[§ 85]. In the Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish this peculiarity in the position of the definite article is preserved. Its origin, however, is concealed; and an accidental identity with the indefinite article has led to false notions respecting its nature. In the languages in point the i is changed into e, so that what in Icelandic is it and in, is in Danish et and en. En, however, as a separate word, is the numeral one, and also the indefinite article a; whilst in the neuter gender it is et—en Sol, a sun; et Bord, a table: Solen, the sun; Bordet, the table. From modern forms like those just quoted, it has been imagined that the definite is merely the indefinite article transposed. This it is not.
Reference will be made to this passage on more occasions than one, to show how words originally distinct may, in the process of time, take the appearance of being identical. To apply an expression of Mr. Cobbett's, en=a, and -en=the, are the same combination of letters, but not the same word.
DECLENSION OF ADJECTIVES.
| Saxon. | Icelandic. | ||||||
| Definite.[[7]] | Definite.[[7]] | ||||||
| Singular. | Singular. | ||||||
| Neut. | Masc. | Fem. | Neut. | Masc. | Fem. | ||
| Nom. | Góde | Góda | Góde. | Nom. | Haga | Hagi | Haga. |
| Acc. | Góde | Gódan | Gódan. | Acc. | Haga | Haga | Högu. |
| Abl. | Gódan | Gódan | Gódan. | Abl. | Haga | Haga | Högu. |
| Dat. | Gódan | Gódan | Gódan. | Dat. | Haga | Haga | Högu. |
| Gen. | Gódan | Gódan | Gódan. | Gen. | Haga | Haga | Högu. |
| Plural. | Högu is the Plural form for all the Cases and all the Genders. | ||||||
| Nom. | Gódan | Gódan | Gódan. | ||||
| Acc. | Gódan | Gódan | Gódan. | ||||
| Abl. | Gódum | Gódum | Gódum. | ||||
| Dat. | Gódum | Gódum | Gódum. | ||||
| Gen. | Gódena | Gódena | Gódena. | ||||
| Indefinite. | Indefinite. | ||||||
| Singular. | Singular. | ||||||
| Neut. | Masc. | Fem. | Neut. | Masc. | Fem. | ||
| Nom. | Gód | Gód | Gód. | Nom. | Hagt | Hagr | Hög. |
| Acc. | Gód | Gódne | Góde. | Acc. | Hagt | Hagan | Hög. |
| Abl. | Góde | Góde | Gódre. | Abl. | Högu | Högum | Hagri. |
| Dat. | Gódum | Gódum | Gódre. | Dat. | Högu | Högum | Hagri. |
| Gen. | Gódes | Gódes | Gódre. | Gen. | Hags | Hags | Hagrar. |
| Plural. | Plural. | ||||||
| Nom. | Góde | Góde | Góde. | Nom. | Hög | Hagir | Hagar. |
| Acc. | Góde | Góde | Góde. | Acc. | Hög | Haga | Hagar. |
| Abl. | Gódum | Gódum | Gódum. | Abl. | Högum | Högum | Högum. |
| Dat. | Gódum | Gódum | Gódum. | Dat. | Högum | Högum | Högum. |
| Gen. | Gódra | Gódra | Gódra. | Gen. | Hagra | Hagra | Hagra. |
[§ 86]. Observe in the Icelandic forms the absence of the termination -an. Observe also the neuter termination -t, as hagr, hagt. Throughout the modern forms of the Icelandic (viz. the Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian languages) this termination is still preserved: e.g., en god Hest, a good horse; et godt Hjært, a good heart; en skön Pige, a beautiful damsel; et skarpt Svœrd, a sharp sword.
[§ 87]. Amongst the pronouns the following differences present themselves. The Saxon forms are, for the pronoun of the second person, þu (thou), git (ye two), ge (ye); whilst in Icelandic they are þu, þið, per, respectively. Again, in Saxon there is no reflective pronoun corresponding with the Latin se. In Icelandic we have sik, sér, sin, corresponding to the Latin se, sibi, suus. Besides this, the word sin is declined, so that like the Latin suus it becomes adjectival.
| Sing. | Nom. | Sitt | Sinn | Sín. |
| Acc. | Sitt | Sinn | Sína. | |
| Dat. | Sínu | Sínum | Sinni. | |
| Gen. | Sins | Sins | Sinnar. | |
| Plur. | Nom. | Sín | Sínir | Sínar. |
| Acc. | Sín | Sína | Sínar. | |
| Dat. | Sínum | Sínum | Sínum. | |
| Gen. | Sinna | Sinna | Sinna. |
In Saxon there is of course no such an adjectival form. There the Possessives of the Third Person correspond not with the Latin suus, sua, suum; but with the Latin ejus and eorum. The English words his and her are genitive cases, not adjectives.