![]() You can tell when to use the strong or weak declension of adjectives. Here's an example of a weak plural adjective: Notice again that: It is simpler than the strong declension it is exactly the same as the weak noun declension and it is exactly the same for all genders. Notice also that it is exactly the same as the weak noun declension. Notice that the weak declension is much more uniform and simple than the strong declension. You can easily predict it based on the stated rule. Hence the strong declension looks like this:Įxample of the Strong Adjective Declension: sƿēt "sweet"Īgain, there is no real need to give the weak declension. There is no need to give the weak declension, since in the weak declension every number and case has a suffix beginning with a vowel -ƿ adjectives will therefore uniformly precede this suffix with a ƿ.Īdjectives with -e Īdjectives such as sƿēte ("sweet") follow a very simple rule: the e at the end is displaced by any suffix, but stays where it is if there is no suffix. -ƿ words do not take an additional -u in feminine singular nominative, and neuter plural nominative and accusative.Where the ordinary strong declension has a suffix beginning with a vowel, -ƿ adjectives have a ƿ followed by the appropriate suffix.Where the ordinary strong declension has a suffix beginning with a consonant, -ƿ adjectives have an o followed by the appropriate suffix.In these words, this is an inherent part of the stem, and not a declensional suffix. Where the ordinary strong declension has no suffix, -ƿ adjectives end in -u.This again can be explained in terms of a few simple rules: Here is the strong declension:Įxample of the Strong Adjective Declension: gearu 'ready' We shall give ġearu ("ready") as an example of this type of adjective. There is no need to supply the weak declension, since in the weak declension every suffix begins with a vowel, hence all forms take the "glad-" version.Īdjectives with -ƿ If an adjective has a monosyllabic stem and has æ for its vowel, and the æ is followed by a single consonant, as in the words "glæd" ("glad") and "blæc" ("black), then an extra rule comes into play: the æ changes to an a whenever the adjective acquires a suffix which begins with a vowel.įor example, here is the strong declension of "glæd".Įxample of the Strong Adjective Declension: glæd - "glad" In late Old English, the declension had become uniform across genders, including neuter, taking -e in nominative and accusative.Īdjectives with æ in the stem ![]() an is often found instead of -um in late Old English. Note that -a is found in the nominative and accusative plural for the feminine declension in a few early texts, but -e was present for most of the idiomatic Old English corpus. Note also the instrumental is exactly the same as the dative. Notice that genitive and dative are the same in all genders, respectively, in the plural. Basically, you can see that the adjective ending will roughly correspond to the article ending ( þæs and -es, þǣm and -um, þǣre and -re', etc.). Also, the neuter adjective adds no ending in the nominative/accusative case, just like neuter nouns themselves. Notice that the genitive, dative, and instrumental feminine are all -re, the masculine and neuter genetive are both "-es", and masculine and neuter dative are both "-um", and masculine and neuter instrumental are both "-e". There are several variations on the general declension, but overall, adjectives decline thus: ![]() Adjectives in Old English agree with the noun they describe in case, gender, and number.
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