7. The substitution of -en for -að in the persons plural of verbs; _hi clepen_ (_they call_) for _hi clypiað_, &c. The preponderance (not the occasional occurrence) of forms like those above constitute _Semi-Saxon_ in contradistinction to standard Saxon, classical Saxon, or Anglo-Saxon proper. § 100. _Old English stage._--Further changes convert Semi-Saxon into Old English. Some, amongst others, are the following:-- 1. The ejection of the dative plural termination -um, and the substitution of the preposition to and the plural sign -s; as _to smiths_ for _smiðum_. Of the dative singular the -e is retained (_ende_, _worde_); but it is by no means certain that, although recognized in writing, it was equally recognized in pronunciation also. 2. The ejection of -es in the genitive singular whenever the preposition _of_ came before it; _Godes love_ (_God's love_), but the _love of God_, and not the _love of Godes_. 3. The syllable -es as a sign of the genitive case extended to all genders and to all declensions; _heart's_ for _heortan_; _sun's_ for _sunnan_. 4. The same in respect to the plural number; _sterres_ for _steorran_; _sons_ for _suna_. 5. The ejection of -na in the genitive plural; as _of tunges_ for _tungena_. 6. The use of the word _the_, as an article, instead of _se_, &c. The _preponderance_ of the forms above (and not their mere occasional occurrence) constitutes _Old English_ in contradistinction to Semi-Saxon. § 101. In the Old English the following forms predominate. 1. A fuller inflection of the demonstrative pronoun, or definite article; _þan_, _þenne_, _þære_, _þam_;--in contradistinction to the Middle English. 2. The presence of the dative singular in -e; _ende_, _smithe_. 3. The existence of a genitive plural in -r or -ra; _heora_, theirs; _aller_, of all. This, with substantives and adjectives, is less common. 4. The substitution of _heo_ for _they_, of _heora_ for _their_, of _hem_ for _them_. 5. A more frequent use of _min_ and _thin_, for _my_ and _thy_;--in contradistinction to both Middle and Modern English. 6. The use of _heo_ for _she_;--in contradistinction to Middle and Modern English and Old Lowland _Scotch_. 7. The use of broader vowels; as in _iclepud_ or _iclepod_ (for _icleped_ or _yclept_); _geongost_, youngest; _ascode_, asked; _eldore_, elder. 8. The use of the strong preterits (_see_ the chapter on the tenses of verbs), where in the present English the weak form is found--_wex_, _wop_, _dalf_, for _waxed_, _wept_, _delved_. 9. The omission not only of the gerundial termination -enne, but also of the infinitive sign -en after _to_; _to honte_, _to speke_;--in contradistinction to Semi-Saxon. 10. The substitution of -en for -eþ or -eð, in the first and second persons plural of verbs; _we wollen_, we will: _heo schullen_, they should. 11. The comparative absence of the articles _se_ and _seo_. 12. The substitution of _ben_ and _beeth_, for _synd_ and _syndon_ = _we_, _ye_, _they are_.