Weak and Strong
Weak verbs should be contrasted with strong verbs, which form their past tenses by means of ablaut (vowel gradation: sing - sang - sung). Most verbs in the early stages of the Germanic languages were strong. However, as the ablaut system is no longer productive except in rare cases of analogy, almost all new verbs in Germanic languages are weak, and the majority of the original strong verbs have become weak by analogy.
Read more about this topic: Germanic Weak Verb
Famous quotes containing the words weak and, weak and/or strong:
“The dusk runs down the lane driven like hail;
Far off a precise whistle is escheat
To the dark; and then the towering weak and pale....”
—Allen Tate (1899–1979)
“Here’s that which is too weak to be a sinner,
Honest water, which ne’er left man i’ th’ mire.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.”
—Bible: New Testament, Luke 1:80.