo Sing ic wat, and pa 3reo
Sing ic wolde.
'That is true. These three things I know, and these
three things I desire to know.'
4. Surfan 'to need'. One example.
55.28. forSam pu be wast ponne ic wite hwas ic Serf.
'for.you know better than I know what I need to know.'
116
5. don 'to do, make cause'. One example.
79.15-16. "Nelle wyS nafre ear pa peostru pare nihte
onscinian, ar wit magon pa sunnon sylfe geseon." -Dyst-
lice me SincS pat pa aagan don,
'"We will never avoid the darkness of the night until
we can see the sun itself." Thus, it seems to me that
the eyes do see,'
In two examples a nominal in a clause refers to a
structure of modification in a preceding clause:
58.1. forSam ic lufige alcne minra freonda, sume las,
sume swySor;
'therefore I love all of my friends, some less, and
some more;'
58.20. — on hwilcum tungle he nu is, oSSe on hwilce he
Sanon geS?
'— in what star it now is, or into which it is going to
next?'
In thirty-six examples a construction lacking a finite
verb refers to a structure of predication in a preceding
clause:
53.19. Ac cumaS oSre for hy, swa swa leaf on treowum;
'But others come for them, just as leaves on treesj'
62.3. forSam llys byd se oSer ende fast on pare eorSan
and se oSer on Sam scype.
'for one end of it is fastened to the earth and the
other to the ship.'
63.14. oSSe 3u scealt hine forlatan, oSSe he pe.
'either you must leave him, or he must leave you.'
117
70.11. hweSer pe pu woldest unafanddes geleafan, Se
afandud witan.
'whether you would believe without experience, or would
know by experience.1
77.11-12. and peah cumaS asalle to anum hlaforde, sume
ssS sume uneS .
'and yet they all would come to one and the same Lord,
some more easily, some with more difficulty]'
Parataxis
The coordinate juxtaposing of nondependent clauses
without coordinating connectives occurs five times:
49.4. pa answarode me sum Sing, ic nat hwsst,
'Then something answered me, I do not know what,'
74.24-25. Ic hi wylle peah habban] hi beoS me on sumum
3ingum nytte,
'However, I will have them] they will be helpful to me
in some things .'
80.28-29. sum ping me tiht on pest, ic nat hwast,
'Something urges me on that, I do not know what,'
83.17. uton gebetan hyt, uton fon on oSre boc fore-
wearde!
'Let us make amends for it, let us carry it forward
into another book!'
One example occurs with nes as a defining clause:^
■^S . O . Andrew in his Syntax and Style in Old English
(1940] rpt. New York: Russell, 1966), pp. 87-100, discusses
two kinds' of parataxis: (1) the lack of grammatical sub
ordination and (2) the rhetorical device where a subordinate
relationship is expressed idiomatically by a coordinately
118
57.21. Ic hi ne lufige forpipe hi sint flesclicu
nytenu, nes men.
'I do not love them because they are carnal animals,
not men.'
Dependent and Nondependent Clauses
Dependent clauses
Dependent clauses may be divided into relatives, con
junctives, and correlatives.
1. Relatives. When a clause has a relative as sub
ject, the pattern is subject + object/complement + verb.
a. Subject + object + verb.
50.15-16. to pam ic clypige, pe malle gesceafta smicere
gewordte butan aellcum andweorce.
'To Him I call who made all creatures beautiful without
any matter.'
50.16-17. To 3e ic clypige, pe nefre nan yfel ne worh-
test,
'I call to You who never made any evil,1
51.9-10. Ic pe bydde, drihten, pu pe ssalles middan-
geardes wealst,
'I pray to You, Lord, You who rule all the world,'
juxtaposed sentence. One of the four rhetorical paratactic
constructions Andrew discusses is the defining clause. "The
paratactic sentence is equivalent to a defining clause; here
also the verb is the head-word with subject unexpressed"
(p- 89).
119
51.15-16. and se swelt 3e Se eallunaa forleS,
'and he dies who forsakes you entirely,'
b. Subject + complement + verb.
47.6-7. Forpam ic lsere salcne Sara pe macra si . . .
ween hsebbe.
'For I exhort everyone of those who is able . . .'
69.19. Ealle pa Sing pe beorhte beoS.
'All the things which are bright,'
74.10-11. ac for pass Sincges lufum pe Se rihtre ys to
lufianne ponne paat.
'but for the love of this thing which is more correct to
love than that.'
81.19. and sic para pe clene byd, byd for clennesse
clene;
'and everyone of those who is chaste is chaste because
of chastity^'
81.19-20. and se pe wis byd, he byd for wysdome wis .
'and he who is wise, he is wise because of wisdom.'
Fourteen examples show a post-verbal object/complement
^Bacquet states on pp. 278-279: "II est tres signifi-
catif, en effet, que, dans les quelques phrases ou l'on
trouve le schema: Relatif suject-Verbe-Determinant, ce
determinant est toujours et sans exception de nature nomi-
nale." This nominal and its semantic content is apparently
important enough to be "detached" by the writer from its
usual position jLn the subordinate clause. "La seule expli
cation valable de cette structure apparemment irreguliere
reside dans le fait que le contenu semantique du determi
nant est mis volontairement en relief par l'ecrivain qui,
pour mieux le detacher dans la phrase, lui donne un numero
i'ordre different de celui qu'il aurait dans l'ordre de
base. "__ ____________________________________________________
120
50.10. DRIHTEN, pu Se eart scypend ealra qasceafta,
'Lord, You who are the Creator of all creatures,'
50.29. 51.1. 3u pe art feder peas suna pe us awehte
and gyt wrehS of pam slepe ure synna,
'You who are the Father of the Son who has awakened
us from the sleep of our sins,'
51.4. Ic pe bydde, driten, 5u pe mart se hehstan wysdon,
'I pray to You Lord, You who are the Highest Wisdom,'
52.12. £)u pe oferswiSest 5one deaS,
'You who overcame death,'
52.19. €)u pe preatast men for heora sinnum,
'You who rebuke men for their sins,'
89.1-3. truwast 5u nu pe selfum and pinum geferum bet
ponne Sam apostolum, pe weron Cristes selfes Segnas?
'Do you trust now yourself and your companions better
than you do the Apostles, who were the servants of Christ
Himself?'
When the relative pronoun is an object/complement, the pat
tern is object/complement + subject + verb.
a. Object + subject + verb.
71.6-7. ic gehire nu hwast pu swiSost lufasst after Sinum
agenum gewitte and eefter code:
'I hear now what you love most next to your own reason
and next to God:'
72.1-2. naefS nan man to pass hal eagan past he esni hwile
mage locigan ongean pas sunnan pe we (h)asr geseoS,
'No man has such sound eyes that he can look any length
of time toward the sun which we see here, '
121
82.5-6. Ac me lystee witan peat pu ear acsodest.
'But it pleases me to know what you asked before.'
82.24. gode pane pees dsales pe ic wot.
'Thanks be to God for the part that I know.'
b . Complement + subject + verb .
57.10. and furpan gyt nast hwile he ys.
'and further yet you do not know what he is.'
81.9-10. o35e hwset wilt pu secgan hwat god si buton
so3festnesse?
'or what will you say what God is without Truth?'
84.25. 5u wast pa3 pu mart,
'You know what you are,'
85.9. nu pu wast paat 5u eart,
'Now you know what you are,*
2. Conjunctives . The most common conjunctives are
butan, gyf, swa, and 5eah. The preferred order is subject +
object/complement + verb. All of the objects are pronomi-
nals .
a. Subject + object + verb.
(1) butan 'unless, except, but'.
55.6-7. Ac ic nat hu ic sceal nu cuman to 3e, butan
pu me lere.
'But I do not know how I shall now come to you, except
that you teach me.'
55.15-16. ac ic wat peah past pu me nealt forleten butan
ic pe forlate;
122
'but I know, however, that you will not forsake me
unless I forsake You;1
(2) gyj. 'if' .
88.5-6. nis nan to Sam ungelyfedlic spel, gyf he hyt
segS,
'there is no story so incredible if he should tell it,'
9
95.20. gyf hy him (ne) gelyfaS, Sonne ne gelyfaS hi na
Lazere,
'If they do not believe them, neither will they believe
Lazarus,'
(3) swa 'just as, as'.
59.12-13. ic hine can nu swa ic hine of Sam uttram
gewitum cunnan msege.
'I know him now as I can know him with the external
senses.'
88.7-8. ic hys gelyfe eall swa wel swa ic hit self
qesewe oSSe gehyrde.
'I believe it all just as well as if I myself saw or
heard it.'
(4) Seah 'although, if, even, whether'.
90. 14-16. me SincS nu SaS pu hyt me hffifdest genoh
swsetele gereaht be pisse anre bysena, peaS pu me nane
ma ne sedest.
'It seems to me now that you explained it to me clearly
enough by this one example, although you said nothing
more to me.'
96.18-19. and gelice hy hi ongyotaS, peah hi hi ne
lufiqen.
'and they know them alike, although they do not love
them alike.'
123
b. Subject + complement + verb.
(1) butan
77.3-4. . . . and hire nyttian gyf he enyg wiht geseon
mseg, buton he stareblind si.
'. . . and use it if he can see anything at all, unless
he bfe completely blind.'
(2) gyf
81.23. o33e asft.gyf clene man dead were, hweSer clen-
nesse ponne dead were;
'or again, if a chaste man were dead, whether chastity
then would be dead;'
(3) Seah
82.19-20. and he gyf3 eac mannum msenega and mislicum.
gooda gifa on pissa wurlda, peah hi eca ne sien.
'and to men He also gives many and diverse good gifts
in this world, although they are not eternal.1
88.15. Honorius is swiSe god, peah (h)is feder betere
were;
'Honorius is very good, although his father was better;1
The nominalizations headed by 5eet constitute the major
exception to the preferred order. Forty-eight per cent of
these nominalizations have the SVO/C order.
a. Bast + subject + verb + object.
64.14. me puhte peaht good past ic mythte god swa swotole
geseon.
'Still it seemed good to me that I might thus clearly see
God.'
124
69.2-3. We witon past nam man mag nawyht goodes wyrcan
buton hym god myd wyrce;
'We know that no man can perform any good unless God
work with him;'
69.16-17. gepence nu pest pu myhtst geseon myd pines
lycuman saagan preo ping . . .
'Consider now that you can see three things with your
body's eyes . . .'
b. ■ Bast + subject + verb + complement.
63.4. ne wene ic peat aenig man si swa dysig pa3 (he)
pass wene.
'I do not believe that any man is so foolish that he
believes that.'
64.5. Ac ic pe meg secgan past ic eom seo ges(c)eadwisnes
5ines modes,
'But I can say to you that I am the judgment of your
mind,'
91.23-24. and ic gehere asac past min gewit is asce.
'and I hear also that my mind is eternal.'
3. Correlatives. There are two general patterns that
dependent clauses linked by correlatives follow: (1) the
second clause repeats the order of the first clause, and (2)
the second clause has the order V + S + (0/c), irrespective
of the order in the first clause:
a. VS:VS
70.27-28. ponne cymS o5er 5ing pe me ping(3) rihlicre
and rasdlicre, 3onne for let ic past past ic asr genoh hasfde;
'When another thing comes which seems to me more right
and reasonable, then I leave off that which I had enough
of before; ' : ----------------------------------------
125
SOV:SOV
61.16-17. forSi me puhte past ic (h)is maeate micle mare
gepencan Sonne ic (h)is mahte geseon,
'for it seemed to me that I could contemplate much more
than I could see of itj'
b. SOV:VS(0)
55.14-15. gyf pu me forlest, ponne forwurpe icj
'If you forsake me, then I will perishj1
62.15-16. sySSan pu Sonne me peat asaad heafst, Sonne
masg ic pe secgan butan aalcum tweon . . .
'after you have told me that, then I can say to you
without any doubt . . .'
65.6. ponne he hyt ponne gehawaS heaft, Sonne gesyhS
he hit.
'When he has beheld it, then he truly sees it.'
85.19-20. Gyf 3u nu pis gemynst and pises gelifest,
Sonne wast 3u buton tweon past pu esart . . .
'If you now remember this and believe this, then you
know beyond doubt that you are . . .'
92.4-5. gyf pu hyt openlice witan wilt, ponne scealt
pu hyt secan on paere bee pe we hataS . . .
'If you will know it clearly, then you shall seek it in
the book which we call . . .'
95.20. gyf hy him (ne) gelyfaS, Sonne ne gelyfaS hi na
Lazere,
'If they do not believe them, then they will not believe
Lazarus,'
SV:VS(O)
62.29. gyf ic Sonne leoga, Sonne wot god paS.
'If I then lie, then God knows it.'
126
SVC:VS
68.6-8. ponne peat scyp ungetsaslicost on ancre rit and
seo see hreohost by5. ponne wot he gewiss smelte wedere
toweaard.
'when the ship rides most unsteadily at anchor and the
sea is the roughest, then he knows certainly that calm
weather is coming.1
Nondependent clauses
The basic pattern in nondependent clauses is subject +
verb + (object/complement).
1. Subject + verb.
76.26. and ic segge eac,
'and I say also,'
88.10-11. pu dest eac swiSe rihte and swi3e gerisen-
lic(e) . . .
'You do very rightly and very reasonably . . . '
2. Subject + verb + object.
80.15. pu woldest gemetigan mynne wop and myne unrot-
nesse,
'You would restrain my weeping and my sorrow,'
95.19. hi habbaS haligra fedra bee myd heom a on eorSan.
'They have the books of the Holy Fathers with them always
on earth.'
3. Subject + verb + complement.
67.6. seo gesyh5 pe we god myd geseon scylon is angyt.
'The vision which we shall see God with is understanding.'
127
68.3-4. Seat sint pa Preo anceras pe past scyp Ses modes
healdaS on gemang Sam brogan para ySa.
'These are the three anchors which sustain the ship of
the mind in the midst of the terror of the waves.'
Changes from these basic patterns are found in ques
tions , clauses introduced by negatives and certain adver-
bials, and clauses with a pronominal object.
1. Questions. Verb + subject + (object/complement).
56.20. woldest pu awiht ma witan?
'Would you know anything more?'
58.14. Woldest (pu) cunnan god swa swa Alippius?
'Would you know God just as you know Alypius?'
*
59.1-2. gelyfst pu pas, pset ic pe mage don gewisram be
gode ponne pu ne eart be Sam monan?
'Do you believe, therefore, that I can make you wiser
about God than you are now about the moon?'
59.18. hu mag yc hyne cunnan,
'How can I know Him,'
When the complement is an interrogative pronoun the order is
object/complement + verb + subject.
49.11-12. hwam wille ic alles befastan pat ic elles
gestryne butan minum geminde?
'To what will I commit what more I get, if not to my
memory?'
57.2. hwat magon we his ponne don, gyf pu nast pat
gemet?
'What, then, can we do about this if you do not know
the measure?'
128
62.4. hwaet is past Seat pu hest modes eagan?
'What is that which you call the mind's eyes?'
62.6. hwset sint pa o3re creftas?
'What are the other virtues?'
2. Clauses introduced by negatives have the pattern
ne + verb + subject (object/complement).
57.23. ne lufige ic hi na forSi, ac forSamSe hi men
sint,
'I do not love them for this, but because they are men,'
58.11-12. Alippius me is cuSre ponne god, and ne can
ic hine peah swa georne swa ic wolde.
'Alypius is better known to me than God, yet even Him
I do not know as well as I would.'
70.13. nis pset nan wundor.
'That is no wonder.'
88.22-23. Ne lea ic pe na pset 5u segSer lufige.
'I do not blame you that you love both.'
When clauses are introduced by adverbials pa, for5am, and
for3i, the subject follows the verb. The most common of
these adverbials is pa.
49.4. j > j a answarode me sum 3ing,
'Then something answered me,'
54.23-24. and £a_ fleah ic fram pe to deofle,
'and then I fled from You to the devil,'
70.24-25. for3am me is swi5e geheme (pset),
'for that is very common for me,'
129
84.24. and forSi woldest pu lybban . . .
'and because you would live . . .'
90.13. fla cweeS ic:
'Then I said:'
3. Nondependent clauses with a pronominal object have
the pattern: subject + object + verb.
59.12. ic hine can nu . . .
'I know Him now . . . '
61.14. 3a eagan me gebrodton on Sam angytte.
'The eyes brought me to the understanding.'
62.14. ic pe myhte getecen.
'I could teach you.'
93.24. Ealle pa godan hyne geseoS,
'All the good shall see Him*'
Exceptions to the subject + verb + (object/complement) pat
tern in nondependent clauses are:
a. Object + subject + verb.
54.15. Pe anne ic lufige soSlice . . .
'I love You alone truly . . .'
69.5. rihtne weg pu me tsecst.
'You teach me the right way.'
76.14. fflalle pas weorlde ic lufige,
'I love all the world,'
130
b. Object + verb + subject.
86.22-23. Ac me lyste hyt nu bet to witanne ponne to
gelyfanne.
'But it pleases me better to know than to believe.'
c. Verb + (subject) + object (imperatives and horta-
tives) .
50.6-7. and ponne pu Se gebeden heebbe, awrit ponne pat
qebed,
'and when you have prayed, write the prayer then,'
55.2. Ac untin me pine dura,
'But open your door for me,'
47.8. fetige hym par ma,
'let him obtain there more,'
78.15. hawie ponne on steorran and on monan,
'let him look then on the stars and on the moon,'
131
TABLE 4
DEPENDENT AND NONDEPENDENT CLAUSES WITH
THREE MAJOR ELEMENTS
Number Percentage Percentage
Subtype in Dependent Nondepe nde nt
Subtype
Clauses Clauses
Subject, Verb, and Object (975 Examples)
SVO 328 59 41
SOV 411 90 10
VSO 48 19 81
VOS 9 56 44
OSV 152 89 11
OVS 27 93 7
Subject, Verb, and Complement (244 Examples)
SVC 139 71 29
SCV 66 100 0
VSC 15 53 47
CSV 16 75 25
CVS 1 0 100
VCS 5 0 100
•-
132
TABLE 5
DEPENDENT AND NONDEPENDENT CLAUSES IN
THE PASTORAL CARE3
Number Percentage Percentage
Subtype in Dependent Nondependent
Subtype Clauses Clauses
Subject, Verb, and Object (1 ,4 0 5 Examples)
SVO 368 62 38
SOV 606 95 5
VSO 83 39 61
VOS 17 53 47
OSV 292 98 2
OVS 39 97 3
Subject, Verb, and Complement (269 Examples)
SVC 165 66 34
SCV 58 100 0
VSC 15 67 33
CSV 21 71 29
CVS 7 43 58
v c s 3 0 100
3From Brown, p. 89.
CHAPTER VI
CONCLUSION
Certain general patterns occurring in structures of
modification suggest a favored word order. Within the noun
phrase a general formula can be established, thereby pre
dicting whether a certain type of modifier will precede or
follow its head.
The clause may be divided into six types and nineteen
subtypes according to subjects, verbs, objects, and comple
ments. These elements, which occur in various combinations,
indicate preferred patterns. Of these six types, the SVO
pattern and its six subtypes have the highest frequency of
the total clauses, while the VC and CV combinations have
the lowest.
The variation of the pattern SVO/c in nondependent
clauses is found in questions, clauses introduced by the
negative and certain adverbials, and in clauses with a pro
nominal object.
133
134
The dependent clause may be divided into relatives,
conjunctives, and correlatives. The preferred pattern in
relative clauses is SO/CV or O/CSV. The conjunctive clause
usually has the pattern SO/CV, although nominalizations
headed by 5ast have the pattern SVO/C in 48 per cent of the
examples. The predominant pattern of correlatives is VS
(0/C) in the second clause, irrespective of the word order
in the first clause.
135
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Andrew* S. O. Syntax and Style in Old English. 1940; rpt.
New York: Russell* 1966.
Bacquet* Paul. L< = » Structure de la phrase verbale a l'epogue
Alfredienne. Paris: Societe d'Editions* 1962.
Borinski* Ludwig. Per Stil Konigs Alfreds. 2nd ed. Leip
zig: Tauchnitz* 1934.
Brown, William H., Jr. A Syntax of King Alfred's Pastoral
Care. The Hague: Mouton* 1970.
Brunner* Karl. An Outline of Middle English Grammar.
Trans. Grahame Johnston. Cambridge* Mass.: Harvard
University Press* 1963.
______________ . Die Englische Sprache. Vol. II. 2nd ed.
Tubingen: Niemeyer* 1963.
Campbell* Alistair. An Old English Grammar. Oxford:
Clarendon Press* 1959.
Carnicelli* Thomas A.* ed. King Alfred's Version of St.
Augustine 1s Soliloquies. Cambridge* Mass.: Harvard
University Press* 1969.
Clark* John W. Early English. New York: Norton* 1964.
Cockayne* Oswald* ed. "The Blooms of King Alfred." The
Shrine. London: Williams and Norgate* 1864-70.
136
137
Colgrave, Bertram, Kemp Malone, and Knud Schibsbye, eds.
Early English Manuscripts in Facsimile. Vol. XII:
The Nowell Codex. Copenhagen: Rosenkilde and Bagger,
1963 .
Endter, Wilhelm, ed. Konig Alfreds des Groflen Bearbeituncr
der Soliloguien des Augustins. 1922; rpt. Darmstadt:
Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 1964.
Forster, Max- Die Beowulf-Handschrift. Leipzig: Teubner,
1919 .
Hargrove, Henry Lee, ed. King Alfred's Old English Version
of St. Augustine's Soliloquies. New York: Holt, 1902.
_________________________ . King Alfred's Old English Version
of St. Augustine's Soliloquies Turned into Modern Eng
lish . New York: Holt, 1904.
Hubbard, F. G. "The Relation of the 'Blooms of King Alfred'
to the Anglo-Saxon Translation of Boethius." Modern
Language Notes, 9 (1894), 161-171.
Hulme, William H. "Blooms von Konig Aelfred." Englische
Studien, 18 (1893), 331-356.
_________________ . Die Sprache der Altenglischen Bearbeitung
der Soliloguien Augustins. Darmstadt: Otto, 1894.
Ker, N. R. Catalogue of Manuscripts Containing Anglo-Saxon.
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1957.
Migne, Jacques-Paul, ed. Patrologiae Cursus Completus . . .
Vol. XXXII: Sanctus Aurelii Augustini. Paris: Gar-
nier Fratres, 1877.
Moore, Samuel and Thomas A. Knott. The Elements of Old
English. 10th ed. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Wahr, 1965.
Mosse, Fernand. A Handbook of Middle English. Trans. James
A. Walker. 1952; rpt. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins, 1966.
Potter, Simeon. "King Alfred's Last Preface." Philologica:
The Malone Anniversary Studies. Ed. Thomas A. Kirby
and Henry B. Woolf. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins, 1949.
138
Quirk, Randolph and D. L. Wrenn. An Old English Grammar.
2nd ed. New York: Holt, 1958.
Shannon, Ann. A Descriptive Syntax of the Parker Manuscript
of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle from 734-891. The Hague:
Mouton, 1964.
Sisam, Kenneth. "The Beowulf Manuscript." Studies in the
History of Old English Literature. Oxford: Clarendon
Press, 1953 .
Visser, F. Th. An Historical Syntax of the English Lan
guage . 3 vols. Leiden: Brill, 1963-
Whitelock, Dorothy. "The Prose of Alfred's Reign." Con
tinuations and Beginnings: Studies in Old English
Literature♦ Ed. E. G. Stanley. London: Nelson, 1966.
Wrenn, C. L. A Study of Old English Literature. London:
Harrap, 1967.
Wright,. Joseph and Elizabeth Mary Wright. An Elementary
Middle English Grammar. London: Oxford University
Press, 1928.
Wulfing, Johann E. Die Syntax in den Werken Alfreds des
GroBen. 2 vols. Bonn: Hanstein, 1894-1901.
Wiilker, Richard P. "Uber die Angelsachsischen Bearbeitung
der Soliloquien Augustins." Beitrage zur Geschichte
der Deutschen Sprache und Literatur, 4 (1877), 101-131.

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Core Title A Descriptive Syntax Of King Alfred'S Soliloquies

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Advisor Brown, William H., Jr. (committee chair), Finegan, Edward (committee member), Kaplan, Robert B. (committee member)

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