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Article: A re-classification of Old English nouns.
- Article from:
- Studia Anglica Posnaniensia: international review of English Studies
- Article date:
- August 6, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Adam Mickiewicz University. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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ABSTRACT
The standard classification of Old English nominal inflections, employing the Proto-Germanic root structure, fails to reflect synchronic features of the system. This paper follows Kastovsky (1995) and Lass (1997) in rejecting the traditional model as incompatible with synchronic data, and postulates an alternative view on the categorisation of Old English nouns. The new interpretation makes it possible to capture synchronic relationships within the Old English nominal paradigm, as well as predict developmental tendencies observable in the Middle English period.
1. Introduction
In his paper Roger Lass (1997) argued that there are strong ...