Formation verb categories of voice and mood

The verb are used to show action, like Modern English "do" or "make" or "sing"; or to show an event, like Modern English "happen"; or to show a state, like Modern English "be", "become", and "seem".

In Modern English, verbs are conjugated. Conjugation is similar to declension - it's when you change a verb a bit to add some extra meaning to it. We conjugate verbs when we add "-s" to a third person singular verb: "I kick" but then "she kicks"; we also conjugate when we change the vowel of some verbs to show that it happened in that past: "I am singing" but "I sang"; or when we add "-ed" to other verbs to show that they happened in the past: "she kicked".

Verbs in Old English were also conjugated, but much more so than in Modern English. They were conjugated according to tense (the time when the verb happens, like Modern English "sing" (now) and "sang" (in the past)), person (who is doing the verb - you, me, or John?), number (how many are doing the verb), and mood (mood reflects different circumstances pertaining to the action of the verb - whether or not it is certain that the verb happened, or just speculative, etc. - "He did come" but then "Maybe he came").

In Old English prefix - ze gave completeness. The ME prefix - ze transformed into - y. Its use becomes irregular, and the value blurred. (Sometimes the prefix could entirely change the meaning of the word slean-beat; offslean - kill; beran - wear; zeberan - give birth) only in the context can determine whether a verb expresses a completed action that prefix.

... The sonne hath in the Ram his halve cours y-ronne (2 Communion of rinnen-run).

Subsequently changing the content type of the category itself (the long form and non-durable) instead of completed and uncompleted. Continuous Forms established in English later than other analytical forms, although there are a combination of Old English verb bēon + Part I, but they do not indicate the quality of the action or a long-term condition characterized by a person; OE... ealle þā onwendende wæron (they were the destroyers) - That is not something that is done, and by whom were ME …Syngynge he was or floytynge al the day (he was singing and playing the flute all day) - which was likely, and not what I did.

Only in the 18th century, these combinations acquire a specific meaning - the unfinished process of limited duration. Linguists associated origin Continuous forms with two sources:

1. bēon + Part I (-ende)

2. bēon + on + V. Noun (-unz> ing) - in the form of further match

Linguists (O. Jespersen - 20c) suggest that the Continuous takes the form of a combination of bēon + Part I, and the value - of prepositional phrases. Subsequently suggest on> a (there for a while).

The prototype for future passive constructions in Old English was a combination of two types:

1. bēon + Part II (was killed) - a condition resulting from previous actions

2. weorþan + Part II (killed became) - the subject of the transition to the state, expressed communion.

Gradually been combining with Part II of the verb transitive verbs develops analytical form, is used in various time values.

With many a tempest hadde his berde been shake (n)

Many storms had shaken his beard

Since the late Middle English texts found in the examples of the use of indirect and prepositional supplements as a subject in the passive construction.

The angel ys tolde the words (The angel is told the words), wylle that my modor be sente for (I wish my mother were sent for). In Middle English, synthetic forms of the subjunctive become almost homonymous forms of the indicative mood. This homonymy stimulated the development of other means to indicate the problematic actions and contrary to the reality.

Already in Old account a combination of the forms of the past tense of verbs sculan, willan and mazan infinitive, which were used in the values ​​that are close to the value in the subjunctive mood. However, synthetic form in Middle English were still more commonly used as verbs sculan, willan and mazan in such combinations still retains its modal character. Areas of use of synthetic and analytical forms were not strictly differentiated. By the XVII century lexical meaning of verbs should and would in such combinations weakened to such an extent that these verbs can abbreviated as 'd. This is evidence in favor of what should and would have an auxiliary verbs, and their combination with an infinitive - the true analytical forms. Modern subjunctive presented as older forms of synthetic and analytic (the old - If I were you, I suggest that he come); God forbid - a sustainable, success attend you. Inclination also expresses an action that a person passes the hearsay, it does not now.

The Old English period, there is a combination of verbs sculan and willan with infinitive. But at the time these verbs in such combinations are expressed predominantly modal value (expressed shall ought and will). In Middle English modal value in these combinations weakened. (shall - 1 person, will - all persons).

In the middle of the XVII century it was made a rule for regular alternation shall and will, depending on the person. This can serve as proof that shall and in such combinations will not have varied in value. Another proof desemantization (loss of value) shall and will verbs is that they phonetic reduction ('ll) -. That is, does not matter what will or shall.

The emergence of an analytical form the degrees of comparison (with more) can be explained by the influence of the prevailing at the time the language of rhythm that does not allow accumulation of more than two syllables in a single word stress, which was consistent pattern by this time, and the appearance of three-syllable adjectives with the suffix er, est proved in sharp contrary to the established rhythm of the language. Therefore we began to use more and most.