Old English Verbs Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is the key difference between Old English nouns and Present-Day English nouns in terms of inflection?

PDE nouns do not have grammatical gender.

OE nouns are less inflected than PDE nouns.

PDE nouns have more grammatical categories than OE nouns.

OE nouns are highly inflected, similar to Latin. (correct)

In Old English, which noun that refers to a female has a neuter grammatical gender?

sēo

wifmann

mann

wif (correct)

How are relative clauses modified in Old English when using demonstrative pronouns?

Relative clauses do not use demonstrative pronouns.

They always modify the demonstrative noun.

The demonstrative’s case and number may not match the relative clause.

The demonstrative must agree with the word that the relative clause modifies. (correct)

What is the function of 'self' or 'sylf' in Old English reflexive pronouns?

To add emphasis. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the declensions of Old English nouns?

There are several major and minor declensions including strong and weak types. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes strong verbs from weak verbs in Old English?

Weak verbs form the past tense by adding a dental consonant. Signup and view all the answers

In Old English, what mood is largely absent compared to Present-Day English (PDE)?

Subjunctive Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about Old English verb tense is correct?

Old English only has present and past tense inflections. Signup and view all the answers

What is the process called when strong verbs in Old English change the vowel of the root syllable to form the past tense?

Ablaut Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the inflectional characteristics of verbs in Old English?

They do not express tense, number, or person. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of vowel length in Old English?

It differentiates the meanings of words. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following represents the meaning of 'āc' in Old English?

'oak' Signup and view all the answers

How were unaccented vowels likely pronounced in Old English?

Less distinctly than accented vowels. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of long vowels in Old English?

Marked in manuscripts with diacritics. Signup and view all the answers

Which digraph is commonly interpreted as a diphthong in Old English?

ēo Signup and view all the answers

What change was observed in the pronunciation of unaccented vowels by late Old English?

They increasingly resembled schwa sounds. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Old English word 'ġe' translate to in modern English?

'and' Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'contrastive vowel length' refer to in Old English?

Vowel length affecting word meanings. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of weak nouns compared to strong nouns?

Weak nouns make fewer distinctions of gender and case. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is true about athematic nouns?

Athematic nouns are the ancestors of some PDE irregular plural nouns. Signup and view all the answers

What is the nominative plural form of the word 'mann' in athematic declension?

menn Signup and view all the answers

In weak declensions, which ending is used for both genitive and dative singular forms?

-an Signup and view all the answers

How is the U-stem declension classified within Old English nouns?

As a minor declension containing only feminines and masculines. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason weak nouns are considered the ancestor of PDE nouns with irregular -en plurals?

Weak nouns are based on simplified declensions. Signup and view all the answers

In the plural dative case for weak nouns, which ending is applied?

-um Signup and view all the answers

What type of vowel change occurs in athematic nouns instead of an ending?

I-mutation of the root vowel Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about personal pronouns is true?

Only 3rd person pronouns have gender, which is neutralized in plural. Signup and view all the answers

How do 3rd person possessive adjectives agree with the possessor?

They agree in gender and number. Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of the genitive personal pronouns?

They form the basis for possessive adjectives with a suffix. Signup and view all the answers

Which pronoun correctly completes the sentence 'se þeġn ________ sealde hring' ?

mē Signup and view all the answers

In the context of possessive adjectives, what do 1st and 2nd person possessive Ds agree with?

They agree with the nouns they modify. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is true about the genitive pronouns in the 3rd person?

They can be used interchangeably without any standard forms. Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the construction 'þu hine mē sealdest'?

To show the speaker receiving an item. Signup and view all the answers

What does syncretism in 3rd person pronouns refer to?

The existence of multiple forms for the same pronoun. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Verbs in Old English

Old English verbs do not inflect for future tense, only present and past
Verbs inflect for person and number
Verbs have a mood, which is the speaker's attitude towards the verb
The subjunctive mood is used to express wish, possibility, doubt
There are strong and weak verbs
Weak verbs make the past tense by adding a dental consonant (-d or -t) to the root
Strong verbs make the past tense by changing the vowel of the root syllable
Strong verbs have seven groups, weak verbs have three

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Description

This quiz explores the characteristics of Old English verbs, including their inflections for tense, person, and number. It delves into the distinctions between strong and weak verbs, as well as the use of moods like the subjunctive. Test your knowledge on the intricacies of Old English verb formations.