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Early Modern English Morphology Written Report
Early Modern English Morphology Written Report
Early Modern English Morphology Written Report
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.
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.
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)
and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind (KJV, Genesis 1)
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