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.

Part One: Chapter Three: The Dative. D. The Dative with Nouns.

The dative case appears with nouns in Old English in several distinct constructions, designating personal relation, purpose, possession, and sympathetic interest:

I. Predicate nouns with wesan or weorðan (§§ 80–82): The dative designates the person or thing for whom the predicate noun holds true: - Personal relations (§ 80): ærest me wæs fultumiend & lareow se arwurþa Abbad Albinus (first the venerable Abbot Albinus was my helper and teacher); hi wæron him efenceasterwaran þæs heofonlican rices (they were fellow-citizens with them of the heavenly kingdom); hine bæd þæt he him feorhhyrde wære (prayed him that he would be a guardian of his life unto him); he wæs eallum rumgifa (he was a generous giver unto all); þæt hi yrre wæron & þam cyninge fynd (that they were angry and enemies unto the king); bæd þæt he him þæs siðfætes latteow wære (prayed that he would be a guide unto him on that journey); on þæt gerad þæt hie him siþþan ece þeowas wæren (on the condition that they should afterwards be perpetual servants unto them); seo wæs Romanum underþeow (she was subject unto the Romans); hu se reccere sceal bion ðæm weldondum monnum gefera (how the ruler ought to be a companion unto good men); he is efnþeow his þeowe (he is a fellow-servant unto his servant); þæt Mod him selfum gewita biþ Godes willan (that the Mind is a witness to itself of God's will). - Inanimate and abstract predicates (§ 81): wifum heora monaðadle blodes flownys biþ gewunelys (unto women the monthly flow of blood is customary); sæde þæt hit þæm cyninge læsse edwit wære (said that it were less disgrace unto the king); seo onsien wæs micel wundor Romanum (that spectacle was a great wonder unto the Romans); heo wæs þæm monnum eþel þe þæron geborene wæran (it was a homeland unto the men who were born therein); hwelc wite oþþe wol ængum men mare wære (what torment or pestilence were greater unto any man); hu hefig sorg men beoþ seo gemen his bearna (how heavy a care the charge of his children is unto a man); þa god, þe sceoldon bion edlean godum monnum godra weorca (the good things which should be a reward unto good men for good works). - With gestandan (§ 82): heo on hire mynstre ðam andweardum lifes bysne gestode (she in her monastery stood as an example of life unto those present).

§§ 83–84 2. Attributive dative directly with nouns, and with to: - Direct attributive dative (§ 83): help þu earmum mannum (help thou wretched men); efnþeow his þeowe (fellow-servant unto his servant); freondum fultum (a help unto friends). - Predicative and purposive to + noun (§ 84): The dative often combines with a prepositional phrase introduced by to (dative of purpose/result): eallum Romanum to þæm mæstan ege (unto all the Romans for a greatest terror); hie wæron flocmælum þiderweard þæm oþrum to fultume (they went thither in troops as a help unto the others); þæt mon theatrum worhte him to plegan (that a theater should be made for them as a sport); him Romane gedydan ænne gyldenne scield, þære dæde to weorþmynte (the Romans made for him a golden shield, in honor of that deed); me selfum to wlite & to weorðmynde (unto myself for beauty and for honor); for bisene his broðrum (as an example unto his brethren).

§§ 85–89 3. The possessive and sympathetic dative (Dativus sympatheticus): The dative frequently replaces the possessive pronoun or genitive where an object stands in close personal or physical contact with a person: - Body parts (§ 86): þæt him mon sette byrnenne beag on þæt heafod (that they set a burning ring upon his head); þe him ealneweg ne hangað nacod sweord ofer þam heafde (over whose head there hangeth not ever a naked sword); þæt he myd hys lytlan fingre hym gedripte wæteres on þa tungan (that he might dip with his little finger a drop of water upon his tongue); þu gesmyredest me mid ele min heafod (thou anointedst my head with oil); þær stent cwen þe on þa swyðran hand (there standeth a queen at thy right hand); gif þe becume oðres monnes giemeleas fioh on hand (if another man's stray cattle come into thine hand). - Heart and breast (§ 87): him wæs on heortan (it was in his heart); þa com him to heortan (then came it to his heart). - Mind and soul (§ 88): þa com him ætnyhstan on gemynde (then came it at last into his mind); þa com semninga þære Abbudissan on gemynd seo foresprecene molde (then came suddenly into the Abbess's mind the aforesaid dust); me is nu fæstlice in mode (it is now firmly in my mind); hyre becom on mod (it came into her mind); me com swiðe oft on gemynd (it came very often into my mind); gif him ænigwuht bið wið his willan (if anything be contrary to his will). - Local proximity (§ 89): wæs unc on þa wynstran healfe geseted (was set for us on the left side); gehyrde ic micelne sweg me on bæcling (I heard a great sound behind my back); þe him on neaweste wæron (who were in their neighborhood).

§ 90 4. The dative with the whole sentence (Dativus commodi): The dative of advantage or disadvantage relates loosely to the whole predication: - þæt he riht gelyfde bisceopas þurh ealle Breotene Angelcynnes cyricum syþþan hadian mihte (that he might rightly consecrate bishops for the churches of the English race throughout all Britain); Colman twa mynstro on Scottum geworhte, oþer þam Scottum, oþer þam Engliscan (Colman built two monasteries among the Scots, one for the Scots, the other for the English); hi him ealle swyðe bliðe mode wæron (they were all of a very gentle spirit toward him).

E. The Dative as Adverbial Determination. The adverbial dative serves to designate means or cause, manner, time, and place or measure. In all these uses the dative represents an original Proto-Germanic instrumental or locative case.

§ 91 1. Means or instrument (instrumental dative): - þæt we magon oft leohtum dagum geseon (that we may often see in clear days); hit mid fyrde gesohte & geeode syxtygum wintra ær Cristes cyme (invaded it with an army and conquered it sixty years before Christ's coming); hie heora feore cneowmagum burgon (they saved their lives for their kinsmen); hie heora herge gewicodon (they encamped with their army); he hine spenð mid wordum (he enticeth him with words); swa mid læs worda swa mid ma (as with fewer words so with more); ic oferhleape weall minum Gode (by my God I leap over a wall).

§ 92 2. Manner and accompaniment: - þa geþafedon hi þære arednesse & him wif sealdon (then consented they on that condition and gave them wives); þæt wif he onfeng fram hire yldrum þære arednesse (he received that woman from her parents on that condition); mid miclum teonum & witum (with great injuries and punishments); hiora willes & hiora gewealdes (of their own will and by their own power); se þe hine nedes ofsloge oððe unwillum (he that slew him of necessity or involuntarily); and þonne ealle forgielden þone wer gemænum hondum (and then let all pay the wergild with joint hands).

§ 93 3. Time (point of time and duration): - fram gehwylcum biscopum & hwylcum cyninga tidum Eastseaxe þære gife onfengon Cristes geleafan (under what bishops and in what kings' times the East Saxons received the grace of Christ's faith); þara cyninga tidum wæs se halga wer Eleuther biscop (in those kings' times the holy man Eleutherius was bishop); twam gearum ær Romaburh abrocen wære (two years before Rome was captured); fela daga (for many days); feowertigum daga (for forty days); hundseofontigum wintra (for seventy winters); twelf monþum (for twelve months).

§ 94 4. Place and measure of difference: - æfter rime þysses boca, ðæm seo godcunde æ awriten is (according to the number of these books, in which the divine law is written); se Cristena cyning, se ðyssum ylcum gemærum rice hæfde (the Christian king, who held dominion within these same boundaries); þæt nan ne sæte hiere X milum neah (that none should dwell near it by ten miles); lytle læsse (a little less).

F. The Absolute Dative. § 95 The absolute dative and instrumental: The absolute dative corresponds functionally to the Latin ablative absolute (M. Callaway, The Absolute Participle in Anglo-Saxon). It consists of a noun or pronoun in the dative or instrumental combined with an inflected present or past participle, forming an independent adverbial clause of attendant circumstance, time, or condition: - geendedre ðære gefeohte (the battle having been ended); astigenre sunnan (the sun having arisen); toweardre ðære tide (the hour being at hand); upagangendre sunnan (the sun rising); gewunnenre sige (victory having been won); lifigendum his breðer (his brother being yet alive); geongum cneohtum (the youths being present); openum eagum (with open eyes); unsprecendum cildum (the children being yet speechless); gehealdene þæm aþum (the oaths being preserved); eallum folce onlociendum (all the people looking on); upahafenum his eagum (his eyes having been lifted up); unawendendum mode (with mind unchanged).

Examples

ærest me wæs fultumiend & lareow se arwurþa Abbad Albinus

hi wæron him efenceasterwaran þæs heofonlican rices

hine bæd þæt he . . . him feorhhyrde wære

he wæs eallum rumgifa ge æþelum ge unæþelum

þæt hi . . . yrre wæron & þam cyninge fynd

bæd þæt he him þæs siðfætes latteow wære

on þæt gerad þæt hie him siþþan ece þeowas wæren

þæt hit na geweorþan sceolde þæt se wære leoda cyning se þe ær wæs folce þeow

seo wæs Romanum underþeow

hu se reccere sceal bion ðæm weldondum monnum gefera

he is efnþeow his þeowe

þæt Mod him selfum gewita biþ Godes willan

wifum heora monaðadle blodes flownys biþ gewunelys

sæde þæt hit þæm cyninge læsse edwit wære

seo onsien wæs micel wundor Romanum

heo wæs þæm monnum eþel þe þæron geborene wæran

hwelc wite oþþe wol ængum men mare wære

hu hefig sorg men beoþ seo gemen his bearna

þa god, þe sceoldon bion edlean godum monnum godra weorca

heo on hire mynstre ðam andweardum lifes bysne gestode

help þu earmum mannum

efnþeow his þeowe

freondum fultum

eallum Romanum to þæm mæstan ege

hie wæron flocmælum þiderweard þæm oþrum to fultume

þæt mon theatrum worhte him to plegan

him Romane gedydan ænne gyldenne scield, þære dæde to weorþmynte

me selfum to wlite & to weorðmynde

for bisene his broðrum

þæt him mon sette byrnenne beag on þæt heafod

þe him ealneweg ne hangað nacod sweord ofer þam heafde be smalan þræde

þæt he myd hys lytlan fingre hym gedripte wæteres on þa tungan

þu gesmyredest me mid ele min heafod

þær stent cwen þe on þa swyðran hand

gif þe becume oðres monnes giemeleas fioh on hand

him wæs on heortan

þa com him to heortan

þa com him ætnyhstan on gemynde

þa com semninga þære Abbudissan on gemynd seo foresprecene molde

me is nu fæstlice in mode

hyre becom on mod

me com swiðe oft on gemynd

gif him ænigwuht bið wið his willan

wæs unc on þa wynstran healfe geseted

gehyrde ic micelne sweg me on bæcling

þe him on neaweste wæron

þæt he riht gelyfde bisceopas þurh ealle Breotene Angelcynnes cyricum syþþan hadian mihte

Colman . . . twa mynstro on Scottum geworhte, oþer þam Scottum, oþer þam Engliscan

hi him ealle swyðe bliðe mode wæron

þæt we magon oft leohtum dagum geseon

hit mid fyrde gesohte & geeode syxtygum wintra ær Cristes cyme

hie heora feore cneowmagum burgon

hie heora herge gewicodon

he hine spenð mid wordum

swa mid læs worda swa mid ma

ic oferhleape weall minum Gode

þa geþafedon hi þære arednesse & him wif sealdon

þæt wif he onfeng fram hire yldrum þære arednesse

mid miclum teonum & witum

hiora willes & hiora gewealdes

se þe hine nedes ofsloge oððe unwillum

and þonne ealle forgielden þone wer gemænum hondum

fram gehwylcum biscopum & hwylcum cyninga tidum Eastseaxe þære gife onfengon Cristes geleafan

þara cyninga tidum wæs se halga wer Eleuther biscop

twam gearum ær Romaburh abrocen wære

fela daga

feowertigum daga

hundseofontigum wintra

twelf monþum

æfter rime þysses boca, ðæm seo godcunde æ awriten is

se Cristena cyning, se ðyssum ylcum gemærum rice hæfde

þæt nan ne sæte hiere X milum neah

lytle læsse

geendedre ðære gefeohte

astigenre sunnan

toweardre ðære tide

upagangendre sunnan

gewunnenre sige

lifigendum his breðer

geongum cneohtum

openum eagum

unsprecendum cildum

gehealdene þæm aþum

eallum folce onlociendum

upahafenum his eagum

unawendendum mode

Original German — Wülfing

D. Der Dativ bei Hauptwörtern.

I. Der Dativ bezeichnet bei Hauptwörtern, die mit wesan oder weorðan prädikativ verbunden sind, die Person oder die Sache, für die der Inhalt dieses Hauptwortes Giltigkeit hat. § 80 a. Diese Verbindung dient zur Bezeichnung persönlicher Verhältnisse: Be. 471, 22 ærest me wæs fultumiend & lareow se arwurþa Abbad Albinus; 488, 16 hi wæron him efenceasterwaran þæs heofonlican rices; 513, 5 hine bæd þæt he . . . him feorhhyrde wære; 540, 8 he wæs eallum rumgifa ge æþelum ge unæþelum; 553, 18 þæt hi . . . yrre wæron & þam cyninge fynd; 571, 34 bæd þæt he him þæs siðfætes latteow wære. Or. 122, 4 on þæt gerad þæt hie him siþþan ece þeowas wæren; 178, 21 þæt hit na geweorþan sceolde þæt se wære leoda cyning se þe ær wæs folce þeow; 208, 15 seo wæs Romanum underþeow. Cp. 106, 5 hu se reccere sceal bion ðæm weldondum monnum gefera; 200, 20 he is efnþeow his þeowe. Bo. 104, 19 þæt Mod him selfum gewita biþ Godes willan. […]

§ 81 b. Die prädikativen Hauptwörter sind sächlich oder abstrakt: Be. 494, 18 wifum heora monaðadle blodes flownys biþ gewunelys. Or. 82, 33 sæde þæt hit þæm cyninge læsse edwit wære; 262, 26 seo onsien wæs micel wundor Romanum. Bo. 50, 8 heo wæs þæm monnum eþel þe þæron geborene wæran; 164, 17 hwelc wite oþþe wol ængum men mare wære; 168, 10 hu hefig sorg men beoþ seo gemen his bearna; 326, 23 þa god, þe sceoldon bion edlean godum monnum godra weorca. […]

§ 82 c. Auch bei gestandan kommt diese Verbindung einmal vor: Be. 494, 39 heo on hire mynstre ðam andweardum lifes bysne gestode.

§ 83 2. Attributiver Dativ unmittelbar beim Hauptwort (ohne to): Zuweilen steht ein Dativ in unmittelbarer Anlehnung an ein Hauptwort, um das Verhältnis der Zugehörigkeit, des Nutzens oder des Schutzes zu bezeichnen: Be. 518, 26 help þu earmum mannum. Cp. 200, 20 efnþeow his þeowe. Bo. 50, 8 freondum fultum. […]

§ 84 b. Bei to mit dem Hauptwort: Besonders häufig tritt der Dativ zu Verbindungen mit to zur Angabe der Bestimmung, des Zwecks oder des Ergebnisses (to fultume, to tacne, to bisene u. ä.): Or. 194, 8 eallum Romanum to þæm mæstan ege; 200, 19 hie wæron flocmælum þiderweard þæm oþrum to fultume; 208, 33 þæt mon theatrum worhte him to plegan; 276, 15 him Romane gedydan ænne gyldenne scield, þære dæde to weorþmynte. Cp. 38, 18 me selfum to wlite & to weorðmynde; 318, 5 for bisene his broðrum. […]

§ 85 3. Der besitzanzeigende Dativ (Dativus possessivus). Hier behandle ich die Fälle, in denen ein durch ein Hauptwort ausgedrückter Gegenstand mit einer durch einen Dativ ausgedrückten Person auf irgend eine Weise — sei es körperlich oder geistig — als ihr zugehörig oder sie betreffend verbunden ist (Dativus sympatheticus).

§ 86 a. Bei körperlichen Teilen und Beziehungen (heafod, hand, fot, eage, swiora, tunga u. ä.): Or. 260, 14 þæt him mon sette byrnenne beag on þæt heafod. Bo. 160, 11 þe him ealneweg ne hangað nacod sweord ofer þam heafde be smalan þræde. So. 202, 30 þæt he myd hys lytlan fingre hym gedripte wæteres on þa tungan. Ps. 22, 7 þu gesmyredest me mid ele min heafod; 44, 11 þær stent cwen þe on þa swyðran hand. Lc. 64, 42 gif þe becume oðres monnes giemeleas fioh on hand. […]

§ 87 Bei heorte und breost: Cp. 168, 10 him wæs on heortan. Bo. 14, 2 þa com him to heortan.

§ 88 b. Seele, Gemüt (mod, gemynd, hyge): Be. 530, 19 þa com him ætnyhstan on gemynde; 536, 26 þa com semninga þære Abbudissan on gemynd seo foresprecene molde; 538, 30 me is nu fæstlice in mode; 578, 22 hyre becom on mod. Cp. 2, 2 me com swiðe oft on gemynd. Bo. 48, 28 gif him ænigwuht bið wið his willan. […]

§ 89 c. Die örtliche Nähe bezeichnet dieser Dativ in folgenden Fällen: Be. 627, 36 wæs unc on þa wynstran healfe geseted; 628, 29 gehyrde ic micelne sweg me on bæcling. Or. 46, 2 þe him on neaweste wæron.

§ 90 4. Zum ganzen Satze tritt der Dativ, der sich dann gewöhnlich als ein Dativus commodi oder incommodi erklären läſst, in freier Weise an folgenden Stellen: Be. 561, 15 þæt he riht gelyfde bisceopas þurh ealle Breotene Angelcynnes cyricum syþþan hadian mihte; 570, 31 Colman . . . twa mynstro on Scottum geworhte, oþer þam Scottum, oþer þam Engliscan; 598, 41 hi him ealle swyðe bliðe mode wæron. […]

E. Der Dativ als adverbiale Bestimmung. Der adverbiale Dativ dient zur Bezeichnung des Mittels oder Grundes, der Art und Weise, der Zeit, und des Ortes. Er ist in all diesen Fällen der Vertreter eines ursprünglichen Instrumentalis oder Lokalis.

§ 91 1. Der adverbiale Dativ bezeichnet das Mittel oder das Werkzeug (instrumentaler Dativ): Be. 474, 15 þæt we magon oft leohtum dagum geseon; 475, 4 hit mid fyrde gesohte & geeode syxtygum wintra ær Cristes cyme. Or. 80, 24 hie heora feore cneowmagum burgon; 134, 10 hie heora herge gewicodon. Cp. 22, 10 he hine spenð mid wordum. Bo. 238, 18 swa mid læs worda swa mid ma. Ps. 17, 30 ic oferhleape weall minum Gode. […]

§ 92 2. Der adverbiale Dativ bezeichnet die Art und Weise der Handlung: Die Unterscheidung von dem im vorigen § behandelten Dativ des Mittels oder Grundes ist nicht immer streng zu treffen. Be. 474, 20 þa geþafedon hi þære arednesse & him wif sealdon; 475, 33 þæt wif he onfeng fram hire yldrum þære arednesse. Or. 250, 27 mid miclum teonum & witum. Cp. 445, 6 hiora willes & hiora gewealdes. Lc. 58, 13 se þe hine nedes ofsloge oððe unwillum; 88, 1 and þonne ealle forgielden þone wer gemænum hondum. […]

§ 93 3. Der adverbiale Dativ dient zur Angabe der Zeit, wann, auch häufig: wie lange, wie oft etwas geschieht: Be. 472, 9 fram gehwylcum biscopum & hwylcum cyninga tidum Eastseaxe þære gife onfengon Cristes geleafan; 475, 28 þara cyninga tidum wæs se halga wer Eleuther biscop; 480, 10 twam gearum ær Romaburh abrocen wære. Or. 17, 12 fela daga; 142, 21 feowertigum daga. Cp. 316, 1 hundseofontigum wintra. Bo. 234, 1 twelf monþum. […]

§ 94 4. Der adverbiale Dativ des Ortes und Maßes: Be. 474, 1 æfter rime þysses boca, ðæm seo godcunde æ awriten is; 506, 19 se Cristena cyning, se ðyssum ylcum gemærum rice hæfde. Or. 210, 22 þæt nan ne sæte hiere X milum neah. Bo. 194, 2 lytle læsse. […]

F. Der absolute Dativ. § 95 Der absolute Dativ (und Instrumentalis). Litteratur: M. Callaway, The Absolute Participle in Anglo-Saxon. Baltimore 1889. Der absolute Dativ (mit oder ohne Instrumentalis-Formen) entspricht dem lateinischen Ablativus absolutus und verbindet ein Substantiv oder Pronomen im Dativ mit einem Partizip des Präsens oder Präteritums zur Bezeichnung begleitender Umstände: Be. 486, 11 geendedre ðære gefeohte; 491, 10 astigenre sunnan; 517, 10 toweardre ðære tide; 530, 20 upagangendre sunnan; 544, 4 gewunnenre sige; 595, 28 lifigendum his breðer; 608, 17 geongum cneohtum; 631, 23 openum eagum. Or. 78, 17 unsprecendum cildum; 116, 21 gehealdene þæm aþum; 162, 13 eallum folce onlociendum. Cp. 260, 12 upahafenum his eagum. Bo. 260, 20 unawendendum mode.

Source: Johann Ernst Wülfing, Die Syntax in den Werken Alfreds des Grossen, vol. 1, pp. 133-149, §§ 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95 (Der Dativ bei Hauptwörtern, als adverbiale Bestimmung und der absolute Dativ). Scan authority: archive.org diesyntaxindenw02wlgoog; OCR extraction aid: Google Books McUqAAAAMAAJ. Translator: Loquentes. Printed edition in the US public domain.