Adjective

Old English

Strong Declension

Singular

Masc. Neut. Femin.

N. blæc N. blæc N. blacu

G. blaces G. blaces G. blæcre

D. blacum D. blacum D. blæcre

Ac. blæcne Ac. blæc Ac. blace

Instr. blace Instr. blace ––

Plural

N. blace N. blacu N. blaca

G. blacra G. blacra G. blacra

D. blacum D. blacum D. blacum

Ac. blace Ac. blacu Ac. blaca

Weak Declension

Singular

Masc. Neut. Femin.

N. oda N. ode N. ode

G. odan G. odan G. odan

D. odan D. odan D. odan

Ac. odan Ac. ode Ac. odan

Plural (all genders)

14. odan

G. odum

Ac. odan

Early Middle English Late Middle English

fair (strong declension, e.g. Chaucer “she hadde a fair forheed”

2 basic forms fair

faire (weak declension, e.g. Chaucer “this faire lady”)

(or plural form, e.g. “faire wifes”)

The development of the DEFINITE ARTICLE

Demonstrative pronoun sē (masculine) > þē

(on the analogy with oblique þē (ēo > ē) (ModE the)

cases þæs, þæm, þone)

sēo (feminine) > þēo

The development of the INDEFINITE ARTICLE

OE ME NE

1. ān ōn [u:n > wu:n > wun > wn]

2. ān ōn > wōn > wōn [wu:n > wun > wn]