Note.—The N.A. plural is usually the same as the N.A. singular. These umlaut datives are all due to the presence of a former i. Cf. Lat. dative singular patri, frātri, mātri, sorori (< *sosori), and Greek θυγατρί.
(3) The nd-Stems show umlaut both in the N.A. plural and in the dative singular:
| Sing. N.A. | sē frēond (friend) | sē fēond (enemy) |
| D. | frīend | fīend |
| Plur. N.A. | frīend | fīend |
Note.—Mn.E. friend and fiend are interesting analogical spellings. When s had been added by analogy to the O.E. plurals frīend and fīend, thus giving the double plurals friends and fiends, a second singular was formed by dropping the s. Thus friend and fiend displaced the old singulars frend and fend, both of which occur in the M.E. Ormulum, written about the year 1200.
Summary of O.E. Declensions.
[69.]
A brief, working summary of the O.E. system of declensions may now be made on the basis of gender.
All O.E. nouns are (1) masculine, (2) feminine, or (3) neuter.
(1) The masculines follow the declension of mūð ([§ 26]), except those ending in -a, which are declined like hunta ([§ 64]):
| Sing. N.A. | mūð | N. | hunta |
| G. | mūðes | G.D.A. | huntan |
| D.I. | mūðe | I. | huntan |
| Plur N.A. | mūðas | huntan | |
| G. | mūða | huntena | |
| D.I. | mūðum | huntum | |