Niw Englisch/Grammar/Sentences
In Niw Englisc, sentences which form a complete thought will have a subject and a verb. Transitive verbs will have an object, either indirect or direct.
An example simple sentence: ic fare I travel, I do travel, I am traveling
Niw Englisc word order is S-V-O He bohte ane Bok. He bought a book.
In a question, the question word comes first, then the verb, the subject, then the rest of the sentence: ƕær is þein Cild? where is your child? ƕas Auto is þat? whose car is that? ƕenn scollden wiȝ utfaren? when should we leave?
After the verb, the adverbs are added to complete the meaning of the sentence: ic fare morgen I travel tomorrow or I will travel tomorrow (note: the present indicative can be used to indicate the future when used with a future adverb) ic helpe raðe I will help at once
Some verbs take an accusative object, some take a dative object: ic helpe þiȝ I am helping you þu sœkst þen Computer You're looking for the computer
In a subordinate clause, a subordinating conjunction is used to introduce the clause, in which case the word order becomes S-O-V, where the conjugated verb becomes the last thing in the sentence. ic waat, þat scie mein Auto gefaren hafþ I know that she drove my car wiȝ fanden ut, þat ȝon Feld gesalld warþ we found out that that field over there was sold. I don't know how long it will be. Ic waat naht, hu lange it biþ. (colloquially, you could say: ic naat)
Subordinating Conjunctions: after: seiþ as, when: als although: þeah þe before: ær if: if since: siþþen that: þat until: oþ
Adverbs: þa: then, when, at that time;
- þa was he mid her at that time he was with her
- þa he in seinem Huus was when he was in his house
Relative Conjunctions: in English, we use relatives I know the person whom you sold the phone.
In Niw Englisc, that would be: ic waat þen Mann, þem þu þat Handy salldest.
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