Syntax & Usage — Wülfing

Loquentes translation and abridgement from Wülfing. Repetitive example catalogues are condensed; Wülfing’s conceptual discussion is retained. The full cleaned German extract appears below in the collapsible block.

Chapter Three: The Dative.

A. The Dative with Adjectives.

§ 55 1. Adjectives expressing affection, inclination, hostility, loyalty, obedience, mildness, or their opposites: Adjectives expressing attitude toward a person or thing regularly govern the dative in Alfredian prose: - arwyrþe (reverend, venerable): monigum folcum lange arwyrþe awunode (remained venerable to many peoples). - bliþe (friendly, gentle toward): bæd þæt he him bliþe wære (prayed that he would be gracious unto him). - cystig (generous): bioð ðæm to ungemetlice cystige (are immoderately generous to them). - deore, deorwyrþe (dear, precious): nan cræft nis Gode deorwyrþra ðonne sio lufu (no virtue is dearer to God than love). - eaþmod (humble, submissive): he bið to eaðmod ðæm yflum monnum (he is too humble toward the evil men). - getreowe, hold (faithful, gracious, devoted): him se holdesta (the most devoted unto him); hie ne beoþ nanum men getreowe (they are faithful to no man). - hyrsum (obedient): seþe him hyrsum beon weolde (he who would be obedient unto him). - irre, wrað (angry, hostile): eallum folcum wraðoste (most hostile of all to the peoples); þylæs eow God yrre weorðe (lest God become angry with you). - laþ, leof (hateful, dear): me wære leofre þæt ic hit wiste (it were dearer to me that I knew it); seo gitsung gedeþ heore gitseras laþe ægþer ge Gode ge monnum (covetousness maketh its coveters hateful both to God and to men). - milde (mild, merciful): he wæs Romanum swa forgiefen & swa milde (he was so forgiving and so mild toward the Romans).

§ 56 2. Adjectives of nearness, distance, and lack: - feor (far): swa feor swa he bið þæm gode (as far as he is from the good). - neah, emneah (near, equally near): seo stow wæs neah ðære cirican (the place was near the church); eallum gesceaftum emneah (equally near to all creatures). - orwene (despairing of, hopeless of): he wæs his feores orwene (he was despairing of his life).

§ 57 3. Adjectives of equality, likeness, and their opposites: Adjectives denoting similarity or dissimilarity regularly take the dative: - gelic, efngelic (like, equal): nis ðæt gelic ðære unlustfullan luste (that is not like unto the unwilling pleasure); se bið gelic netenum (he is like unto the beasts); efngelic ðæm hehstan gode (equal to the highest good). - ungelic (unlike): sio is swiðe ungelic eallum oðrum gesceaftum (she is very unlike to all other creatures).

§ 58 4. Adjectives of fitness, conformity, and custom: - gecnwe, gedafe (fitting, becoming): hit bið swiðe gedafe ðæm lareowe (it is very becoming to the teacher). - gewunelic (customary, habitual): þæt weorc þæt him gewunelic wæs (the work that was customary to him).

§ 59 5. Adjectives meaning peculiar, common, or innate: - agen (one's own): nis him nan wuht swa agen swa his agen lichoma (nothing is so much his own to him as his own body). - gemæne (common to): eallum gesceaftum gemæne (common to all creatures). - gecynde (innate, natural): hit is ælcere gesceafte gecynde (it is natural to every creature).

§ 60 6. Adjectives meaning known, manifest, or hidden: - cuþ, open (known, open): eallum monnum cuþ (known to all men); eallum folcum open (open to all peoples). - uncuþ, digle (unknown, hidden): nan þing nis Gode digle (nothing is hidden from God).

§ 61 7. Adjectives of ease and difficulty: - eaðe, unieðe (easy, difficult): ælcum men bið eaðe to ongitanne (it is easy for every man to understand); eallum folcum swiðe unieðe to gehealdenne (very difficult for all peoples to hold).

§ 62 8. Adjectives of necessity, usefulness, and benefit: - behefe, bryce (useful, profitable): swiðe behefe ðæm folce (very profitable to the people); nanwuht nis him brycere (nothing is more useful to him). - halwende (salutary): halwende eallum geleaffullum (salutary to all faithful believers). - neodþearf (needful): suma bec þa þe nidbeþyrfesta sien eallum monnum to witanne (certain books which are most necessary for all men to know).

§ 63 9. Specific adjectives: - fægen (glad of): wæron hi ealle fægene ðæs biscopes cyme (they were all glad at the bishop's coming). - scyldig (liable to a penalty): he bið scyldig eallum his æhtum (he is liable with all his possessions).

§ 64 10. Adjectives of worth: wyrðe and unwyrðe: While weorð usually takes the genitive, wyrðe and unwyrðe appear in Alfred with the dative: - he hine wyrðne gedyde ðam heofonlican rice (he made himself worthy of the heavenly kingdom); nan mon nis wyrðe ðære are (no man is worthy of the honor).

B. The Dative with Comparatives.

§ 65 1. Measure of difference (dative of degree): The dative/instrumental neuter forms micle and lytle regularly indicate the degree of difference with a comparative: - micle heahre wæs (was much higher); micle betera ðonne he ær wære (much better than he was before); lytle læsse (a little less).

2. Comparison without þonne (than-dative): Occasionally in Alfredian Old English the dative case of a noun or pronoun stands after a comparative adjective in place of a clause with þonne: - nan mihtigra þe nis (there is none mightier than thou); nan mon nis him selfum betera (no man is better than himself); ðu hine gedest lytle læssan englum (thou madest him a little lower than the angels).

Examples

þæt mynster þæt on Hii ðam ealonde monigum folcum Pehta & Scotta lange arwyrþe awunode

& bæd þæt he him bliþe wære

manige welige menn . . . fedað yfle gliimen mid oferwiste, & bioð ðæm to ungemetlice cystige

hwæþer se þin wela . . . swa deore seo þe for his agenre gecynde

nan cræft nis Gode deorwyrþra ðonne sio lufu

he ðearfum & ellreordigum symble eaþmod & fremsum & rummod wæs

mid ane his ðegne þe him getreowastne tealde

hie ne beoþ nanum men getreowe

ða þæt ða Lilla geseah se cyninges ðegn him se holdesta

hi ða unscæþþendan ðeode & symble Angelcynne ða holdestan earmlice forhergodon

seþe him hyrsum beon weolde

þæt ealle godas him irre wæren

þylæs eow God yrre weorðe

ða wæs ic þæt swiþe onscuniende & me laþ wæs

seo gitsung gedeþ heore gitseras laþe ægþer ge Gode ge monnum

ða þu me wære ær leof þonne cuþ

me wære leofre þæt ic hit wiste

þæt . . . ðu geearnige hine ðe mildne gemetan

he wæs Romanum swa forgiefen & swa milde

nanwuht nis þe uncuþre ðonne ungesælþa

þæt he him wrað wære

eallum folcum wraðoste

swa feor swa he bið þæm gode

seo stow wæs neah ðære cirican

he bið micle near Gode

swiðe neah þæm hehstan gode

he wæs his feores orwene

eallum gesceaftum emneah

nis ðæt gelic ðære unlustfullan luste

he bið gelic ðæm monnum

se bið gelic netenum

sio is swiðe ungelic eallum oðrum gesceaftum

ungelic eallum oðrum gesceaftum

efngelic ðæm hehstan gode

nanwuht nis þe efngelic

nan cræft nis ðæm læce swæ gecnwe

hit bið swiðe gedafe ðæm lareowe

þæt weorc þæt him gewunelic wæs

nis him nan wuht swa agen swa his agen lichoma

ðæt him eallum wære gemæne

eallum gesceaftum gemæne

hit is ælcere gesceafte gecynde

eallum mannum cuþ wæs

eallum monnum cuþ

me is uncuþ ðæt spell

eallum folcum open

nan þing nis Gode digle

ælcum men bið eaðe to ongitanne

eallum folcum swiðe unieðe to gehealdenne

swiðe behefe ðæm folce

nanwuht nis him brycere

halwende eallum geleaffullum

suma bec þa þe nidbeþyrfesta sien eallum monnum to witanne

wæron hi ealle fægene ðæs biscopes cyme

he bið scyldig eallum his æhtum

he hine wyrðne gedyde ðam heofonlican rice

he wæs wyrðe ðam biscopsetle

nan mon nis wyrðe ðære are

he wæs wyrðe ælcere are

micle heahre wæs

micle betera ðonne he ær wære

lytle ær

lytle læsse

nan mihtigra þe nis

nan mon nis him selfum betera

ðu hine gedest lytle læssan englum

Original German — Wülfing

Drittes Kapitel. DER DATIV.

Litteratur: J. Kress, Ueber den Gebrauch des Instrumentalis in der ags. Poesie. Marburger Doktorschrift. 1864. E. Nader, Dativ und Instrumental im Beówulf. Jahresbericht der Wiener Communal-Oberrealschule. Wien 1883. O. Hofer, Der syntakt. Gebrauch des Dativs und Instrumentals in den Cædmon beigelegten Dichtungen. Halle 1884. A. Köhler, Ueber den syntaktischen Gebrauch des Dativs im Gothischen. Dresden 1864. Dietrich, Über den nordischen Dativ. In Haupts Zeitschrift VIII. (1850.) 23 ff.

A. Der Dativ bei Eigenschaftswörtern. § 55 1. Bei Eigenschaftswörtern, welche eine Neigung oder Abneigung, ein Wohlgefallen oder Miſsfallen, Liebe, Geneigtheit, Treue, Gehorsam, Milde und deren Gegenteil ausdrücken: a. arwyrþe, verehrungswürdig. Be. 622, 42 þæt mynster þæt on Hii ðam ealonde monigum folcum Pehta & Scotta lange arwyrþe awunode (= venerabile mansit); b. bliþe, freundlich, milde gegen. Be. 540, 37 & bæd þæt he him bliþe wære (= ut sibi placatus esset); c. cystig, freigebig. Cp. 326, 7 manige welige menn . . . fedað yfle gliimen mid oferwiste, & bioð ðæm to ungemetlice cystige; d. deore, teuer. Bo. 58, 5 hwæþer se þin wela . . . swa deore seo þe for his agenre gecynde; e. deorwyrþe, wert, teuer. Cp. 359, 23 nan cræft nis Gode deorwyrþra ðonne sio lufu; f. eaþmod, ergeben, unterthänig, gehorsam. Be. 528, 11 he ðearfum & ellreordigum symble eaþmod & fremsum & rummod wæs; g. getreowe, treu. Be. 539, 42 mid ane his ðegne þe him getreowastne tealde; Bo. 24, 16 hie ne beoþ nanum men getreowe; h. hold, hold, freundlich, ergeben. Be. 511, 22 ða þæt ða Lilla geseah se cyninges ðegn him se holdesta; 602, 7 hi ða unscæþþendan ðeode & symble Angelcynne ða holdestan earmlice forhergodon; i. hyrsum, gehorsam. Be. 486, 26 seþe him hyrsum beon weolde; j. irre, zornig. Or. 114, 4 þæt ealle godas him irre wæren; Ps. 2, 12 þylæs eow God yrre weorðe; k. laþ, unangenehm, verhaſst. Be. 630, 32 ða wæs ic þæt swiþe onscuniende & me laþ wæs; Bo. 58, 17 seo gitsung gedeþ heore gitseras laþe ægþer ge Gode ge monnum; l. leof, lieb, wert. Bo. 38, 1 ða þu me wære ær leof þonne cuþ; So. 173, 12 me wære leofre þæt ic hit wiste; m. milde, milde. Be. 599, 43 þæt . . . ðu geearnige hine ðe mildne gemetan; Or. 254, 22 he wæs Romanum swa forgiefen & swa milde; n. uncuþ, unbekannt, unangenehm. Bo. 36, 11 nanwuht nis þe uncuþre ðonne ungesælþa; o. wrað, feindlich, böse. Be. 544, 30 þæt he him wrað wære; Or. 114, 6 eallum folcum wraðoste. […]

§ 56 2. Eigenschaftswörter der Nähe, Ferne, des Mangels: a. feor, fern. Bo. 192, 16 swa feor swa he bið þæm gode; b. neah, nahe. Be. 524, 36 seo stow wæs neah ðære cirican; Cp. 100, 11 he bið micle near Gode; Bo. 186, 4 swiðe neah þæm hehstan gode; c. orwene, verzweifelnd, ohne Hoffnung auf. Be. 545, 11 he wæs his feores orwene (= desperatus); d. emneah, gleich nahe. Bo. 200, 13 eallum gesceaftum emneah. […]

§ 57 3. Eigenschaftswörter der Gleichheit, Ähnlichkeit und deren Gegenteil: a. gelic, gleich, ähnlich. Be. 493, 21 nis ðæt gelic ðære unlustfullan luste; Cp. 44, 4 he bið gelic ðæm monnum; Bo. 192, 28 se bið gelic netenum; b. ungelic, ungleich, unähnlich. Bo. 76, 23 sio is swiðe ungelic eallum oðrum gesceaftum; 140, 20 ungelic eallum oðrum gesceaftum; c. efngelic, gleich. Bo. 210, 17 efngelic ðæm hehstan gode; So. 188, 3 nanwuht nis þe efngelic. […]

§ 58 4. Eigenschaftswörter der Angemessenheit, des Übereinstimmens und der Gewohnheit: a. gecnwe, passend, eigen. Cp. 320, 9 nan cræft nis ðæm læce swæ gecnwe; b. gedafe, angemessen. Cp. 447, 24 hit bið swiðe gedafe ðæm lareowe; c. gewunelic, gewohnt. Be. 547, 9 þæt weorc þæt him gewunelic wæs. […]

§ 59 5. Eigenschaftswörter mit der Bedeutung eigentümlich, gemeinsam, angeboren: a. agen, eigen. Bo. 46, 17 nis him nan wuht swa agen swa his agen lichoma; b. gemæne, gemeinsam. Cp. 334, 18 ðæt him eallum wære gemæne; Bo. 72, 19 eallum gesceaftum gemæne; c. gecynde, angeboren, natürlich. Bo. 186, 20 hit is ælcere gesceafte gecynde. […]

§ 60 6. Eigenschaftswörter mit der Bedeutung bekannt, offen und deren Gegenteil: a. cuþ, bekannt. Be. 504, 31 eallum mannum cuþ wæs; Bo. 32, 14 eallum monnum cuþ; b. uncuþ, unbekannt. Bo. 12, 12 me is uncuþ ðæt spell; c. open, offen, offenbar. Bo. 156, 15 eallum folcum open; d. digle, verborgen. Cp. 104, 8 nan þing nis Gode digle. […]

§ 61 7. Eigenschaftswörter der Leichtigkeit und der Schwierigkeit: a. eaðe, leicht. Bo. 176, 19 ælcum men bið eaðe to ongitanne; b. unieðe, schwer, schwierig. Bo. 238, 22 eallum folcum swiðe unieðe to gehealdenne. […]

§ 62 8. Eigenschaftswörter des Nötigen, Nützlichen, Heilsamen: a. behefe, nützlich, nötig. Cp. 126, 19 swiðe behefe ðæm folce; b. bryce, nützlich. Cp. 236, 11 nanwuht nis him brycere; c. halwende, heilsam. Be. 501, 14 halwende eallum geleaffullum; d. neodþearf, nötig. Cp. 6, 7 suma bec þa þe nidbeþyrfesta sien eallum monnum to witanne. […]

§ 63 9. Einzelne Eigenschaftswörter: a. fægen, froh über (zuweilen mit Dativ neben Genitiv). Be. 598, 12 wæron hi ealle fægene ðæs biscopes cyme; b. scyldig, schuldig (mit Dativ der Strafe). Le. 64, 4 he bið scyldig eallum his æhtum. […]

§ 64 10. Eigenschaftswörter des Wertes: wyrðe und unwyrðe: Während weorð gewöhnlich mit dem Genitiv verbunden wird (s. § 5. e), erscheint wyrðe bei Alfred auch mit dem Dativ: Be. 524, 15 he hine wyrðne gedyde ðam heofonlican rice; 564, 37 he wæs wyrðe ðam biscopsetle; Bo. 142, 23 nan mon nis wyrðe ðære are; Ps. 34, 14 he wæs wyrðe ælcere are. […]

§ 65 B. Der Dativ bei Komparativen. 1. Der Dativ steht beim Komparativ zur Angabe des Maßes des Unterschieds: a. micle (Dativ/Instrumental des Maßes): Be. 518, 11 micle heahre wæs; Bo. 170, 15 micle betera ðonne he ær wære; b. lytle: Or. 162, 21 lytle ær; Bo. 194, 2 lytle læsse. 2. Der Dativ des Vergleichs (an Stelle von þonne): Zuweilen vertritt der Dativ die Vergleichspartikel þonne beim Komparativ: Bo. 198, 9 nan mihtigra þe nis (= there is none mightier than thou); 338, 14 nan mon nis him selfum betera; Ps. 8, 6 ðu hine gedest lytle læssan englum (= paulo minus ab angelis).

Source: Johann Ernst Wülfing, Die Syntax in den Werken Alfreds des Grossen, vol. 1, pp. 55-75, §§ 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65 (Der Dativ bei Eigenschaftswörtern und Komparativen). Scan authority: archive.org diesyntaxindenw02wlgoog; OCR extraction aid: Google Books McUqAAAAMAAJ. Translator: Loquentes. Printed edition in the US public domain.