Verb Suffixes

The suffix -s- accompanied by mutation derives verbs from substantive and adjective stems: blētsian 'bless' < *blēdsian (from blōd 'blood'; the original meaning was 'sprinkle with blood'); clænsian 'cleanse' (from clæne 'clean'), mærsian 'announce' (from mære 'famous'); ™rimsian 'rage'.

The suffix-læc- (with mutation from -lāc-) also derives verbs: nealæcan 'approach', ™erthtlæcan 'acquit'.

The suffix-ett- derives verbs: bliccettan 'sparkle', sporettun 'spur', cohhettan 'cough', ceahhettan 'croak'.

Prefixes

The prefix ā- meaning 'out of, 'from' is found, for instance, in the verbs ārīsan 'arise', āwacan 'awake', āberan 'sustain', ābys™ian 'occupy'. A productive prefix.

A different prefix –ā(connected with the adverb ā 'always') derives generalizing pronouns and adverbs from interrogative ones, e. g.: āhwær 'everywhere' (from hwær 'where') āhwæþer 'either' (from hwæþer 'which of the two').

The same prefix followed by the prefix ™i- yields*ā™i- > æ™- (with mutation). æ™-, like ā-, derives generalizing pronouns and adverbs from interrogative ones: æ™hwæþer 'either', æ™hwilc 'every', æ™hwær 'anywhere'.

The prefix be- (cf. the adverb bi 'near’ and the preposition bi 'by') is added to substantives and verbs. Sometimes it preserves its original meaning 'around', sometimes its meaning is weakened. E. g.: be™ān 'go around', 'adore', behōn 'hang with’, besettan ‘besiege', bewēþan 'lament', beþencan 'think over', beniman 'deprive', behēafdian 'behead'.

The prefixfor- expresses destruction or loss: fordōn 'destroy', forweorþan 'perish'.

The prefix ™e - expresses either collectivity or perfection of an action: ™efēra 'fellow-traveller', ™efylc 'troop' (cf. folc 'people'), ™emynd 'mind', ™esēon 'see'.

The prefix mis- means negation or bad quality: mislīcian 'displease', misdæd 'misdeed'.

The prefixof- has a reinforcing meaning: ofslēan 'kill', oftēon 'take away'.

The prefixon- (corresponding to Germanent-, emp-, as in entlassen, empfangen) means change or separation: onbindan 'unbind', onlūcan 'unlock'. In some cases its meaning is weakened, as in onfōn 'accept', ondrædan 'dread'.

The prefixtō- expresses destruction: tōbrecan 'break', tōteran 'tear'.

The prefixun- has a negative meaning: uncuþ 'unknown'. Some­times it means 'bad': undæd 'misdeed'. A productive prefix.

The prefixwan- also has a negative meaning: wanhāl 'unwell'.

COMPOSITION

Composition is widely used in OE. There are compound substantives, adjectives, and, in lesser number, verbs.

Compound substantives may be formed by joining:

(1) "substantive + substantive": æfentīd 'evening time', ™oldsmiþ 'goldsmith';

(2) "adjective + substantive": cwicseolfor 'quicksilver'.

Compound adjectives may be formed by joining:

(1) "substantive + adjective": wīn-sæd 'satiated with wine';

(2) "adjective + adjective”: wīd-cūþ ‘widely known';

(3) "adjective + substantive": blīþ-heort 'happy-hearted', ™læd-mod 'glad-minded'.

Sometimes the first component takes the form of the genitive case, as Mōnandæ™ (literally 'Moon's day') 'Monday', Tīwesdæ™ (literally 'Tiw's, the war god's, day') 'Tuesday', Wednesday 'Woden's day', 'Wednesday', þunresdæ™ (Thunor's, the god of thunder's, day) 'Thursday', Fri™edæ™ (Friya's day) 'Friday', Sæternesdæ™ ('Saturn's day') 'Saturday', Sunnandæ™ ('Sun's day') 'Sunday',

En™laland ('Angles' land') 'England', Francnaland ('Franks' land') 'France', witena™emōt ('wise men's assembly') 'State council', Snotin™ahām ('home of Snot's descendants') 'Nottingham'. Oxenaford ('oxen's ford') ‘Oxford’, dæ™esēa™e ('day's eye') 'daisy'.

Compound verbs are rare. An example is efenþrōwian 'sympathize' (literally: 'suffer together').