A weak verb becomes strong: The conjugation history of the verb kvíða

Abstract

The Modern Icelandic verb kvíða ‘be anxious about sth’ merits attention for a number of reasons, encapsulating as it does, a long history of re-interpretation. In the oldest sources, kvíða was a weak verb. In the 16th century, it became strong in all its forms, save for the present tense singular. However, from early in the 20th century, we have the first example of strong verbal endings turning up in the present tense singular, while from the latter part of the 20th century, the examples are only sporadic. This article undertakes the task of reconstructing the history of this verb, considering change and contemporary variation in its morphological class. A diachronic as well as synchronic treatment is discussed. Furthermore, the discussion offers some comparison with related languages, in particular Norwegian.