How to parse. ...

Par. 552, 553.] INFLECTIONS.

299

To LOVE.
Gerund, or
Noun Infinitive. Infinitive of Purpose. Active Participle.
lufi-an. (to) lufi-anne. lufig-ende.
552 But already, towards the end of this period, there
seems to have arisen, partly perhaps owing to the
influence of the Danish invaders, some confusion
among the Inflections, and a tendency to simplify
them by assimilation. See the extract from the
Gospel of St. Mark in Par. 558.
It has been asserted (but see Par. 534, note) that, apart
from Danish influence, there was a tendency (a) in the North
to discard Inflections while retaining old forms; (b) in the
South to cling to Inflections while freely modifying forms.
553 Second Period, or "Period of Confusion," A.D. 1100-1250.- This may be called the
"Period of Confusion;" for during this period
(perhaps partly in consequence of political confusion) the language began to assimilate forms by
confusing sounds and Inflections. In particular, the
vowel sounds of Inflections were assimilated so that
a, o, and u frequently became indistinguishable by
being all changed into e.'
1 The same confusion of vowels and diphthongs is found in the
Greek MS. of the New Testament.