doubts on the meaning of the auxiliary verb “do”












2















In the "seventh Hymn on the Nativity", where St. Ephraim speaks about Tamar (Genesis 38), I read: "She was a widow for your sake. You did she long for, she hasted and was also a harlot for your sake. You did she vehemently desire.



Is thas some typo? what do those two sentences mean?
Thank you.










share|improve this question























  • This is not Modern English. This is deliberately archaized Early Modern English, and its syntax is not current. That's for starts. Don't expect 400-year-old writing to have typos -- the language and the writing were both different from the way they are now.

    – John Lawler
    3 hours ago
















2















In the "seventh Hymn on the Nativity", where St. Ephraim speaks about Tamar (Genesis 38), I read: "She was a widow for your sake. You did she long for, she hasted and was also a harlot for your sake. You did she vehemently desire.



Is thas some typo? what do those two sentences mean?
Thank you.










share|improve this question























  • This is not Modern English. This is deliberately archaized Early Modern English, and its syntax is not current. That's for starts. Don't expect 400-year-old writing to have typos -- the language and the writing were both different from the way they are now.

    – John Lawler
    3 hours ago














2












2








2


1






In the "seventh Hymn on the Nativity", where St. Ephraim speaks about Tamar (Genesis 38), I read: "She was a widow for your sake. You did she long for, she hasted and was also a harlot for your sake. You did she vehemently desire.



Is thas some typo? what do those two sentences mean?
Thank you.










share|improve this question














In the "seventh Hymn on the Nativity", where St. Ephraim speaks about Tamar (Genesis 38), I read: "She was a widow for your sake. You did she long for, she hasted and was also a harlot for your sake. You did she vehemently desire.



Is thas some typo? what do those two sentences mean?
Thank you.







phrase-meaning






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asked 7 hours ago









Massimo CianiMassimo Ciani

1112




1112













  • This is not Modern English. This is deliberately archaized Early Modern English, and its syntax is not current. That's for starts. Don't expect 400-year-old writing to have typos -- the language and the writing were both different from the way they are now.

    – John Lawler
    3 hours ago



















  • This is not Modern English. This is deliberately archaized Early Modern English, and its syntax is not current. That's for starts. Don't expect 400-year-old writing to have typos -- the language and the writing were both different from the way they are now.

    – John Lawler
    3 hours ago

















This is not Modern English. This is deliberately archaized Early Modern English, and its syntax is not current. That's for starts. Don't expect 400-year-old writing to have typos -- the language and the writing were both different from the way they are now.

– John Lawler
3 hours ago





This is not Modern English. This is deliberately archaized Early Modern English, and its syntax is not current. That's for starts. Don't expect 400-year-old writing to have typos -- the language and the writing were both different from the way they are now.

– John Lawler
3 hours ago










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes


















1














There is a stylistic inversion or fronting at play where the direct object has been placed at the front of the sentence, breaking the expectation of Subject-Verb-Object order for emphasis.




She was a widow for your sake. You did she long for, she hasted and was also a harlot for your sake. You did she vehemently desire.




"You did she long for" -> "She did long for you." 
"You did she vehemently desire" -> "She vehemently desired you."


The "you" acquires more precedence and weight. In this kind of fronting, the auxiliary verb directly follows the fronted object, just as would happen with a question where a wh-form was fronted:



"Who did she long for?" -> "She did long for you." 





share|improve this answer































    0














    Auxiliary do is used for emphasis:




    • Did you win?

    • I did win!!!


    So the use of did in the Hymn is perfectly natural. What is strange to the modern ear is the inversion of object and verb, as well as the use of common case "she" instead of the objective case "her".




    • You did she long for = You did long for her

    • You did she vehemently desire = You did desire her vehemently






    share|improve this answer
























    • Yes, that is unusual: three forms of emphasis. did 'she did desire' for 'she desired;' Inversion 'did she' for 'she did' ; and fronting placing 'You' as the first word.

      – Hugh
      7 hours ago











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    2 Answers
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    active

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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

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    active

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    active

    oldest

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    1














    There is a stylistic inversion or fronting at play where the direct object has been placed at the front of the sentence, breaking the expectation of Subject-Verb-Object order for emphasis.




    She was a widow for your sake. You did she long for, she hasted and was also a harlot for your sake. You did she vehemently desire.




    "You did she long for" -> "She did long for you." 
    "You did she vehemently desire" -> "She vehemently desired you."


    The "you" acquires more precedence and weight. In this kind of fronting, the auxiliary verb directly follows the fronted object, just as would happen with a question where a wh-form was fronted:



    "Who did she long for?" -> "She did long for you." 





    share|improve this answer




























      1














      There is a stylistic inversion or fronting at play where the direct object has been placed at the front of the sentence, breaking the expectation of Subject-Verb-Object order for emphasis.




      She was a widow for your sake. You did she long for, she hasted and was also a harlot for your sake. You did she vehemently desire.




      "You did she long for" -> "She did long for you." 
      "You did she vehemently desire" -> "She vehemently desired you."


      The "you" acquires more precedence and weight. In this kind of fronting, the auxiliary verb directly follows the fronted object, just as would happen with a question where a wh-form was fronted:



      "Who did she long for?" -> "She did long for you." 





      share|improve this answer


























        1












        1








        1







        There is a stylistic inversion or fronting at play where the direct object has been placed at the front of the sentence, breaking the expectation of Subject-Verb-Object order for emphasis.




        She was a widow for your sake. You did she long for, she hasted and was also a harlot for your sake. You did she vehemently desire.




        "You did she long for" -> "She did long for you." 
        "You did she vehemently desire" -> "She vehemently desired you."


        The "you" acquires more precedence and weight. In this kind of fronting, the auxiliary verb directly follows the fronted object, just as would happen with a question where a wh-form was fronted:



        "Who did she long for?" -> "She did long for you." 





        share|improve this answer













        There is a stylistic inversion or fronting at play where the direct object has been placed at the front of the sentence, breaking the expectation of Subject-Verb-Object order for emphasis.




        She was a widow for your sake. You did she long for, she hasted and was also a harlot for your sake. You did she vehemently desire.




        "You did she long for" -> "She did long for you." 
        "You did she vehemently desire" -> "She vehemently desired you."


        The "you" acquires more precedence and weight. In this kind of fronting, the auxiliary verb directly follows the fronted object, just as would happen with a question where a wh-form was fronted:



        "Who did she long for?" -> "She did long for you." 






        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered 6 hours ago









        TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin

        5,3171127




        5,3171127

























            0














            Auxiliary do is used for emphasis:




            • Did you win?

            • I did win!!!


            So the use of did in the Hymn is perfectly natural. What is strange to the modern ear is the inversion of object and verb, as well as the use of common case "she" instead of the objective case "her".




            • You did she long for = You did long for her

            • You did she vehemently desire = You did desire her vehemently






            share|improve this answer
























            • Yes, that is unusual: three forms of emphasis. did 'she did desire' for 'she desired;' Inversion 'did she' for 'she did' ; and fronting placing 'You' as the first word.

              – Hugh
              7 hours ago
















            0














            Auxiliary do is used for emphasis:




            • Did you win?

            • I did win!!!


            So the use of did in the Hymn is perfectly natural. What is strange to the modern ear is the inversion of object and verb, as well as the use of common case "she" instead of the objective case "her".




            • You did she long for = You did long for her

            • You did she vehemently desire = You did desire her vehemently






            share|improve this answer
























            • Yes, that is unusual: three forms of emphasis. did 'she did desire' for 'she desired;' Inversion 'did she' for 'she did' ; and fronting placing 'You' as the first word.

              – Hugh
              7 hours ago














            0












            0








            0







            Auxiliary do is used for emphasis:




            • Did you win?

            • I did win!!!


            So the use of did in the Hymn is perfectly natural. What is strange to the modern ear is the inversion of object and verb, as well as the use of common case "she" instead of the objective case "her".




            • You did she long for = You did long for her

            • You did she vehemently desire = You did desire her vehemently






            share|improve this answer













            Auxiliary do is used for emphasis:




            • Did you win?

            • I did win!!!


            So the use of did in the Hymn is perfectly natural. What is strange to the modern ear is the inversion of object and verb, as well as the use of common case "she" instead of the objective case "her".




            • You did she long for = You did long for her

            • You did she vehemently desire = You did desire her vehemently







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 7 hours ago









            Armen ԾիրունյանArmen Ծիրունյան

            13k1776131




            13k1776131













            • Yes, that is unusual: three forms of emphasis. did 'she did desire' for 'she desired;' Inversion 'did she' for 'she did' ; and fronting placing 'You' as the first word.

              – Hugh
              7 hours ago



















            • Yes, that is unusual: three forms of emphasis. did 'she did desire' for 'she desired;' Inversion 'did she' for 'she did' ; and fronting placing 'You' as the first word.

              – Hugh
              7 hours ago

















            Yes, that is unusual: three forms of emphasis. did 'she did desire' for 'she desired;' Inversion 'did she' for 'she did' ; and fronting placing 'You' as the first word.

            – Hugh
            7 hours ago





            Yes, that is unusual: three forms of emphasis. did 'she did desire' for 'she desired;' Inversion 'did she' for 'she did' ; and fronting placing 'You' as the first word.

            – Hugh
            7 hours ago


















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