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Wight Tourist Information

Wessisc Language Primer Verbs

And so we turn to verbs. Verbs have been the bane of many a poor student of Wessisc. This is partly due to the problem that Wessisc has two verbs 'to be'. An orthographic note: verbs ending with -þ often may be substituted with -ð and vice versa. This variation varied with accent and dialect.

Wessisc negates the verb simply by placing the word 'na' (not, no) before the verb. Na also causes mutation. This however is not the rule across the board as will be seen with the verbs 'to be'.

The future is formed by using the word 'wær', which roughly corresponds with our word in Modern English 'will'. It also means "become".

'To Be' and 'To Have'
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There are two verbs 'to be' in Wessisc. The first translates best as "there is", "there are", etc. This verb in the infinitive is 'bys'.

The other is stating existence, such as "I am", "you are", etc. This verb in the infinitivee is 'maen'.

It may puzzle the reader why 'bys' has forms in the first and second person; this is because it is also used as an auxiliary verb.

As stated above, negation is not as easy with the verbs 'to be'. Although the word na is used, it does not cause mutation on the verb, and also the initial consonant of the verbs bys and maen (when an initial consonant is present) is dropped. A D' is then placed on the front of the verb, with the exception of 'sinð' which does not change.

Here are the two verbs 'to be' in the present tense with corresponding negative forms:

Present Indicative (I am, he is, etc.)
 

Person	BYS	(neg.) NA DYS	MAEN	(neg.) NA DAEN
1. igh	bæ	na dæ	eom	na deom
2. þau	bært	na dært	eort	na deort
3. he/seo/hit/man	beþ	na deþ	ys	na dys
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	bæwð	na dæwð	sinð	na sinð

As such there is no verb 'to have'. Use of bys will be found when we wish to state possession where in English the verb 'to have' would suffice. This is done by using the following construction pattern ITEM there-is WITH-X. An equally acceptable pattern is to either use the dative form for the possossing noun, or use the preposition tei.

an Ghwnd beð genni     I have a dog
(a dog there-is with-me)
an Biscop beð ti     you have a bishop
(a bishop there-is you(dat.))
an Caþ beþ tei Geowane    John has a cat
(a cat there-is to Geowan)

Other forms are as follows:

Imperative

byse! maene!

Present Participle (being)

bysing, maening

Past Participle (been)

bysen, maenen

Present Subjunctive
 

Person	BYS	(neg.) NA DYS	MAEN	(neg.) NA DAEN
1. igh	byse	na dyse	maene	na maene
2. þau	bysært	na dysært	maeneort	na maeneort
3. he/seo/hit/man	byseþ	na dyseþ	maeneys	na maenys
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	bysæwð	na dysæwð	maenið	na maenið

Perfect Indicative (I have been, he has been, etc.)
 

Person	BYS	(neg.) NA DYS	MAEN	(neg.) NA DAEN
1. igh	bæ bysen	na dæ bysen	bæ maenen	na dæ maenen
2. þau	bært bysen	na dært bysen	bært maenen	na dært maenen
3. he/seo/hit/man	beþ bysen	na deþ bysen	beþ maenen	na beþ maenen
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	bæwð bysen	na dæwð bysen	bæwð maenen	na dæwð maenen

Perfect Subjunctive
 

Person	BYS	(neg.) NA DYS	MAEN	(neg.) NA DAEN
1. igh	byse bysen	na dyse bysen	byse maenen	na byse maenen
2. þau	bysært bysen	na dysært bysen	bysært maenen	na dysært maenen
3. he/seo/hit/man	byseþ bysen	na dyseþ bysen	byseþ maenen	na dyseþ maenen
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	bysæwð bysen	na dysæwð bysen	bysæwð maenen	na dysæwð maenen

Imperfect Indicative (I was, he was, etc.)
 

Person	BYS	(neg.) NA DYS	MAEN	(neg.) NA DAEN
1. igh	bæða	na dæða	weor	na weor
2. þau	bæðært	na dæðært	weort	na weort
3. he/seo/hit/man	beðeþ	na deðeþ	wys	na wys
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	bæwðad	na dæwðad	wað	na wað

Imperfect Subjunctive
 

Person	BYS	(neg.) NA DYS	MAEN	(neg.) NA DAEN
1. igh	bæðe	na dæðe	weore	na weore
2. þau	bæðært	na dæðært	weort	na weort
3. he/seo/hit/man	byðeþ	na dyðeþ	wyseþ	na wyseþ
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	bæðæwð	na dæðæwð	wað	na wað

Pluperfect Indicative (I had been, he had been, etc.)
 

Person	BYS	(neg.) NA DYS	MAEN	(neg.) NA DAEN
1. igh	bæða bysen	na dæða bysen	bæða maenen	na dæða maenen
2. þau	bæðært bysen	na dæðært bysen	bæðært maenen	na dæðært maenen
3. he/seo/hit/man	beðeþ bysen	na deðeþ bysen	beðeþ maenen	na deðeþ maenen
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	bæwðad bysen	na dæwðad bysen	bæwðad maenen	na dæwðad maenen

Pluperfect Subjunctive
 

Person	BYS	(neg.) NA DYS	MAEN	(neg.) NA DAEN
1. igh	bæðe bysen	na dæðe bysen	bæðe maenen	na dæðe maenen
2. þau	bæðært bysen	na dæðært bysen	bæðært maenen	na dæðært maenen
3. he/seo/hit/man	byðeþ bysen	na dyðeþ bysen	byðeþ maenen	na dyðeþ maenen
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	bæðæwð bysen	na dæðæwð bysen	bæðæwð maenen	na dæðæwð maenen

Future Indicative (I will be, he will be, etc.)
 

Person	BYS	(neg.) NA DYS	MAEN	(neg.) NA DAEN
1. igh	wær bys	na wær bys	wær maen	na wær maen
2. þau	wær bys	na wær bys	wær maen	na wær maen
3. he/seo/hit/man	wær bys	na wær bys	wær maen	na wær maen
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	wær bys	na wær bys	wær maen	na wær maen

Future Subjunctive

Same as conditional.

Future Perfect Indicative (I will have been, he will have been, etc.)
 

Person	BYS	(neg.) NA DYS	MAEN	(neg.) NA DAEN
1. igh	wær bys bysen	na wær bys bysen	wær bys maenen	na wær bys maenen
2. þau	wær bys bysen	na wær bys bysen	wær bys maenen	na wær bys maenen
3. he/seo/hit/man	wær bys bysen	na wær bys bysen	wær bys maenen	na wær bys maenen
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	wær bys bysen	na wær bys bysen	wær bys maenen	na wær bys maenen

Conditional (I would be, he would be, etc.)
 

Person	BYS	(neg.) NA DYS	MAEN	(neg.) NA DAEN
1. igh	wære bys	na wære bys	wære maen	na wære maen
2. þau	wæræst bys	na wæræst bys	wæræst maen	na wæræst maen
3. he/seo/hit/man	wæreþ bys	na wæreþ bys	wæreþ maen	na wæreþ maen
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	wærað bys	na wærað bys	wærað maen	na wærað maen

Conditional Perfect (I would have been, he would have been, etc.)
 

Person	BYS	(neg.) NA DYS	MAEN	(neg.) NA DAEN
1. igh	wære bys bysen	na wære bys bysen	wære maen	na wære bys maenen
2. þau	wæræst bys bysen	na wæræst bys bysen	wæræst maen	na wæræst bys maenen
3. he/seo/hit/man	wæreþ bys bysen	na wæreþ bys bysen	wæreþ maen	na wæreþ bys maenen
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	wærað bys bysen	na wærað bys bysen	wærað maen	na wærað bys maenen

Regular Verbs
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One boon of Wessisc is that verb endings are quite regular in the present tense with the exception of bys and maen. The actual root of the verb may alter, however, depending on whether it is a strong (irregular) or a weak (regular) verb.

When a verb (regular or irregular) begins with one of the following prefixes or a preposition, or other such word that may be considered not a natural part of the verb, the ge- part of the past participle is not added:

an-, æfter-, be-, e-, forð-, fwr-, gæn-, ge-, mis-, owfyr-, tei-, un-, wt-

Present Indicative (I love, he loves, etc.)
 

Person	Example (cahr - love)
1. igh	igh cahr
2. þau	þau cahræst
3. he/seo/hit/man	he cahreþ
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	we cahrað

Imperative (Love!)

cahre!

Present Participle (loving)

cahring

Past Participle (loved)

gecahred

Present Subjunctive
 

Person	Example (cahr - love)
1. igh	igh cahre
2. þau	þau cahrært
3. he/seo/hit/man	he cahreþ
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	we cahrað

Perfect Indicative (I have loved, he has loved, etc.)
 

Person	Example (cahr - love)
1. igh	igh bæ gecahred
2. þau	þau bært gecahred
3. he/seo/hit/man	he beþ gecahred
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	we bæwð gecahred

Perfect Subjunctive
 

Person	Example (cahr - love)
1. igh	igh byse gecahred
2. þau	þau bysært gecahred
3. he/seo/hit/man	he byseþ gecahred
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	we bysæwð gecahred

Imperfect Indicative (I loved, he loved, etc.)
 

Person	Example (cahr - love)
1. igh	igh cahred
2. þau	þau cahrert
3. he/seo/hit/man	he cahred
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	we cahredan

Imperfect Subjunctive
 

Person	Example (cahr - love)
1. igh	igh cahrede
2. þau	þau cahredært
3. he/seo/hit/man	he cahredeþ
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	we cahredan

Pluperfect Indicative (I had loved, he had loved, etc.)
 

Person	Example (cahr - love)
1. igh	igh bæða gecahred
2. þau	þau bæðært gecahred
3. he/seo/hit/man	he beðeþ gecahred
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	we bæwðad gecahred

Pluperfect Subjunctive
 

Person	Example (cahr - love)
1. igh	igh bæðe gecahred
2. þau	þau bæðært gecahred
3. he/seo/hit/man	he byðeþ gecahred
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	we bæðæwð gecahred

Future Indicative (I will love, he will love, etc.)
 

Person	Example (cahr - love)
1. igh	igh wær cahr
2. þau	þau wær cahr
3. he/seo/hit/man	he wær cahr
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	we wær cahr

Future Subjunctive

Same as conditional.

Future Perfect Indicative (I will have loved, he will have loved, etc.)
 

Person	Example (cahr - love)
1. igh	igh wær bys gecahred
2. þau	þau wær bys gecahred
3. he/seo/hit/man	he wær bys gecahred
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	we wær bys gecahred

Conditional (I would love, he would love, etc.)
 

Person	Example (cahr - love)
1. igh	igh wære cahr
2. þau	þauwæræst cahr
3. he/seo/hit/man	he wæreþ cahr
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	we wærað cahr

Conditional Perfect (I would have loved, he would have loved, etc.)
 

Person	Example (cahr - love)
1. igh	igh wære bys gecahred
2. þau	þau wæræst bys gecahred
3. he/seo/hit/man	he wæreþ bys gecahred
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	we wærað bys gecahred

Irregular Verbs
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Irregular verbs behave much in the same way as regular verbs, except that for in the case of the past participle, where they don't like to conform.

the regular pattern for forming the past participle is thus:

ge-stem-ed

Irregular verbs don't like to behave. They change according to their whim with no respect to the learner of Wessisc!

In the Imperfect indicative, they also change and exert thus changes on all other tenses which are not in the present- this is shown in the table below:
 

Person	Imperfect Indicative Endings
1. igh	-
2. þau	-ært
3. he/seo/hit/man	-eþ
All Plurals. we/ghy/geo/hie	-að

To aid us in learning, the following list outlines the irregular verbs.

LIST TO BE COMPLETED
 

Verb	English	Imperfect	Past Participle
beget	beget	begat	begotten
blyw	blow	blew	blywn
brec	break	brac	braced
bring	bring	bragh	braghed
bys	be	bæð *	bysen
can	know (someone)	cen	cent
cun	can	conn	cont
dod	come	cahm	cegm
dw	do	dið	deon
estand	stand	estond	estwnd
fynd	find	fænd	fond
gei	give	geiwow	gancgee
gescrit	write	gescrat	gescritten
gespræc	speak	gesprahc	gesprahcan
go	go	wænd	goen
gwaid	bleed	gweid	gwaið
gwel	see	gweler	gweled
hladr	steal	hladar	hladard
hræd	read	hred	hred
maen	be	weo *	maenen
mahgh	make, do	mayd	gemayd
sccit	shit	sccat	gesccat
seegh	seek	sowght	sowght
sing	sing	sæng	swng
slæp	sleep	slæp	slæpan
spreec	speak	sprac	gesprogh
teek	take	took	taken
wæcnan	wake, arise	wacnan	wocnan
wær	become	wyrd	gewatten
will	want	will	woll
wyss	know (fact)	wass	wassan

* - bys and maen do not follow the rules

Passive
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There are two ways to creat the passive. The first is to replace all instances of the verb bys when it is used with the corresponding version of maen. The other method (when this is not possible; it may also be used as an alternative when supplication of bys is possible) is to use the impersonal pronoun man.

Word Order of the Sentence
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One interesting thing about Wessisc is its use of the Germanic 'Verb Second' idea. This trait, almost lost in Modern English (remaining in such usage as in "Rarely have I seen...." etc.), ensures that the verb retains a prominent position in the main clause of the sentence. This adds a tool to the language which may be considered by some to be quite a poetic tool, allowing some flexibility to sentence construction, although it is rigid in the use of the verb.

This rule is subject to change, however, when considering such sentences as questions. In a question, the verb comes first.

As we shall see in the following example, flexibility of all other parts of the sentence (except where previously dictated, e.g. adjctives following the nouns the belong to) is contrasted with the inflexibility of the verb.

Let us take the following example:
According-to the old man, I am good.
Lang = According-to
the = ðam - see Definite and Indefinite Articles
old = hen
man = Mann
I = igh - see Pronouns
am = eom - see 'to be' and 'to have'
good = guð - see Adjectives

Ðam Vann henum lang, eom igh guð.
(the man old according-to, am I good)

Igh eom guð, ðam Vann henum lang.
(I am good, the man old according-to)

Guð eom, ðam Vann henum lang, igh.
(Good am, the man old according-to, I)

Guð eom igh, ðam Vann henum lang.
(Good am I, the man old according-to)

Eom igh guð, ðam Vann henum lang?
(Am I good, the man old according-to?)

(C) 2001 Damon M. Lord