languages; but our Old English Genitive is happily still alive, though it is used more in speaking than in writing.
The Preposition to is used sometimes (not often) with an Infinitive, as well as with a Gerund. Thus, in Beowulf, 316, mœl is mê tô fêran, it is time for me to fare.[1]
Cut to pieces seems modern, but we find in the Old English Bible ceorfon tô sticcon.[2]
With has two meanings, seemingly contradictory, in Latin, cum and contra. We say, to walk with a friend, and to fight with a foe. It was used in both senses long before the Conquest.
In Old English, hwœt sometimes stood for the Latin aliquid. Hence comes our, ‘I tell you what.’[3] In later times it would be easy to compound somewhat.
Indefinite agency was expressed of old much as now; þonne hig wyriað eôw, when they revile you.[4]
The strange Dative reflexive has always been used; as, Pilatus hym sylf âwrât.[5] The Irish rightly say meself, not myself; this is the old Dative mê sylf, brought to Erin by Strongbow's men-at-arms.
We have seen how useful the verb do has always been in framing our English speech. A phrase like he doth withstand (not he withstands) seems modern; but it is found in King Alfred's writings. Do not thou turn was expressed of old as ne dô þû, þœt þû oncyrre.[6] Christ said to the woman taken in adultery, ‘Dô gâ, and ne synga ðû nôefre mâ’ (John viii. 11).
Our curious idiom of Participles, he ceased command-
