On the presence or absence of the conjunction þæt in Old English, with special reference to dependent sentences containing a gif-clause

Abstract

This article is a corpus-based investigation into the presence or absence of the conjunction þæt in dependent sentences containing a gif-clause in Old English and attempts in the process to shed light on the historical development of indirect speech. Encumbered by the addition of the gif-clause, a complex dependent sentence reveals facts about indirect speech that a simple dependent sentence cannot. Firstly, the article draws attention to a great number of instances of the zero form (the þæt-less construction) in which the dependent sentence is accompanied by a gif-clause, and, noting its structural similarity to direct speech, ascribes the zero form's origins to direct speech. Secondly, it is pointed out that in Old English, constructions with þæt still clearly reflect the influence of direct speech and closely resemble the zero form in structure. Thirdly, all this is attributed to the fact that OE prose was still unregularized and retained traits of spoken language, which may have made it difficult to accommodate a complex dependent sentence.