Historical

changes in the
verbal system
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Pretend by Merzhoeva Ellina

PDT20-01
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Grammatical categories of the Verbals

 In OE there were two non-finite forms of the verb: the Infinitive and
the Participle. The Infinitive had no verbal grammatical categories.
Being a verbal noun by origin, it had a sort of reduced case-system:
the Nom. and the Dat. cases of nouns

 beran – uninflected Infinitive (“Nom.” case)

 tō berenne or tō beranne – inflected Infinitive (“Dat.” case)

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Grammatical categories of the Finite Verb

 The category of Tense in OE consisted of two categorical forms, Present and
Past. The use of Subj. forms passed a very general meaning of unreality or
supposition. The meanings of the tense forms were also very general, as
compared with later ages and with present-day English. The forms of the
Present tense were used to indicate present and future actions. The Past
tense was used in a most general sense to indicate various events in the past.

 Wē synd āworpene hider

 Мы изгнаны сюда
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The category of tense

 Includes 2 categorial forms: present and past. Future could be expressed
by different means – the forms of the present were used to indicate
present and future actions. Also future could be expressed by verb-
phrases with preterite-present (now modal) verbs sculan and willan.

 Nū wē sceolan heriʒean heofonrices weard

 Now we shall praise the King of the heavenly kingdom. Теперь мы

будем славить Царя небесного царства.
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The category of person

 There were 3 person forms, both in the present and past, 3 grammatical
endings, no homonymy.

 Though the category of person was consistently (последовательно)

shown only in the present and past tense indicative mood Sg number, in
the subjunctive mood Sg and Pl and indicative Pl this category was not
shown quite consistently.
Ic wrīte þū wrītest – hē wrīteð –
–я ты пишешь он пишет
пишу
ic dēme þū dēmst – hē dēmð/þ
–я ты судишь – он судит
сужу
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The category of mood

 The category was consisted of the indicative,
subjunctive and imperative moods. Unlike modern
English, this mood was systematically used in clauses
of condition, time, result, in clauses presenting
reported speech and some other clauses. Subjunctive
forms passed a very general meaning of problematic
events.

 Hē sǣde pæt pæt land sie (Subj) sniþe lånʒ

 Он сказал, что эта семья очень большая

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The category of number

 The only consistently category. This category was build of
by the opposition of 2 number forms – Sg and Pl in the
indicative mood, in the subjunctive (both past and present)
and the imperative mood.

 Rīs – Imperative Sg

 Rīsaþ – Imperative Pl