Thanks LN, that makes sense. I did know that the Þ in þér came from the ð of the verb ending. But I didn't know that the verb could sometimes even have it missing on the end. It's a funny thing isn't it? Apron is another, and adder too. I prefer "nadder" actually.
 
But now I'm still wondering whether that phrase requires a subjunctive or an indicative? These examples here don't give any information as "megum" and "megið" are both indicative, and subjunctive. My Zoëga dictionary says:
 
mega (má, mátta, mátt), v... (2) of health; mega vel, to be well; mega lítt, illa, to be poorly (hann spurði, hversu hann mætti. - Eigi má ek nú vel, sagði hann);
 
Mætti is the past subjunctive isn't it? Otherwise it would be "mátti". Where do I use the indicative, and subjunctive?
 
I just wanted to work out how to ask "How are you?", would it be "Hversu mátt þik?"?
 
-Sveinn
 
To: norse_course@yahoogroups.com
From: llama_nom@...
Date: Thu, 24 May 2012 20:36:52 +0000
Subject: [norse_course] Re: Unusual conjugation of "mega"

 


Hi Sveinn,

I'm not sure how rare these forms are (much of my reading has been from normalized editions), but yes, the final <ð> of 2nd person plural and dual endings is sometimes dropped before <þér> and <þit>, and the final <m> of the 1st person plural and dual is sometimes dropped before <vér> and <vit>.

Incidentally, the 2nd person pronouns were originally <ér> and <it>. The initial <þ> actually came from the final <ð> of the verb ending being reinterpreted as part of the pronoun. Look at the etymology of the words <orange> and <nickname> for more examples of this process whereby speakers of a language reinterpret the boundary between words.

LN

--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, Sveinn Fjölnisson <sveinnfjolnirsson@...> wrote:
>
>
> Hei everyone,
>
> Really need some help with this conjugation I found in the Völsunga Saga.
>
> Sigurðr mælti: "Sit heil, frú, eða hversu megi þér?"
> Hún svarar: "Vel megu vér, frændr lifa ok vinir, en háttung er í, hverja giftu menn bera til síns endadags."
>
> The only available translation I could find suggested this meaning:
>
> Sigurd spake, "Abide, fair and hale lady, -- how farest thou?"
> She answered, "Well it fares; my kin and my friends live yet: but who shall say what goodhap folk may bear to their life's end?"
>
> Now what I'm confused with is "megi þér" and "megu vér".
>
> I cannot work out what form they are supposed to be.
> It cannot be past because the stem of the verb form here is "meg-" and not "mátt-" or "mætt-"...
> So surely it must be present.
> But isn't the present conjugation for þér "megið" and the conjugation for vér as "megum"?
> It's not as if it's different because it's subjunctive because the subjunctive for þér and vér is the same as the indicative.
>
> Are "megi" and "megu" just rare forms where the last letter is skipped... megið = megi. And megum = megu.
>
> I'm really confused, and hoping someone can provide me with some clarity.
>
> Thanks.
>
> -Sveinn
>