Middle English preposition "twēn(e)"
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Date
2014
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Adam Mickiewicz University
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Abstract
The present paper focuses on the Middle English preposition twēn(e) ‘between, among, in between’.
The aim of the study is to review the acknowledged etymology of twēn(e) as well as to
provide its semantics, dialect distribution, complete textual distribution (record of texts employing
twēn(e)), and absolute token frequency. Moreover, all texts including the preposition twēn(e) are
subject to an analysis of the whole variety of prepositions meaning ‘between’ and their token
frequency in order to establish the proportions of the use of twēn(e) and other discussed prepositions,
especially the better established preposition betwēn(e) in texts employing twēn(e).
The study is based on such extensive electronic databases as the Middle English Dictionary
online, the Oxford English Dictionary online and the Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
as well as on a number of complete Middle English texts. The study of the corpus demonstrates
the presence of twēn(e) and other prepositions meaning ‘between’ also in texts not listed by the
Middle English Dictionary online or the Oxford English Dictionary online under appropriate
entries, and thus helps to provide a more complete record of texts and authors utilizing twēn(e)
and the extent of use of twēn(e) as compared to other prepositions meaning ‘between’. Moreover,
the study demonstrates that also the other discussed prepositions are often not recorded in particular
texts by the MED online or the OED online. In more general terms, the paper points out the
need for the use of complete texts for the study of historical prepositions.
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Keywords
twēn(e), Middle English prepositions, MED online, Oxford English Dictionary online, Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Citation
Studia Anglica Posnaniensia, vol. 49.3 (2014), pp. 91-111
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0081-6272