The present tense of the strong verbs have the simple tone, that of the weak verbs the compound tone. The plural form of a great many nouns which in the old language formed their plural in —r still retains the simple tone, while those words which in the old language formed their plural in —ar and —ir have the compound tone.
139. The musical accent of the words may be modified by the sentence or the tonic accent. Thus e. g. a gradual raising of the pitch of the voice through the whole sentence indicates a question or something unfinished, where a continuation of the sentence may be looked for.
ABBREVIATIONS.
140. In colloquial language there are used a great many abbreviations which do not occur in the more solemn language used on the pulpit, in recitals etc.
These abbreviations chiefly consist in the dropping of the syllables de, ge(ke), ve, especially in verbs; most of the words affected by these abbreviations are in some figurative or not very frequent meanings exempt therefrom. Especially may be noticed that the abbreviation as a rule does not take place in pres. partcp. (ending in -ende), and before suffixes commencing with -e, -er, -en, -else etc.) and in pres. and inf. pass. (ending in -es).
a) abbreviations consisting in the omission of de:
| de dropped. | de retained. |
| be(de) to ask, pray, also be(de) til Gud pray to God. | Bededag day of prayer, Tilbedelse adoration. |
