The Syntax of Early English - Cryptm.org

186 The syntax of early English6.3.1 Particles in main clausesIn his study, Hiltunen (1983: 114) gives the following figures for particlesin main clauses:Table 6.1part . . . V part–V V . . . part V–partmain clauses 9 (3%) 103 (38%) 107 (39%) 54 (20%)As discussed in chapter 4, the finite verb in Old English is usually moved to aposition F high in the clause. This yields surface V . . . part patterns. Thesubject often comes between verb and particle, as in (10). The subject and aPP are between verb and particle in (10a), while in (10b) a pronominal object,the subject and a nominal object intervene:(10) a. Æfter issere rædinge and orum tihtingum gewendon a halganafter this reading and other persuasions turned the saintsto am hælende uppto the saviour up‘After this reading and other persuasions the saints turned back to theSaviour’ (ÆLS(Julian&Basilissa) 73)b. a sticode him mon a eagan utthen stuck him someone the eyes out‘then his eyes were gouged out’ (Or 4.5.90.13)There are two constituents between verb and particle in (10a) and three in(10b), but Hiltunen (1983: 137) observes that ‘[t]he intervening elements, ifthere are any, rarely exceed three words’. He gives one quote in which there isa great deal of material between verb and particle, but most of it is a furtherspecification of a short phrase (mid lacum ‘with gifts’):(11) Eft on ærne mergen sende se arwura benedictus twægen hislater in early morning sent the venerable Benedict two hismuneca to maure mid lacum æt is mid haligdome of æsof-monks to Maurus with presents that is with relics of of-thehælendes rode and of marian reafe and of michaheles pellesaviour’s cross and of of-Mary garment and of Michael’s coveringand of stephanes lichaman and of martinus reliquium and anand of Stephen’s body and of Martin’s relics and aærendgewrit mid ysum wordum forletter with these words forth‘Afterwards in the early morning the venerable Benedict sent forth two ofhis monks to Maurus with gifts, that is, with relics of the Saviour’s cross