s. 92. The points of likeness and difference between two languages,
belonging to different _divisions_ of the same Germanic _branch_, may be
partially collected from the following comparison between certain
Moeso-Gothic and certain Anglo-Saxon inflections.
s. 93. It must, however, be premised, that, although the distinction
between nouns taking an inflection in _-n_, and nouns not so inflected,
exists equally in the Moeso-Gothic and the Icelandic, the form in which the
difference shows itself is different; and along with the indication of this
difference may be introduced the important terms _weak_ and _strong_, as
applied to the declension of nouns.
_Weak_ nouns end in a vowel; or, if in a consonant, in a consonant that has
become final from the loss of the vowel that originally followed it. They
also form a certain proportion of their oblique cases in _-n_, or an
equivalent to _-n_--Nom. _aug[^o]_, gen. _aug-in-s_.
_Strong_ nouns end in a consonant; or, if in a vowel, in one of the vowels
allied to the semivowels _y_ or _w_, and through them to the consonants.
They also form their oblique cases by the addition of a simple inflection,
without the insertion of _n_.
Furthermore, be it observed that _nouns_ in general are _weak_ and
_strong_, in other words, that adjectives are _weak_ or {47} _strong_, as
well as substantives. Between substantives and adjectives, however, there
is this difference:--
1. A substantive is _either_ weak or strong, _i.e._, it has one of the two
inflections, but not both. _Aug[^o]_=_an eye_, is weak under all
circumstances; _waurd_=_a word_, is strong under all circumstances.
2. An adjective is _both_ weak and strong. The Anglo-Saxon for _good_ is
sometimes _god_ (strong), sometimes _gode_ (weak). Which of the two forms
is used depends not on the word itself, but on the state of its
construction.
In this respect the following two rules are important:--
1. The definite sense is generally expressed by the weak form, as _se
blinde man_=_the blind man_.
2. The indefinite sense is generally expressed by the strong form, as _sum
blind man_=_a blind man_.
Hence, as far as adjectives are concerned, the words _definite_ and
_indefinite_ coincide with the words _weak_ and _strong_ respectively,
except that the former are terms based on the syntax, the latter terms
based on the etymology of the word to which they apply.
_Declension of Weak Substantives in Moeso-Gothic._
_Neuter._
_Singular._ _Plural._
_Nom._ ['A]ug[^o] (_an eye_) ['A]ug[^o]na.
_Acc._ ['A]ug[^o] ['A]ug[^o]na.
_Dat._ ['A]ugin ['A]ugam.
_Gen._ ['A]ugins ['A]ug[^o]n[^e].
_Masculine._
_Nom._ Manna (_a man_) Mannans.
_Acc._ Mannan Mannans.
_Dat._ Mannin Mannam.
_Gen._ Mannins Mannan[^e].
_Feminine._
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