JJohnson
Banned
I have a quick question that I cannot find an answer for elsewhere online.
German has a few unique features that I cannot find an origin or timeframe for:
1. present perfect rather than simple past as the conversational past tense.
ex: ich bin gekommen, rather than ich kam; ich habe verstanden, rather than ich verstand
2. periphrastic subjunctive
ex: ich würde gehen rather than ich ginge
3. strong genitive adjective ending in 'en' rather than 'es
ex: das Auto guten Mannes rather than das Auto gutes Mannes
Does anyone know when/why these features developed?
German has a few unique features that I cannot find an origin or timeframe for:
1. present perfect rather than simple past as the conversational past tense.
ex: ich bin gekommen, rather than ich kam; ich habe verstanden, rather than ich verstand
2. periphrastic subjunctive
ex: ich würde gehen rather than ich ginge
3. strong genitive adjective ending in 'en' rather than 'es
ex: das Auto guten Mannes rather than das Auto gutes Mannes
Does anyone know when/why these features developed?