The Language of the Parker Chronicle

The reception accorded to the first volume of this book has en­ couraged me to redeem my promise to write a sequel on the word­ formation and syntax of the same text. (It is hoped that my edition of the text which forms the basis of these studies will appear in due course. ) Since these aspects of Old English have been virtually ig­ nored by scholars so far. I do not think I need offer any apology for making some contribution to such scanty information about them as is currently at our disposal. Some friends who urged me to undertake this task added the warning that I would find myself treading on much more dangerous ground. Having gone through the experience. I must now admit that syntactic analysis presents much more intractable problems than phonology. Some information about the method followed in this treatise is to be found in the introductions to the two parts. As far as possi­ ble I have used conventional terms. but not without explaining in what sense they are to be understood in this work. I admit that there is plenty of room for disagreement with my conclusions; but they are conclusions which I arrived at after giving much thought to the problems in each individual case. Even in cases where the reader finds he must agree to differ. I hope he will find the argu­ ments stimulating.