Book Description

Excerpt from The Accusative With Infinitive, and Some Kindred Constructions in English Perhaps no construction has been the object of so deep-rooted a misconception or of so oft repeated a misstatement as that which goes by the name of accusative with infinitive. The prevalent notion concerning the construction, that it is of fifteenth century origin and due to Latin influence, is indorsed by such scholars as Professor Jespersen. But the presence in Old English of a number of clear examples of accusative with infinitive makes it evident that the statement is in need of qualification. It was for the purpose of ascertaining the truth concerning this construction that the present dissertation was undertaken. After a review of the various theories which have been advanced during the last century in regard to the origin and development of the accusative with infinitive, the writer briefly examined the status of the construction in a number of the Indo-Germanic languages. This was done with a view to determining its earliest phases in each language and the elements possessed in common by all. The examination was in the nature of a critical summary of the most important contributions on the subject in the separate dialects. The extent of the construction in Old English was next investigated. All the poetical texts were read, and on these, as being least subject to the contamination of Latin influence, the chief emphasis was laid. A number of original prose texts and translations were also read for the purpose of observing whether there was any distinct difference in the usage. In the Middle English period, five or six texts were chosen from each century. The selection was made from poetry and prose, and with a view to having the learned, the courtly, and the popular styles all represented. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.