The Syntax of Early English - Cryptm.org

140 The syntax of early EnglishWhile the position of the finite verb is in part dependent on the type ofclause (main, embedded or coordinate), the position of non-finite forms doesnot appear to be determined by clause type. (4) and (5) illustrate the core variationthat we address in this chapter: in (4) the object precedes its lexical verb;in (5), the object and other elements follow it.(4) æt he hwelc gerisenlic wundor wyrcean mægethat he some suitable miracle perform can‘that he is able to perform some suitable miracle’ (CP 17.119.9)(5) æt he nolde niman mancyn neadunga of am deoflethat he not-would take mankind forcibly from the devil‘that he would not have taken mankind forcibly from the devil’(ÆCHom I, 14.1.216.4)Not all elements can freely appear to the right or left of the verb. Let us firstconsider those that appear to the left predominantly or exclusively. This classof elements comprises negative adverbs, verb particles, stranded prepositions,pronominal objects, and – probably – adverbs.The negative adverb ne is always on the immediate left of the finite verb,whatever the position of the latter, which is a strong argument for the assumptionthat ne is proclitic on the finite verb, as we also saw in chapter 4. Someexamples are given in (6) and (7).(6) æt he na sian geboren ne wurdethat he never afterward born not would-be‘that he would not be born afterward’ (Or 9.139.10)(7) Ne sende se deofol a fyr of heofenum,not sent the devil then fire from heaveneah e hit ufan comethough that it from-above came‘The devil did not send fire from heaven, though it came from above’(ÆCHom I(Pref) 6.13)More generally, sentential negation markers are on the left of the verb, as in(8):(8) as ing gedafenode solice to donne,these things was-fitting truly to doand eac a ore na to forlætene.and also the others not to neglect‘it is indeed fitting to do these things, and also not to neglect the others.’(ÆHom 3.104)Verb particles are commonly found in a position to the immediate left of thelexical verb, as in (9) and (10).