THE FINAL INFINITIVE. 
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X. THE FINAL INFINITIVE. 1 
A. THE ACTIVE INFINITIVE. 
2. With Active Verbs. 
In all probability, the uninflected infinitive of purpose after verbs of motion 
was a native idiom in Anglo-Saxon, for it is habitual in the poems, occurs several 
times in Early West Saxon prose, and is not infrequent in Late West Saxon 
prose, especially in the Gospels. The relative frequency of the idiom in the 
Gospels is due in part to the frequent presence of the final infinitive in the Latin 
vulgate. In iElfric’s Grammar , it may be added, the uninflected final infinitive 
several times translates the Latin supine in -um. 
The infrequency of the uninflected final infinitive after verbs of rest makes 
it difficult to draw confident conclusions; but the idiom is probably of native 
origin, occurring as it does chiefly in the poems. In the one instance in the 
prose translations (JElf. Hept.: Judges 4.18 b ), the Latin has no infinitive. This 
probability of native origin is further enhanced by the fact that we have the un¬ 
inflected predicative infinitive after verbs of rest. 
The uninflected infinitive of purpose after verbs of commanding and re¬ 
questing is probably due to Latin influence, as no example occurs in the poetry, 
and in the three examples from the prose ( Bede 392.32, JZlf. Hept.: Judges 
4.19, and J. 4.9) the infinitive translates a Latin final infinitive ( petamus 
bibere , dedit . . . bibere, bibere . . . poscis). 
Probably, too, the uninflected final infinitive after verbs of giving was first 
suggested by the Latin da bibere and similar locutions. The idiom is very 
rare in the poetry: of the three examples, one occurs in the metrical Psalms, 
and two in the Riddles. When found in the translations, it is about two-thirds 
of the time in direct translation of a Latin final infinitive. The Latin cor¬ 
respondents are: a final infinitive, 18; a gerundive in the accusative, 2; a 
co-ordinated finite verb, active, 1; a subordinated, finite verb, active, 1; a 
prepositional phrase, 1; a noun (dative, 1; accusative, 5); no Latin, 2. 
The uninflected infinitive of purpose after “ other verbs ” occurs twice 
in the poetry ( Gifts 66: gewyrce& . . . gefegan; Gnomic Sayings 129: scop 
. . . healdan), each doubtful, and once in prose ( L. 1.72 b : alysde ... to 
wyrcenne . . . and gemunan ), in which last the uninflected infinitive is pre¬ 
ceded by a co-ordinate inflected infinitive, and is appreciably separated from 
its principal verb. But the inflected infinitive and the uninflected infinitive in 
this verse may each be due to the Latin original: see p. 143 above. 
The inflected infinitive of purpose, after verbs of whatever kind, was prob¬ 
ably first suggested by the Latin; for we find: — 
1. That, of the fifteen examples occurring in Anglo-Saxon poetry, all but 
two ( Beow . 1731 and Wids. 134) occur in poems known to be based on Latin 
originals, and in the two exceptional examples the infinitive may modify the 
noun rather than the verb. 
2. That while, in the Early West Saxon translations, the inflected infinitive 
of purpose occasionally 2 translates a Latin final infinitive, it usually translates 
1 Cf. Chapter X, p. 132. 
2 In the Late West Saxon Gospels, the Latin final infinitive after verbs of motion is often translated by an 
inflected infinitive instead of an uninflected, there being 18 inflected to 24 uninflected infinitives in that text 
corresponding to a Latin final infinitive. 
