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Introduction to Old and Middle English: Part I

Introduction to Old and Middle English: Part I. Historical syntax December 16, 2005 Andreas H. Jucker. Word order: ModE. Main clauses Fred hates syntax exercises ( S V O) Yesterday Fred might have done some syntax exercises (X S V O) Subordinate clauses

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Introduction to Old and Middle English: Part I

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  1. Introduction to Old and Middle English:Part I Historical syntax December 16, 2005 Andreas H. Jucker

  2. Word order: ModE • Main clauses • Fredhates syntax exercises (SVO) • Yesterday Fredmight have done some syntax exercises (XSVO) • Subordinate clauses • … because Fredhates syntax exercises. (XSVO) • … Fred, whohates syntax exercises. (SVO) • Pattern: subject – verb – object (SVO)

  3. Word order: OE • Main clauses • hehæfde an swiðe ænlice wif (SVO)‘he had a most excellent wife’ • þa eodenhie ut (XVSX)‘then they went out’ • Micelne geleafan hehæfde (O(S)V, S=clitic)‘Great faith he had’ • Pattern: verb second (V2) Sources: Bruce & Mitchell 1992: 63; van Kemenade 1987: 37

  4. Word order: OE • Subordinate clause • þat hie mid þæm þæt folc ut aloccoden (XSXV)‘so that by doing that, they would entice the people out’ • gif hie ænigne feld secan wolden (XSOV)‘if they wished to seek any open country’ • Pattern: verb-final (V-F) Sources: Bruce & Mitchell 1992: 63; van Kemenade 1987: 37, 39

  5. Problem for historical syntax • Word order in main clauses • verb-second --> subject-verb • Word order in subordinate clauses • verb-last --> subject-verb

  6. Word order reanalysis • Assumptions: • OE underlying SOV in all clauses • in main clauses: • verb fronting • topicalisation • pronouns are clitics unless topicalised • clitics are attached to the finite verb • result: V2 • in subordinate clauses: • verb fronting and topicalisation blocked

  7. Verb fronting and topicalisation • Main clauses • hehæfde an swiðe ænlice wif ‘he had a most excellent wife’ • þaeoden hie ut ‘then they went out’ • Micelne geleafanhehæfde‘Great faith he had’ • Pattern: topic-(clitic)-verb-rest = verb second Sources: Bruce & Mitchell 1992: 63; van Kemenade 1987: 37

  8. Reanalysis • Not possible in main clauses • SVX only coincidentally if subject topicalised • SVX in subordinate clauses by 1200/1300 through extraposition • SVX in main clauses by analogy • SVX in main clauses not before 1400 • Decliticisation of pronouns Stockwell & Minkova 1991

  9. Extraposition • Subordinate clause • æfter disum gelamp þæt micel manncwealmbecomofer þære Romaniscan leode (...SVX)‘then it happened that a great plague came over the Roman people’ • sme men cewþaþ on Englisc þæt hitsiefeaxede steorra (…SVX) • ær he acenned wæsof Marian (XSVX)‘before He was born of Mary’ • Pattern: verb-final plus extraposition or SV Sources: Bruce & Mitchell 1992: 63; van Kemenade 1987: 37, 39

  10. Word order in Shakespeare • He loves not you. • You do not look on me. • Wilt thou use thy wit? • Wrong I mine enemies? • Do you fear it? • Knows he not thy voice? • Didst thou not say he comes? • Can’st not rule her? • What do you read my lord? Source: Radford 1997: 127

  11. Ongoing change: progressive • Early examples in Beowulf • Shakespeare: “I am dying, Egypt, dying”but also “I come, my queen” • ModE: “Tom is having a bath” • Recent developments: • Tom is having a bath as soon as Arabella is out of the bathroom • Charles is understanding French a lot better since he’s been to France Aitchison 1991: 99, 100

  12. Futurity: be going to • Occasionally in Shakespeare • I’m going to visit the prisoner • Dickens: Oliver Twist • 4 per cent of references to future time • Salinger: Catcher in the rye • 30 per cent of references to future time Aitchison 1991: 100

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