CHAPTER XXIII.
THE STRONG TENSES.
[§ 363]. The strong præterites are formed from the present by changing the vowel, as sing, sang, speak, spoke.
The first point in the history of these tenses that the reader is required to be aware of, is stated in the Chapter upon the Numbers, viz., that, in Anglo-Saxon, several præterites change, in their plural, the vowel of their singular; as
| Ic sang, I sang. | We sungon, we sung. |
| Þu sunge, thou sungest. | Ge sungon, ye sung. |
| He sang, he sang. | Hi sungon, they sung. |
As a general rule, the second singular has the same vowel with the plural persons, as burne, thou burntest, plural burnon, we burnt.
The bearing of this fact upon the præterites has been indicated in p. [300]. In a great number of words we have a double form, as ran and run, sang and sung, drank and drunk, &c. One of these forms is derived from the singular, and the other from the plural. I cannot say at what period the difference of form ceased to denote a difference of sense.
In cases where but one form is preserved, that form is not necessarily the singular one. For instance, Ic fand, I found, we fundon, we found, are the Anglo-Saxon forms. Now the present word found comes, not from the singular fand, but from the plural fund; although in the Lowland Scotch dialect and in the old writers, the singular form occurs.
Donald Caird finds orra things,
Where Allan Gregor fand the tings.—Scott.