Inflections
An inflection is a change in the form of a word that shows its grammatical function.
What is an Inflection?
Old English separated between its verbs by dividing them into two categories: strong and
weak.
How did Old English separate its verbs?
A case is a grammatical category whose value reflects the grammatical function..
What is a case?
No, modern english has not retained the grammatical genders of old english?
Does modern english still have grammatical gemders?
Fairly early in the middle English period, English speakers began to simplify and
lose their inflections.
When did English Speakers start to simplify and lose their inflections?
Strong and weak verbs were the two different categories.
What were the different categories of verbs?
Nominative Case
Which case indicates the subject of a finite verb (We went to the shop.) ?
Yes, German for example, still has a grammatical gender.
Are there any languages that still have grammatical genders?
Due to all the inflections in old English.
Why is word order was not as strict then as it now?
Strong verbs formed past tense by changing a vowel, for example, sing – sang – sung.
How were strong verbs formed?
Genitive case
Which case indicates the possessor of another noun (John’s hat was on the floor.)
No, the grammatical gender of words does not necessarily correspond to their real,
physical, or 'natural' gender.
Does the grammatical gender of words correspond to their real, physical, or 'natural' gender.
Verbs were inflected to indicate person,
number, tense and mood.
Why were verbs inflected?
Weak verbs formed by adding an ending, for example, walk – walked – walking.
How were weak verbs formed?
Dative case
Which case indicates the indirect object of a verb (He gave me a hug.)
Nouns, pronouns, adjectives and determiners
were inflected to indicate case, gender and number.
Why were nouns, pronouns, adjectives and determiners inflected?
Modern English kept this system, but strong verbs are now known as irregular verbs, and weak
verbs are now known as regular verbs.
Did modern english keep this system? How have they changed it if so?
Accusative case
Which case indicates the direct object of a verb (John remembered us.)