ASPECTS OF THE PLACING OF THE ACCUSATIVE OBJECT IN ÆLFRIC

Abstract

1. This study is based on a statistical analysis and comparison of two samples of JElfric's prose, one taken from the Catholic Homilies (CH), the other from the Lives of Saints (LS)2. The article continues my earlier work on JElfric's word-order (SWO).:I In this study I have confined my attention to pro tactic asseverative main clauses, that is, to main clause statements either standing alone or occupying the initial position in a double or multiple sentence. Only clauses containing as their basic struc'ture the threefold nexus of subject, simple verb, and accusative object were considered here, and I have therefore ignored all clauses or segments of clauses in which the subject was not expressed, although in a work in preparation I examine these forms too. Furthermore, as the term, 'simple verb' shows, I shall consider here only those clauses in which the verb consists of one word only, clauses with compound verbs being set aside for examination in another place. The aim of this study was to establish with regard to clauses of the type specified above, (a) what word-order patterns were current in iElfric's 'standard' prose, as found in CH, a consideration of that vexed question. 'How free was Old English word-order?', (b) what word-order patterns were current in iElfric's rhythmic prose, as found in LS, and (c) in how far could differences in usage between CH and LS be attributed to the metrical and alliterative forms of LS.