Scribd
Upload
17 views

Historical Development of English Syntax

This document describes the historical development of English syntax from Old English to Modern English. It notes that Old English word order was relatively free and syntax was simple. By the 17th century, direct word order was established in Modern English. The use of auxiliary verbs like do and prepositions evolved over time, and multiple negation gradually became less common. Subjects were more often expressed even in impersonal sentences in Middle English.

Uploaded by

Кристина Гура
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
17 views

Historical Development of English Syntax

This document describes the historical development of English syntax from Old English to Modern English. It notes that Old English word order was relatively free and syntax was simple. By the 17th century, direct word order was established in Modern English. The use of auxiliary verbs like do and prepositions evolved over time, and multiple negation gradually became less common. Subjects were more often expressed even in impersonal sentences in Middle English.

Uploaded by

Кристина Гура
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 19

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

OF ENGLISH SYNTAX
OE SYNTAX
 OE was largely a synthetic language; it
possessed a system of grammatical forms
which could indicate the connection
between words.
 Itwas primarily a spoken language,
consequently, the syntax of the sentence
was relatively simple.
OE SYNTAX

 The order of words in the OE sentence was


relatively free. The position of words in the
sentence was often determined by logical
and stylistic factors.
 Therewere several most frequent patterns
of word order.
Patterns of word order in OE
Subject
 – Predicate
Ōhthēre sǣde his hlāforde…
(E Ohthere (name) said to his lord…)
Predicate – Subject

þā ʒeascode hē þone cyninʒ
(E Then he discovered the king)
Framing: Subject … … … … Predicate

Hē ealra Norþmonna norþmest būde
He lived father north than all northmen.
Patterns of word order in OE

 Object– Subject – Predicate


… hiene þa Cynewulf on Andred adræfde.
(E Cynewulf then drove him into Andred).
 Predicate – Object – Subject
ða on morʒenne ʒehierdun þæt þæs cynin ʒes þe ʒnas.
(E Then in the morning the king’s warriors heard
that).
Word order in OE
Prepositions
 and modifiers often followed
their nouns instead of preceding them,
sometimes at a considerable distance:
Him māra faltum tō com
(E More help came to him).
þæs cyninʒes þeʒnas þe him beæftan wærun…
(E The king's warriors who were behind him..)
OE SYNTAX

 Neitherin questions nor in negative sentences


does Old English make use of
auxiliary do:
Hwȳ didest þū þæt? (E Why did you do that?)
ic ne ʒā…
(E I do not go…)
OE SYNTAX
 Negation is achieved by use of the particle
ne (usually before the verb):
ic ne dyde.
(E I did not (do it)).
 Multiple
negation was common
hē ne mihte nān þinʒ ʒesēon
(E He could see nothing)
OE SYNTAX
 TheSubject of a sentence or clause was
frequently unexpressed (impersonal verbs).
Norþan snīwde.
E From the North snowed.
Buʒon tō bence.
E [They] bent to the bench.
CHANGES IN ME SYNTAX

 Subjectbegan to be expressed even in


impersonal sentences:
Me thinketh it
 (E It seemed to me)
Changes in ME Syntax

 Widespread use of prepositions, some of


them still occasionally followed the object:

after þe lawes of oure londe …


E … according to the laws of our land.
he seyd him to…
E …he said to him…
Changes in ME Syntax
 Though single negation began to be used in
the 14th century, multiple
negation was still widely spread:

Ne schal non werien no linnene cloth


E No one shall wear any linen clothes
Changes in NE Syntax

 Directword order was finally established


by the 17th century:
‘I know not how to tell thee who I am:
My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,
Because it is an enemy to thee…’
(Romeo & Juliet).
Changes in NE Syntax

 Untilabout 1700 do had no emphatic


function in the context:
If they do see thee, they will murder thee
(Romeo & Juliet)
Changes in NE Syntax

 Negatives could be formed either with or


without do (an auxiliary verb)
I doubt it not (Romeo & Juliet)
I do not doubt you (Henry IV)
Changes in NE Syntax
 Yes– No and Wh – questions could be formed
either by Subject – Verb
inversion, or by Subject – Auxiliary Verb
inversion:
Came he not home tonight? (Romeo & Juliet)
Do you not love me? (Much Ado about
Nothing)
What sayde he? (As You Like It)
Changes in NE Syntax

 Multiple negation in Shakespeare:


Is’t not enough, young man,
That I did never, no nor never can
(A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

I am not valiant neither (Othello)


Changes in NE Syntax

 Structural substitutes developed:

There’s a man there.


It is pleasant to dance.
The work is a remarkable one.
They married just as your father did.
Changes in NE Syntax
 Predicative constructions developed:

She had no desire for me to stay.

I saw her dancing.

They could not go anywhere without his


seeing how all the men were attracted by
her.

You might also like