Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1968, Page 86

94
On Some Cases of Interaction
in which the inflections of plural present indicative were not
lost. These languages also have forms of declined infinitive
(gerund).17)
At the same time of many Old Germanic (Old English in-
cluded) and of Modern West Germanic (Ingveonisih) dialects
is characteristic the extention of inflections of 3 pl. pres. indic.
to all the forms of plural. This takes place both in the case,
when this inflection loses the nasal consonant that is typical
of Southeast German, Low German and Ingveonish dialects
and in the case of the loss of final consonants, e. g. in some
West German and Frisian dialects.18) Probably this partly ex-
plains the low frequency of part. I and non-declined infinitive
in some of these dialects.19)
The effect of the connection discussed is observed not only
in the fact that forms of part. I owing to definite changes in
plural present indicative can be lost, but also in the influence
of some phonetic changes which take place in present plural
indicative on the shape of part. I; thus, the loss of nasal conso-
nant before the dentals in some German dialects is charac-
teristic both of 3 pl. pres. indic. and of forms of part. I.
17) E. Prokosch. A Comparative Germanic Grammar, Philadelphia,
1939.
18) V. M. Schirmunsky. Deutsche Mundartkunde; A. Johannsen. Die
lnfinitive in den nordfriesischen Mundarten, »Us Wurk«, Jirgong 5, l/t,
1956, S. 42.
1B) V. M. Schirmunsky. Deutsche Mundartkunde. Cf. also: »Der zweite
Infinitiv gleicht in der Form dem ersten Particip (prás.). Bendsens Angabe,
dass da Mittelwort gebildet wird, indem man an den flektierten Infini-
tiv ein d. anhángt (wie im Deutschen) is nicht stichhaltig. Es heisst nicht:
di swumende fasch, sondern: die fasch, wat swumt. Formen wie »di
foogel as fliiend, hi as sláipend* sind gekunstelt und unfriesisch. Das
Particip (prás.) wird nur sehr sparsam gebraucht und wenn schon, dann
nur in der reinen Form des flektierten Infinitivs. Beispiele: F. luupen sun
(laufender Sand, Schwimmsand); driiwen is (treibendes Eis, Treibeis)«.
A. Johannsen. Die Infinitive in den nordfriesischen Mundarten, »Us
Wurk«, Jirgong 5, Va, 1956, S. 45; M. Callaway. The Infinitive in Anglo-
Saxon, Washington, 1913.