The history of Old English and its development — страница 7

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cwenan               éagan G  namena        cwenena             éagena D  namum         cwenum              éagum A  naman          cwenan               éagan Examples: masc. - guma (a man), wita (a wizard), steorra (a star), móna (the Moon), déma (a judge); fem. - eorþe (Earth), heorte (a heart), sunne (Sun); neut. - éare (an ear).

And now the last one which is interesting due to its special Germanic structure. I am speaking about the root-stems which according to Germanic laws of Ablaut, change the root vowel during the declension. In Modern English such words still exist, and we all know them: goose - geese, tooth - teeth, foot - feet, mouse - mice etc. At school they were a nightmare for me, now they are an Old English grammar. Besides, in Old English time they were far more numerous in the language.           

Masc.                                           Fem.                           Sg. N  mann      fót (foot) tóþ (tooth)  | hnutu (nut)  bóc (book)  gós (goose)  mús (mouse) burg (burg) G  mannes   fótes       tóþes          |

hnute          bóce            góse             múse            burge D  menn      fét           téþ             | hnyte          béc              gés              

mýs              byrig A  mann      fót          tóþ             | hnutu          bók              gós               mús              burg                           Pl.

N  menn      fét          téþ              | hnyte          béc             gés               mýs              byrig G  manna    fóta        tóþa            | hnuta