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The Syntactic Evolution of Modal Verbs in the History of English

5. Morphology of the preterite presents

5.1. Old English

WITAN “know, understand”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 wat wiste wite wite
2 wast wiste wite wite
3 wat wiste wite wite
Pl witon wiston witen witen

Present participle: witende, past participle : (ge)-witen, infinitive : witan.

AGAN “owe”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 ah ahte age
2 ahst ahte age age
3 ah ahte age
Pl agon ahton agen

Past participle: ęgen, infinitive: agan.

*DUGAN “avail, be worth”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 duge
2 duge
3 deah dohte duge
Pl dugon

Present participle: dugende.

UNNAN “grant”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 an uše unne
2 uše unne unne
3 an uše unne
Pl unnon ušon

Present participle: unnende, past participle: (ge)-unnen, infinitive: unnan.

CUNNAN “know, can”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 can cuše cunne cunne
2 canst cuše cunne cunne
3 can cuše cunne cunne
Pl cunnon cušon cunnen cunnen

Past participle: cunnen, infinitive: cunnan.

ŠURFAN “need, be required”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 tearf šorfte šurfe
2 tearft šorfte šurfe
3 tearf šorfte šurfe
Pl turfon šorfton šurfen

Present participle: šurfende, infinitive: šurfan.

*DURRAN “dare”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 dear dorste durre
2 dearst dorste durre
3 dear dorste durre
Pl durron dorston

MUNAN “remember”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 man munde mune
2 manst munde mune mune
3 man munde mune
Pl munon munat

Present participle: munende, past participle: (ge)-munen, infinitive: munan.

*SCULAN “be obliged, must, ought to”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 sceal sceolde scule scule
2 scealt sceolde scule scule
3 sceal sceolde scule scule
Pl sculon sceoldon sculen sculen

*MOTAN “be allowed, be able to, must”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 mot moste mote
2 most moste mote
3 mot moste mote
Pl moton moston moten

MAGAN “be able to, have permission”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 męg mihte męge męge
2 meaht mihte męge męge
3 męg mihte męge męge
Pl magon mihton męgen męgen

Present participle: magende, infinitive: magan.

WILLAN “be willing, desire”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 wille wolde wille
2 wilt woldest wille
3 wille wolde wille
Pl willaš woldon willen

Present participle: willende, infinitive: witan.

Table 1. OE forms of modal verbs
PRES. IMPER. PAST. SUBJ. PAST.SB. INF. PRES.PART. PAST PART.
WITAN + + + + + + +
AGAN + SG + SG + +
*DUGAN SG 3, PL SG 3 SG + +
UNNAN 1, 3, PL + SG + + +
CUNNAN + + + + + +
ŠURFAN + + + + +
*DURRAN + + SG
MUNAN + + + SG + + +
*SCULAN + + + +
*MOTAN + + +
MAGAN + + + + + +
WILLAN + + + + +
NIMAN + + + + + + + +
HABBAN + + + + + + + +

5.2. Middle English

WITE(N) “know, possess”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 wot wiste wite
2 wost wiste wite wite
3 wot wiste wite
Pl wite(n) wisten witen

Present participle: witende, past participle: wist, infinitive: wite(n).

OWEN “own”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 owe ahte owe
2 owest ahte owe
3 owe(ž) ahte owe
Pl owe(n) ahten (owen)

Infinitive: owen.

DUGEN “be worth, avail”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 dowe
2
3 dowe douhte
Pl dowen

Infinitive: dugen.

UNNAN “grant”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 an uše unne
2 uše unne unne
3 an uše unne

Present participle: unnende, past participle: (ge)-unnen, infinitive: unnan.

CUNNE(N) “can, know”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 can cuše (cunne)
2 canst cuše(st) cunne
3 can cuše (cunne)
Pl cunnen (cušen) (cunnen)

Past particple: cuž, infinitive: cunne(n).

ŽURFEN “need”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 žarf šorfte šurve
2 žarf(t) šorfte šurve
3 žarf šorfte šurve
Pl šurfon (šorfton) (šurfen)

Present participle: šurfende, infinitive: šurfan.

DURRE(N) “dare”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 dar durste durre
2 darst durste durre
3 dar durste durre
Pl dar (dursten)

Infinitive: durren.

MON “remember” (only in the North dialect)

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 mon monde mune
2 mon monde mune
3 mon monde mune
Pl mon

SHAL “shall”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 shal sholde shule
2 shalt sholde(st) shule
3 shal sholde shule
Pl shule(n) sholden (shulen)

MOT “must, may”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 mot moste mote
2 most moste mote
3 mot moste mote
Pl mote(n) (mosten) (moten)

MOWE “be able”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 mai might(e) mowe
2 miht might(est) mowe
3 mai might(e) mowe
Pl mugen might(en) (mowen)

WIL(LE) “will”

Present     Past     Imperative     Subjonctive     Past Subjonctive
Sg 1 wil wolde wille
2 wilt woldest wille
3 wil wolde wille
Pl wilen (wolden) (willen)

Past participle: wold.

Table 2. ME forms of modal verbs
PRES. IMPER. PAST SUBJ. PAST SUBJ. INF. PRES.PART. PAST PART.
WITEN + SG 2 + + + + +
OWEN + + + +
DUGEN SG 3, PL SG 3 +
CUNNEN + + + + +
ŠURFEN + + + + +
DURREN + + SG +
MON + SG SG
SHAL + + +
MOT + + +
MOWE + + +
WIL + + + +
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