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#1 2007-10-10 17:09:06

MathsIsFun
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Registered: 2005-01-21
Posts: 7,711

Mathematics of Verbs

Verbs that don't end in "-ed" are gradually being converted ...

Some Harvard scientists have calculated how long it takes to change them: the inverse of the square root of how common they are!

See: http://www.sciencecodex.com/harvard_scientists_predict_the_future_of_the_past_tense


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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#2 2007-10-17 00:29:05

landof+
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Registered: 2007-03-24
Posts: 131

Re: Mathematics of Verbs

fascinating. I must say it's an interesting investigation.


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#3 2007-10-17 07:43:14

mathsyperson
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Registered: 2005-06-22
Posts: 4,900

Re: Mathematics of Verbs

Very interesting study indeed. I never would have thought that the evolution of English has such concrete patterns hiding in it.

To develop this formula, the researchers tracked the status of 177 irregular verbs in Old English through linguistic changes in Middle English and then modern English. Of these 177 verbs that were irregular 1,200 years ago, 145 stayed irregular in Middle English and just 98 remain irregular today, following the regularization over the centuries of such verbs as help, laugh, reach, walk, and work.

I would love to know what the previous past tense forms of those verbs were. That way I could try to resurrect them and mess up the findings. tongue

Irregular verbs with lower frequencies of use -- such as "shrive" and "smite," with half-lives of 300 and 700 years, respectively -- are much more likely to succumb to regularization.

I for one hope that this never happens. Smote is a brilliant word.


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#4 2007-10-17 09:30:17

MathsIsFun
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Re: Mathematics of Verbs

Yeah, "smited" sounds lame.


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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#5 2007-10-17 09:34:51

luca-deltodesco
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Registered: 2006-05-05
Posts: 1,470

Re: Mathematics of Verbs

shrived? lol

i personally try to use such a wide vocabularly to perfectly convey my message that i often fail and leave a sentence unclosed while i try to remember the precise word or verb i want to use tongue


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#6 2007-10-17 09:37:42

luca-deltodesco
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Registered: 2006-05-05
Posts: 1,470

Re: Mathematics of Verbs

i must say i hope verbs like to write are one of those that will not change.

i don't know what i'd do if 'writed' became the correct past particible of write, or readed lol


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The End Of All Things To Come.

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#7 2007-10-17 10:08:02

luca-deltodesco
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Registered: 2006-05-05
Posts: 1,470

Re: Mathematics of Verbs

i was -> i beed (?)
i sang -> i singed (already exists from different verb?)
i threw -> i throwed
i knew -> i knowed
i took -> i taked
i taught -> i teached (this one is actually becoming common i've noticed)
i did -> i doed (ehm.. this one might be mistaken for 'hi dude' think tongue)
i spun -> i spinned (also common ive noticed hmm )
i swam -> i swimmed (also common ive noticed hmm )

ive also just noticed that in english we do have compound verbs in terms of things like 'take -> partake' where partake follows same pattern as take but with the par prefix, 'took' 'partook'


The Beginning Of All Things To End.
The End Of All Things To Come.

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#8 2007-10-17 22:08:39

landof+
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Registered: 2007-03-24
Posts: 131

Re: Mathematics of Verbs

I had been singed sounds better.


I shall be on leave until I say so...

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#9 2007-10-17 22:12:20

mathsyperson
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Registered: 2005-06-22
Posts: 4,900

Re: Mathematics of Verbs

That's only if you're the subject of the singing. If you singe something else, then saying you singed it would be fine.


Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

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#10 2007-10-17 22:16:47

landof+
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Registered: 2007-03-24
Posts: 131

Re: Mathematics of Verbs

yes... you got me spot on. I have NOT been singed though (si-nj-'d)


I shall be on leave until I say so...

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#11 2019-12-17 19:00:53

Monox D. I-Fly
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From: Indonesia
Registered: 2015-12-02
Posts: 2,000

Re: Mathematics of Verbs

mathsyperson wrote:

To develop this formula, the researchers tracked the status of 177 irregular verbs in Old English through linguistic changes in Middle English and then modern English. Of these 177 verbs that were irregular 1,200 years ago, 145 stayed irregular in Middle English and just 98 remain irregular today, following the regularization over the centuries of such verbs as help, laugh, reach, walk, and work.

I would love to know what the previous past tense forms of those verbs were. That way I could try to resurrect them and mess up the findings. tongue

Well, since the past form of "teach" is "taught", the past form of "reach" at the time might be "raught".


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May his adventurous soul rest in peace at heaven.

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#12 2019-12-18 03:16:42

Jai Ganesh
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Registered: 2005-06-28
Posts: 45,956

Re: Mathematics of Verbs

Similarly, bring in the present tense, brought is the past tense.
But, 'sing' and 'sought' have altogether different meanings!


It appears to me that if one wants to make progress in mathematics, one should study the masters and not the pupils. - Niels Henrik Abel.

Nothing is better than reading and gaining more and more knowledge - Stephen William Hawking.

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#13 2019-12-19 14:31:53

Monox D. I-Fly
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From: Indonesia
Registered: 2015-12-02
Posts: 2,000

Re: Mathematics of Verbs

I don't even know the meaning of "sought"...


Actually I never watch Star Wars and not interested in it anyway, but I choose a Yoda card as my avatar in honor of our great friend bobbym who has passed away.
May his adventurous soul rest in peace at heaven.

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#14 2019-12-19 15:36:46

Jai Ganesh
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Registered: 2005-06-28
Posts: 45,956

Re: Mathematics of Verbs

Monox D. I-Fly wrote:

I don't even know the meaning of "sought"...

sought : past and past participle of seek.

seek : attempt to find (something).
2. attempt to find (something).
3. search for.
4. try to find.
5. look for
6. look about/around/round for.
7. cast about/around/round for.
8. be on the lookout for.
9. be after.
10. hunt for.
11. be in quest of etc.


It appears to me that if one wants to make progress in mathematics, one should study the masters and not the pupils. - Niels Henrik Abel.

Nothing is better than reading and gaining more and more knowledge - Stephen William Hawking.

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#15 2019-12-19 19:04:18

Monox D. I-Fly
Member
From: Indonesia
Registered: 2015-12-02
Posts: 2,000

Re: Mathematics of Verbs

Oh man, silly me. Well, I do use "look for" or "search" more often.


Actually I never watch Star Wars and not interested in it anyway, but I choose a Yoda card as my avatar in honor of our great friend bobbym who has passed away.
May his adventurous soul rest in peace at heaven.

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#16 2019-12-19 20:09:51

Jai Ganesh
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Registered: 2005-06-28
Posts: 45,956

Re: Mathematics of Verbs

smile smile


It appears to me that if one wants to make progress in mathematics, one should study the masters and not the pupils. - Niels Henrik Abel.

Nothing is better than reading and gaining more and more knowledge - Stephen William Hawking.

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