Yoko Iyieri PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText - University ...

encountered in them. KA and Ferumbras are texts of this kind.
Examples of existential clauses in these texts are classified in the
tables below as in the case of Havelok, while the general situation of
forms of be, which functions as a scale, is displayed above the
tables:
(1) Existential clauses in KA (cf. contracted forms of be
uncontracted forms of be = 75 (93.8%) : 5 (6.2%))19
I I Contracted I Uncontracted I Totals I
Ine--is I 12 I 0 I 12
I ne + was/were I 32 I 1 I 33 I
I Totals I 44 I 1 I 45 I
I I (97.8%) I (2.2%) I I
(2) Existential clauses in Ferumbras (cf. contracted forms
of be : uncontracted forms of be = 45 (81.1%) : 10
(18.2%))
I I Contracted I Uncontracted I Totals I
I ne + is/ys I 10 I 1 I 11 I
I ne + was/were I 9 I 2 I 11 I
I Totals I 19 I 3 I 22 I
I (86.4%) I (13.6%) I
Since the general predominance of contracted forms (93.8% in KA and
81.1% in Ferumbras) hinders a clear view of the situation of
existential clauses in these texts, KA and Ferumbras provide only
weak evidence. Nevertheless, the situation in these texts is at least
consistent with A&D and Havelok discussed above. The above tables
appear to indicate that contracted forms, especially in the present
tense, are favoured in existential clauses, although the tendency is
by no means strong. The proportions of contracted forms are at
least slightly higher with existential clauses (97.8% in KA and 86.4% in
Ferumbras) than with the whole sample of relevant forms of be (93.8%
in KA and 81.1% in Ferumbras). Some illustrative examples of
contracted forms follow:
19 Only those forms of be which can provide contracted forms
are counted. Thus the following is not included, for example:
In all this world ne be no mo (SMA 587).
227