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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 July 2009
The verbs that do not conform to the ‘regular’ pattern of adding — (e)d in past and participle are so divergent that it is hardly worth trying to classify them.
(Strang 1970: 147)General features of the English verb system
To recapitulate, we have seen that Wurzel characterizes inflectional systems with the help of the following properties:
(a) category structures and categories
(b) base vs. stem inflection
(c) separate or combined symbolization of categories
(d) formal distinctions in the paradigm
(e) types of markers
(f) existence of inflectional classes.
If we apply Wurzel's features to the system of English verb forms, we derive the following picture:
(a) Inventory of category structures and categories: for the super-category TENSE we find the following categories in English: PRESENT (or, more precisely, NON-PAST) vs. PAST; this contrast is the only one expressed synthetically (e.g. want — wanted; ride — rode). In addition, we have a compositional future form (will ride) which has grammaticalized to a considerable degree from its volitional origin and can thus properly be called a tense of English (e.g. Tomorrow will be sunny). We also find the PERFECT, as in all languages a category of unclear status, perhaps best situated between tense and aspect. The perfect is compositional and can combine with all three basic tenses, resulting in the PRESENT PERFECT, the PAST PERFECT and the FUTURE PERFECT (have wanted, had wanted, will have wanted).
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