The Adverb

Most adverbs are formed from qualitative adjectives by means of the suffix

–e.

e.g. fæst (fast) – fæste

heard (hard) – hearde

This suffix originally was the inflection of the Acc. singular of the adjectives. In the similar way adverbs were formed from adjectives in –lic.

freondlic – freondlice

But very early this doubled suffix –lic + –e came to be regarded as an adverb forming suffix and was added to adjectives that had never had –lic.

heard – heardlice

(As a result of this phenomenon we have homonymous adjectives and adverbs: daily, friendly).

Adverbs were also formed from some cases of the noun. Thus, for instance, Genetive singular:

dæ™es (by day), ni™tes (by night)

Dative plural:

wundrum (wonderfully)

Greater combinations were also subjected to adverbialisation:

tō dæ™ – today

of dūne – adown

ealne we™ – always

The Numeral

Cardinal Numerals

The OE system of numerals is based on the decimal system (десятична система) with some reflexes of the former duo-decimal system (12-тична система). These reflexes (залишки) are as follows: the formation of the numerals from 1 to 12, the decades fell into 2 groups:

1. 20 – 60

2. 70 – 120

The original meaning of the word hundred was not 100 but 120.

1. ān (one)

2. twē™en (two)

3. þrīe, þreo (three)

4. fēower (four)

5. fif (five)

6. siex (six)

7. siofan (seven)

8. eahta (eight)

9. ni™on, ni™ta ( night)

10. tiene (ten)

11. endleofan (eleven)

12. twelfe (twelve)

13 – 9 are formed by the adding the suffix tīene: 14 – feowertīene

20 – 60 – by the adding the suffix ti™ (ty): 40 – fēowerti™

70 – 120 – with the prefix hund and suffix ti™: 80 – hundeahtati™

Compound numerals were formed in a way different from Modern English (like in Modern German). The name of the units preceded the name of the decades:

24 – feower and twenti™

But thousands and hundreds were put first:

e.g. 3824 – þrīe þusendu and eahta hundred and feower and twenti™

As distinct from Mod.E. numerals could be declined up to 12. Some numerals (initial) possessed the category of Gender (один, одна).