Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1968, Page 91

On Some Cases of Interaction
99
Norwegian and landsmal due to structural factors, i. e. to the
extention of inflection -er from singular to all the forms of
plural present indicative is no more typical of Modern Danish
and riksmal. Thus, the different chronology of the appearance
of the above phonetic identity is explained by the individual
features in structures of the given languages, while the com-
mon tendency to suoh coincidence is determined by the exi-
stence in structures and systems of these languages of common
features, e. g. of the connection between the non-finite and
finite verbal forms.
Among the facts whioh prove the existence of the correlation
between the pre-infinitive particle and 3 pl. pres. indic. is tthe
different frequency of the pre-infinitive particle in Old and
Modern Swedish. In Old Swedish, in which just as in most
Scandinavian languages, the forms of inf. I and 3 pl. pres.
indic. owing to the loss of final consonants were homonymic,
the frequency of the pre-infinitive particle was high. On the
contrary, in Modern Swedish of which is characteristic the
levelling of inflections in singular and plural of present indica-
tive, owing to which the forms of inf. I and 3 pl. pres. indic.
are not homonymic, the frequency of the pre-infinitive par-
ticle is lower than in Old Swedish. Besides, very often this par-
ticle is omitted.28)
The above facts and hypothesis permit to give definite
interpretation to the term »analogy«, when it is applied for
the explanation of phonetical coincidence of the forms dis-
cussed. It makes doubtful the hypothesis that in individual
languages these forms have coincided with, owing to purely
phonetical reasons, despite the fact that this process took place
in individual languages at different periods of their develop-
ment. It seems more probable that similar results of different
phonetical changes were determined by some common faotors,
e. g. functional and systemic ones, among which the principal
2S) J. Mjoberg. Infinitivmárket pa glid ? »Modersmallárarnas forening«,
Ársskrift 1950.