Middle English: Grammar

Question 1

How did the grammatical system change during the Middle English period?

Answer 1

• Change from synthetic to analytic language
• Reduction of vowels
• Loss of unstressed syllables at the end of words
• Reduction/ Loss of inflectional endings
• Fixed order of words in the sentence
• More prepositions were used

Question 2

Nouns
- Simplification of declension classes in Middle English

Answer 2

OE: various classes of nouns: a-declension, consonant declension, etc.
Phonological Erosion of endings
Example: house in ME
- Singular: Nominative, Dative, Accusative
> house
- Singular: Genetive
> hous(e)s
- Plural:
> hous(e)s

Question 3

Plural

Answer 3

Different plurals of ES also used in Middle English
Plural in -en: ox-oxen, child-children
Other plural forms:
- Vowel change: feet, geese, mice
- Zero plural: sheep, deer

> inflectional pattern no longer productive: irregular

Question 4

Common change in plural formation: Adaption of strong paradigm

Answer 4

Some nouns change class and become regular

• Old English: nama - naman
• Middle English: name - names

> Morphological Analogy

Question 5

Adjectives in Middle English

Answer 5

No difference between strong and weak declension

Question 6

Adjectives in Middle English
- exception

Answer 6

• strong and weak declension only in adjectives with one syllable ending in a consonant (e.g. yong = young)
• no difference in case
• Only difference in number (singular - plural)
  stong and weak declension
  Singular: yong (strong), yonge (weak)
  Plural: yonge (stong), yonge (weak)