Old English/Prepositions

Old English has many prepositions, and like German, they require certain cases of noun to come after them to complete their meaning. Old English has 4 cases other than nominative (subject) case which can be objects of prepositions. The genitive, dative, instrumental, and accusative cases can all be objects of prepositions. Prepositions are used to make a sentence more descriptive. Common Prepositions Mid This preposition means 'with', as in: I went with him - ic ēode mid him. I traveled along with her - ic fōr mid hire. Tō This means 'to,' as in: I spoke to him - ic spræc tō him. I go to the door - ic gā tō þǣre dura. Þurh This means 'through,' as in: I go through the gate - ic gā þurh þæt geat. This preposition governs the accusative case. Now, there are a great deal of prepositions in Old English, so going through them by case governed will be helpful. Genitive Prepositions Genitive prepositions that only take the genitive case are rare, and there is only one true such preposition, andlang. andlang, andlanges alongside, along, on length, by the side of I go alongside the street - ic gā andlang(es) þǣre strǣte. I go by the side of the way - ic gā andlang(es) þæs ƿeges. There are several prepositions which do take genitive objects in addition to other cases: betƿēonan (dative/accusative too) innan (dative/accusative too) - within, from within þurh (mainly accusative) Dative Prepositions Tōgeagnes where there is motion towards the object governed by the word without the idea of hostility, towards, so as to meet with idea of hostility, against, to meet where there is motion of the object governed by the word without idea of opposition, in the way of, to meet the approach of, in readiness for, against the coming of with the idea of opposition, against, for the purpose of resisting marking the object towards or against which an action is directed of reciprocal action, again, in return marking time, on the approach of, towards marking comparison or contrast Instrumental Prepositions Accusative Prepositions There are several pure accusative prepositions, among the most common are geond, geondan, oþ, þurh, underneoðan, ƿiþgeondan, ymb, ymbūtan. Some of these prepositions can take other cases, but only rarely. There are also some less common prepositions, which will be listed below with the others. geond throughout, during geondan beyond oþ to, up to, as far as þurh through, during þurhūt right through, throughout hē ēode þurhūt Ēoforƿīc - he went throughout York underneoðan underneath, below ƿiþgeondan beyond ymb around, about, at ymbūtan around, about Dative/Accusative Prepositions ābūtan on, about, around, around about, on the outside (variant of onbūtan) in innan dative - in rest in, within - innan healle within a hall motion in, within - hé éode innan þǽm mynstre he went within the monastery time within the limits of a period, in; híe ƿendon innan þǽre middanƿintres tíde they went within the limits of midwinter time accusative - into onbūtan about place time about All Saint's Day or later onbūtan Ealra Hālgena dæg and gīet lator Dative/Instrumental Prepositions Mid Dative with, in conjunction with, in company with, together with Instrumental through, by means of Reference Place Prepositions Time Prepositions Manner Prepositions Relation Prepositions