EARLY MODERN ENGLISH MORPHOLOGY

1 INFLECTIONAL MORPHOLOGY
- further loss of inflections
-
1.1 Nouns (Cowie, 2012)
 The use of apostrophe s („s) for the spelling of the possessive singular is not
common until the late 17th century.
 The s apostrophe (s‟) for the spelling of the possessive plural is not common until
the 18th century.

1.2 Pronouns
The pronominal paradigm made by Gelderen (2014) shows the changes of the
pronouns in the Early Modern English period wherein the forms within the
parentheses are disappearing.

(NOM = Nominative; GEN = Genitive; ACC = Accusative)

 There is a loss of the dative (indirect) case as it has fused with the accusative
(direct/objective) case. Thus, accusative is used for all objects.

1.2.1 Second Person Pronouns

The table below shows the changes of the second person pronoun
throughout the periods.

(FAM = familiar; POL = polite; SG = singular; PL=plural)

 Second person singular Thou and you are both used in the same
scenario, but you is standing out more since the plural nominative
pronoun ye(e) disappeared.

that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye
shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (KJV, Genesis 3)

 You is used in formal situations (used to address people in higher

ranks), thou is used in speaking to friends, children, animals, and even
used to express affection (Handke, 2013).

Queen Thou hast thy Father much offended.

Hamlet Mother, you haue my Father much offended.
 Queen Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue.
Hamlet Go, go, you question with an idle tongue.
(Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 4

(provide one more example)

1.2.2 Third Person Pronouns

 During the Old and Middle English periods, the genitive of it is his. In
the Early Modern period, it became into a neuter genitive its. However,
there are traces of genitive his that can be found in the Early Modern
English period.

and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind (KJV, Genesis 1)

 Its came into existence as an analogy to yours, hers, etc.

 In the 18th century (Modern English), both its and it’s are found.

1.2.3 Reflexive pronouns

 In Old English, there is no existence of the forms such as himself or
herself.
 In the early 16th century, simple pronouns are used as reflexive
pronouns gradually come into existence.

I feele me much to blame (2 Henry 4 II, iv, 390)

I take not on me here as a Physician (2 Henry 4 IV, i, 60)
Tat thou prouok’st thy selfe to cast him vp (2 Henry 4 I, iii, 96)
I dresse my selfe handsome (2 Henry 4 II, iv, 303)

1.2.4 Case
 Case is further disappearing.
 the loss of whom
 the loss of second person plural ye(e)and is replaced with the general
you
 inconsistent use of pronouns

all debts are cleerd between you and I (Merchant of Venice III, 2, 321)
So sawcy with the hand of she heere (Anthony & Cleopatra III, 13, 98)
you have seene Cassio and she together (Othello IV, 2, 3)

1.3 Verbs


1.3.1 Verbal Endings

 The second person singular -st ending is lost due to the loss of the
second person singular pronoun thou.
 The third person singular verbal ending changes from -th to -s in the
Early Modern English period.
 Authors vary greatly with respect to which verbal ending they use.
 What thou denyest to men (Timon IV, 3, 537)
whereas the contrarie bringeth blisse (1 Henry 6 V, 5, 64)

 During 1600, most verbal endings are disappearing in writing.

 Long before then, the third person verbal ending may no longer have
been pronounced -th before that.
 William Shakespeare in this period no longer uses third person -th
endings on verbs, except for hath and doth, and even those disappear
after 1600.
 In his First Folio, lexical verbs mostly have the -s ending.

it appeares no other thing to mee, then a foule and pestilent

congregation of va-pours (Hamlet II, 2, 315)

 In contrary, the King James Version is quite conservative and continues

to use -th endings on auxiliaries (hath and doth) as well as on lexical
verbs.

King James Version – 1611

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the feld which the
LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God
said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said
unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But
of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath
said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the
serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth
know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and
ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (KJV, Genesis 3)

Te hay appeareth and the tender grass sheweth itself.

(KJV, Proverbs 27)

 Subjunctive endings are being replaced by modal auxiliaries and

infinitival complements.

and wishing [for those hands to take of his melancholy bargain].

(1681 Dryden, from Visser 1973: 2248)

1.3.2 Verbal Agreement

 In Early Modern English, verbal agreement is considered “wrong” by
prescriptive standards.

let nothing fail of all that thou has spoken (Esther 6)

Both death and I am one.
(As You Like It I, 3, 99)
Jack, how agrees the devil and thee about thy soul ...
(I Henry IV I, ii, 115)
1.4 Adjectives