Re: Middle English Verbal Prefix i-
| From: | Adam Walker <carrajena@...> |
|---|
| Date: | Tuesday, March 14, 2006, 1:50 |
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--- "Julia \"Schnecki\" Simon" <helicula@...>
wrote:
> Hello!
>
> On 3/13/06, Peter Bleackley
> <Peter.Bleackley@...> wrote:
> > Middle English appears to have had a prefix i-
> which could appear before
> > verbs. Some well known examples of this prefix in
> action are
> >
> > "Adam lay ibounden,
> > Bounden in a bond..."
> >
> > "Miri it is while sommer ilast with flugeles
> song..."
> >
> > and most famously of all
> >
> > "Summer is icumen in,
> > Lhude sing cuckoo!"
I'm not sure what the techical name for it is, but I
do believe the function survives in many country
dialects in the US where it's usually spelled "a" --
as in "Don't rush me, I'm a-comin." "Summer is
a-comin in," seems quite acceptable to me, and "Adam
lay a-bounden" just slightly archaic.
Adam
Dichiruns sivi, «In il Betuemi djul Judja pervia azig niscrivid peu'l davri, «Ed tu,
Betuemi djal terra djal Judja, nun si djils daliris djal Judja ul mindrisimu
puña vinijid djil ti il daliri fin paxed ul mi pobuu, il Istreli.»
Mach 2:5-6
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