Chapter 113

ON CONJUGATION.

§ 321. Attention is directed to the following list of verbs. In the present English they all form the præterite in -d or -t; in Anglo-Saxon, they all formed it by a change of the vowel. In other words they are _weak verbs that were once strong_.

_Præterites._

_English._ _Anglo-Saxon._

_Present._ _Præterite._ | _Present._ _Præterite._ | Wreak Wreaked. | Wrece Wræc. Fret Fretted. | Frete Fræt. Mete Meted. | Mete Mæt. Shear Sheared. | Scere Scear. Braid Braided. | Brede Bræd. Knead Kneaded. | Cnede Cnæd. Dread Dreaded. | Dræde Dred. Sleep Slept. | Slápe Slep. Fold Folded. | Fealde Feold. Wield Wielded. | Wealde Weold. Wax Waxed. | Weaxe Weox. Leap Leapt. | Hleápe Hleop. Sweep Swept. | Swápe Sweop. Weep Wept. | Wepe Weop. Sow Sowed. | Sáwe Seow. Bake Baked. | Bace Bók. Gnaw Gnawed. | Gnage Gnóh. Laugh Laughed. | Hlihhe Hlóh. Wade Waded. | Wade Wód. Lade Laded. | Hlade Hlód. Grave Graved. | Grafe Gróf. Shave Shaved. | Scafe Scóf. Step Stepped. | Steppe Stóp. Wash Washed. | Wacse Wócs. Bellow Bellowed. | Belge Bealh. Swallow Swallowed. | Swelge Swealh. Mourn Mourned. | Murne Mearn. Spurn Spurned. | Spurne Spearn. Carve Carved. | Ceorfe Cearf. Starve Starved. | Steorfe Stærf. Thresh Threshed. | Þersce Þærsc. Hew Hewed. | Heawe Heow. Flow Flowed. | Flówe Fleow. Row Rowed. | Rówe Reow. Creep Crept. | Creópe Creáp. Dive Dived. | Deófe Deáf. Shove Shoved. | Scéofe Sceáf. Chew Chewed. | Ceówe Ceáw. Brew Brewed. | Breówe Breáw. Lock Locked. | Lûce Leác. Suck Sucked. | Sûce Seác. Reek Reeked. | Reóce Reác. Smoke Smoked. | Smeóce Smeác. Bow Bowed. | Beóge Beáh. Lie Lied. | Leóge Leáh. Gripe Griped. | Grípe Gráp. Span Spanned. | Spanne Spén. Eke Eked. | Eáce Eóc. Fare Fared. | Fare Fôr.

§ 322. Respecting the _strong_ verb, the following general statements may be made:

1. Many strong verbs become weak; whilst no weak verb ever becomes strong.

2. All the strong verbs are of Saxon origin. None are classical.

3. The greater number of them are strong throughout the Gothic tongues.

4. No new word is ever, upon its importation, inflected according to the strong conjugation. It is always weak. As early as A.D. 1085, the French word _adouber_ = _to dub_, was introduced into English. Its præterite was _dubbade_.

5. All derived words are inflected weak. The intransitive forms _drink_ and _lie_, are strong; the transitive forms _drench_ and _lay_, are weak.

This shows that the division of verbs into _weak_ and _strong_ is a truly natural one.

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