The Language of the Parker Chronicle: Volume I: Phonology and Accidence. Academisch Proefschrift

307 Pages·1965·7.72 MB·English

by  Cornelis Sprockel (auth.)

THE LANGUAGE OF THE
PARKER CHRONICLE
Published with a grant from the N etherlands Organization for the
Advancement of Pure Research (Z.W.O.)
THE LANGUAGE OF THE
PARKER CHRONICLE
VOLUME 1
PHONOLOGY AND ACCIDENCE
ACADEMISCH PROEFSCHRIFT
TER VERKRIJGING VAN DE GRAAD VAN DOCTOR
IN DE LETTEREN AAN DE
UNIVERSITEIT VA N AMSTERDAM
OP GEZAG VAN DE RECTOR MAGNIFICUS
MR. J. VAN DER HOEVEN,
HOOGLERAAR IN DE FACULTEIT DER RECHTSGELEERDHEID,
IN HET OPENBAAR TE VERDEDIGiEN
IN DE AULA DER UNIVERSITEIT (TIJDELIJK IN DE
LUTHERSE KERK, INGANG SINGEL 411, HOEK SPUI)
OP DINSDAG 11 MEI 1965 DES NAMIDDAGS TE 3 UUR PRECIES
DOOR
CORNELIS SPROCKEL
GEBOREN TE CURA~AO
11
SPRINGER-SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.V.
1965
Promot01': PROF. DR. A. L. Vos
ISBN 978-94-015-2150-5 ISBN 978-94-015-3361-4 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-94-015-3361-4
To my wife
CONTENTS
Preface VII
Abbreviations, General Notes, Addenda and Corrigenda XI
I ntroduction
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle [ 1]. The Text of the Parker
Chronicle [2]. "Standard" OE [3]. Purpose and
Method [4].
PHONOLOGY
THE VOWELS 3
I-J. Vowels in Root Syllables
I. Short Vowels 5
a [1.1]; e [1.2]; i [1.3]; o [1.4]; u [1.5]
2. Long V owels 45
a [2.1 J; t2 [2.2]; e [2.3]; i [2.4]; o [2.5]; u [2.6]
3. Diphthongs 56
ai [3.1]; au [3.2]; eu [3.3]; iu [3.4]
Appendix I (to Chapters I-J):
(1) Statistica! Summary of the Chief Distinguishing
Features. 65
(II) Comparison of the "Alfredian" Section (A) with
"standard" early West Saxon. 69
4· Vowels in N on-Root Syllables 72
Unstressed Vowels which were originally final or
became final in Prim. or West Gmc. [4.1]. Unstressed
Vowels in final Syllables ending in a Consonant in
Prehistoric OE [4.2]. Parasite Vowels and Syllabic
Consonants [4.3]. Vowels in Media! Syllables [4.4].
Media! Vowels in Composition [4.5]. Prefixes [4.6]
VI
Appendix II (to Chapter 4): Orthographic Variants
THE CONSONANTS
5· Semivowels and Vowellikes 92
w [5.1]; i [5.2]; l [5.3]; r [5.4]; m [5.5]; n [5.6]
6. Plosives and Fricatives 108
p [6.1]; fj [6.2]; f [6.3]; t [6.4]; â [6.5]; p [6.6]
s [6.7]; k [6.8]; y [6.9]; X [6.10]
Appendix III: The Phonemic System of OE
The Vowel Phonemes (I) 128
The Consonant Phonemes (II) 142
ACCIDENCE
7· lVouns 151
Pure a-stems [7.1]; fa-stems [7.2]; wa-stems [7.3].
Pure o-stems [7.4]; fo-stems [7.5]; wo-stems [7.6].
i-stems [7.7]. u-stems [7.8]. The Weak Declension [7.9].
Minor Declensions [7 .1 O]
8. Adfectives 186
The Strong Declension [8.1]. The Weak Declension
[8.2]. Comparison of Adjectives [8.3]
9· lVumerals 197
Cardinal Nu merals [9 .1]. Ordinals [9 .2]. Other N umerals
[9.3]
IO. Pronouns 202
Personal Pronouns [10.1]. Possessive Pronouns [10.2].
Demonstrative Pronouns [ 10 .3]. Relative Pronouns
[ 10 .4]. Interrogative Pronouns [ 10 .5]. Ind efinite Pro
nouns [10.6]
II. Verbs 210
Strong Verbs [11.1]. Weak Verbs [11.2]. Pret.Pres.
Verbs [11.3]. Anomalous Verbs [11.4]
Appendix IV (to Chapters 7-II): The Changing Inflectional
System of OE 235
Bibliography 254
Index 257
PREFACE
That the history of England between the death of Bede and the
Norman Conquest could hardly have been written at aU but for the
annalistic compilations comprehensively labelled the Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle has more than once been pointed out, and the information
contained in them has been made accessible to historians in a
number of editions and translations by scholars from Benjamin
Thorpe in 1861 to Dorothy Whitelock in our own time. That the
Chronicle also affords invaluable evidence for the development of
the English language, since it was almost entirely written in the
vernacular, has less often been emphasized. Now, there cannot be
any doubt that from this point of view the most important of its
versions is the Parker Chronicle, since it is the oldest, and was
written down over a period of close on two centuries. It is, therefore,
surprising that this primary source of documentary evidence for the
development of Old English has received so little attention since
Cosijn published his Altwestsiichsische Grammatik more than three
quarters of a century ago. In view of this neglect, I think I may
assume that a work dealing solely with the linguistic aspect of this
important document will meet a need.
In the present volume, which covers phonology and inflection, I
have endeavoured to present the reader with a clear, statistica!
account of the facts, since I believe that for the moment the
interests of the historical study of English can best be served by
furnishing precise data. Word-formation and syntax will be dealt
with in the second volume; whether the lexis will be included in
that volume is still under consideration. The reasons why the
comparative method has been followed - except in Appendices III
and IV - have been explained in the Introduction.
VIII PREFACE
And now it is my pleasant duty to acknowledge my obligations to
others, and to thank aU those who have helped me in any way. For
guidance in my studies at the university of Amsterdam, which I
resumed after a long career as a teacher in my native Cura<;ao, I owe
a great deal to Praf. P. N. U. Harting, who later added to my
obligations towards him by many kindnesses, and especially by in
valuable assistance when I decided to continue my research work in
England. It is with great pleasure and gratitude that I recall the
lectures by Dr. (now Prof.) R. Vleeskruyer, whom I admired for his
vast knowledge of the history of English and for his painstaking
accuracy; and the interesting and inspiring lectures in general
linguistics by Prof. A. Reichling, whose lively delivery and critical
acumen accounted for the invariably large attendance.
In England I owe the heaviest debt of gratitude to Prof. A. H.
Smith of University College, London. It was he who suggested the
subject, and he has shown unflagging interest in my work from its
very beginnings. He has also, on various occasions, given me the
benefit of his mature scholarship and his intimate familiarity with
this text by advice invariably helpful and invariably imparted in a
kindly spirit, and has greatly increased my obligation to him by
decisive help in matters of great importance. Others at this college
to whom my thanks are due include Mr. G. 1. Needham, for advice
on the preparation of the Index Verborum; Mr. J. M. Dodgson, for
help with paleographical details; Prof. R. Quirk, for some valuable
suggestions; Praf. A. Brown, for help and advice on various oc
casions; Mr. D. L. Turner and Prof. P. G. Foote, whose lectures in
Greek and Old Icelandic respectively proved very useful to me. I
would further like to thank Prof. C. E. Bazell of the School of
African and Oriental Studies for discussing some interesting
problems with me.
It was, unfortunately, not before the work was finished in type
script that Praf. A. L. V os, who was then succeeding Prof. Harting
in Amsterdam, could read through it. It must have been a little
embarrassing for him to be suddenly saddled with the responsibility
of adjudging a work not written under his supervision. I am glad of
this opportunity to record my deep gratitude to him for several
useful criticisms and suggestions, especially for his meticulous
criticism of Appendix III, which compelled me to rethink my
position on a few points and rewrite some passages; for giving me
the benefit of his thorough training in phonetics and wide reading in