Wp/enm/Wikipaedia:Spelling and grammar

This page will detail the grammar used on the test wiki for Middle English. While the actual grammar did vary over time, it is helpful to have a baseline for everyone to use.

Verbs
Verbs take endings depending on the person doing the action. They usually take the following endings:
 * I/ich -e
 * þou -est
 * he, schee, it -eþ
 * we, &#541;e, þei/hi -en


 * The infinitive ends in -en
 * Subjunctive ends in -e

To be (been)

 * Inflected infinitive: to beonne
 * Present Indicative: ich am, þou art/beest, he is/beeþ, we/ȝe/þei beeþ/bee(n)/arn
 * Present Subjunctive: ich/þou/he be; we/ȝe/þei be(n)
 * Past Indicative: ich was, þou wast/were, he was, we/ȝe/þei were(n)
 * Past Subjunctive: ich/þou/he were; we/ȝe/þei were(n)
 * Imperative: be!/beþ!
 * Participles: beande or being, (i-)been

Strong verb sample (singen)

 * Inflected infinitive: to singen
 * Present Indicative: ich sing(e), þou singest, he singeþ, we/ȝe/þei singen
 * Present Subjunctive: ich/þou/he sing(e); we/ȝe/þei sing(en)
 * Past Indicative: ich sang, þou sung, he sang, we/ȝe/þei sung(en)
 * Past Subjunctive: ich/þou/he sung, we/ȝe/þei sung(en)
 * Imperative: sing!/singen!
 * Participles: singende/singing(e), (i)sung(en)

Weak verb sample (luven)

 * Inflected infinitive: to luven
 * Present Indicative: ich luve, þou luvest, he luveþ, we/ȝe/þei luveþ
 * Present Subjunctive: ich/þou/he luve, we/ȝe/þei luve/luven
 * Past Indicative: ich luved(e), þou luvedest, he luved(e), we/ȝe/þei luved/luveden
 * Past Subjunctive: ich/þou/he luved(e), we/ȝe/þei luved/luveden
 * Imperative: luve!/luveþ!
 * Participles: luvened, iluved

Adjectives
In the singular, adjectives can either have no ending or end with -e. Plural adjectives or adjectives after þe almost always have the weak ending -e.

Common

 * I/Y
 * &THORN;u/&THORN;ou/&THORN;ow/Thu/Thou/Thow
 * He/Hee
 * She/Sche/Shee/Schee
 * Hit/Hyt/It/Yt

Rare

 * Ich/Ych/Ic/Yc
 * Heo
 * Sho/Scho/&#540;ho/Yho
 * Sho/Scho/&#540;ho/Yho

Common

 * We/Wee
 * &#540;e/&#540;ee/Ye/Yee
 * &THORN;ei/&THORN;ey/Thei/They

Rare

 * none
 * none
 * Heo/He

Common

 * Me/Mee
 * &THORN;e/&THORN;ee/The/Thee
 * Him/Hym
 * Hire/Hyre/Her
 * Hit/Hyt/It/Yt

Rare

 * Mi
 * Hine/Hyne
 * Heo/He/His/Hys/Hie/Hye/Hies/Hyes
 * Him/Hym
 * Him/Hym

Common

 * Us/Vs
 * &#540;ou/&#540;ow/You/Yow
 * Hem/&THORN;em/Them/&THORN;o/Tho

Rare

 * Ous/Ovs
 * Eow/Ou/Gu
 * His/Heo/Heom

Common

 * Mi/My/Min/Myn/Mine/Myne

Rare

 * Minen/Mynen/Mire/Myre/Minre/Mynre

Character usage
Middle English is a broad form of English, and it changed much in the period. There are exctinct characters used in the time period which were used in different time periods, which include:


 * Long s " ſ " - This character was mostly used in writing in Middle English, but once again only partially. However, there are some rules for usage:
 * It must not be used at the end of a word. If an s at the end of a word, then s is used.
 * It cannot replace capital S.
 * It replaces either one or both s's in a ss sequence and that must be consistent throughout the article.


 * Ash " Æ æ " - used for the a sound in the Modern word "cat".


 * Wynn " Ƿ ƿ " - used for the consonontal w sound, as in wad.


 * Thorn " Þ þ " - makes the th digraph sound in the. It represents both voiced and unvoiced th.

Online resources

 * Concise Dictionary of Middle English
 * Etext Center Middle English Collection
 * University of Michigan Middle English Dictionary
 * About Middle English Grammar
 * A Brief Introduction to Middle English Grammar
 * Middle English Survival Kit
 * grammar of Early Middle English
 * Middle English Subreddit
 * Middle English Discord
 * Middle English Without tears (will (hopefully) start at an unknown date)
 * Middle English poetry
 * The Canterbury Tales