5. +Oldest English and Early English.+-- The following is a short passage from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, under date 1137: first, in the Anglo-Saxon form; second, in Early English, or-- as it has sometimes been called-- Broken Saxon; third, in modern English. The breaking-down of the grammar becomes still more strikingly evident from this close juxtaposition. (i) Hí swencton Þá wreccan menn (ii) Hí swencten the wrecce men (iii) They swinked (harassed) the wretched men (i) Þaes landes mid castel-weorcum. (ii) Of-the-land mid castel-weorces. (iii) Of the land with castle-works. (i) Ða Þá castelas waeron gemacod, (ii) Tha the castles waren maked, (iii) When the castles were made, (i) Þá fyldon hí hí mid yfelum mannum. (ii) thá fylden hi hi mid yvele men. (iii) then filled they them with evil men. 6. +Comparisons of Words and Inflexions.+-- Let us take a few of the most prominent words in our language, and observe the changes that have fallen upon them since they made their appearance in our island in the fifth century. These changes will be best seen by displaying them in columns:-- ANGLO-SAXON. EARLY ENGLISH. MIDDLE ENGLISH. MODERN ENGLISH. heom. to heom. to hem. to them. seó. heó. ho, scho. she. sweostrum. to the swestres. to the swistren. to the sisters. geboren. gebore. iboré. born. lufigende. lufigend. lovand. loving. weoxon. woxen. wexide. waxed. 7. +Conclusions from the above Comparisons.+-- We can now draw several conclusions from the comparisons we have made of the passages given from different periods of the language. These conclusions relate chiefly to verbs and nouns; and they may become useful as a KEY to enable us to judge to what period in the history of our language a passage presented to us must belong. If we find such and such marks, the language is Anglo-Saxon; if other marks, it is Early English; and so on. I.-- MARKS OF ANGLO-SAXON. II.-- MARKS OF EARLY ENGLISH (1100-1250). III.-- MARKS OF MIDDLE ENGLISH (1250-1485). VERBS. Infinitive in +an+. Infin. in +en+ or +e+. Infin. with +to+ (the +en+ was dropped about 1400). Pres. part. in +ende+. Pres. part. in +ind+. Pres. part. in +inge+. Past part. with +ge+. +ge+ of past part. turned into +i+ or +y+. 3d plural pres. in +ath+. 3d plural past in +on+. 3d plural in +en+. 3d plural in +en+. Plural of imperatives in +ath+. Imperative in +eth+. NOUNS. Plurals in +an+, +as+, or +a+. Plural in +es+. Plurals in +es+ (separate syllable). Dative plural in +um+. Dative plural in +es+. Possessives in +es+ (separate syllable).