Strong Verb Class I — drifan (Subjunctive & Imperative)

Historical Grammar

101. Of the three hundred simple verbs belonging to the O.E. Strong Conjugation, it is estimated that seventy-eight have preserved their strong inflections in Mn.E., that eighty-eight have become weak, and that the remaining one hundred and thirty-four have entirely disappeared, their places being taken in most cases by verbs of Latin origin introduced through the Norman-French. NOTE.—Only the simple or primitive verbs, not the compound forms, are here taken into consideration. The proportionate loss, therefore, is really much greater. O.E. abounded in formative prefixes. “Thus from the Anglo-Saxon flōwan, to flow, ten new compounds were formed by the addition of various prefixes, of which ten, only one, oferflōwan, to overflow, survives with us. In a similar manner, from the verb sittan, to sit, thirteen new verbs were formed, of which not a single one is to be found to-day.” Lounsbury, ib. part I, p. 107.

Class I: The “Drive” Conjugation.

Vowel Succession: ī, ā, i, i.

INFINITIVE. PRETERIT SING. PRETERIT PLUR. PAST PART.

Ðrīf-an drāf drif-on gedrif-en, to drive.

Tense Formation of Strong Verbs.

103. (1) It will be seen from the conjugation of drīfan that the present stem in all strong verbs is used throughout the present indicative, the present subjunctive, the imperative, the infinitive, the gerund, and the present participle. More than half of the endings, therefore, of the Strong Conjugation are added directly to the present stem.

(2) That the preterit singular stem is used in only two forms of the verb, the 1st and 3d persons singular of the preterit indicative: Ic drāf, hē drāf.

(3) That the preterit plural stem is used in the preterit plural indicative, in the 2d person of the preterit singular indicative, and in the singular and plural of the preterit subjunctive.

(4) That the stem of the past participle (gedrif-) is used for no other form.

Syntax of the Verb.

104. The Indicative Mood represents the predicate as a reality. It is used both in independent and in dependent clauses, its function in O.E. corresponding with its function in O.E. corresponding with its function in Mn.E.

The Subjunctive Mood represents the predicate as an idea. It is of far more frequent occurrence in O.E. than in Mn.E.

When used in independent clauses it denotes desire, command, or entreaty, and usually precedes its subject: Sīe ðīn nama gehālgod, Hallowed be Thy name; Ne swęrigen gē, Do not swear.

In dependent clauses it denotes uncertainty, possibility, or mere futurity. Concessive clauses (introduced by ðēah, though) and temporal clauses (introduced by ǣ, ǣr ðǣm ðe, before) are rarely found with any other mood than the subjunctive. The subjunctive is also regularly used in Alfredian prose after verbs of saying, even when no suggestion of doubt or discredit attaches to the narration. “Whether the statement refer to a fact or not, whether the subject-matter be vouched for by the reporter, as regards its objective reality and truth, the subjunctive does not tell. It simply represents a statement as reported” ðēah man āsętte twēgen fǣtels full ealað oððe wæteres,though one set two vessels full of ale or water; ǣr ðǣm ðe hit eall forhęrgod wære, before it was all ravaged; Hē sǣde ðæt Norðmanna land wǣre swȳðe lang and swȳðe smæl, He said that the Norwegians’ land was very long and very narrow.

The Imperative is the mood of command or intercession: Iōhannes, cum tō mē, John, come to me; And forgyf ūs ūre gyltas, And forgive us our trespasses; Ne drīf ūs fram ðē, Do not drive us from thee.