English verbs selecting Bare forms

[James A. Crippen]

On Thu, 5 Apr 2001, Robert Levine wrote:

> I agree; `daren't' definitely has an archaic flavor; what's funny too
> about it is the alternative/lower-register form `dasn't'---you almost
> have to be a character in a Dickens novel to be allowed to use it---
> which *seems* to reflect the old Germanic r~s alternation, and has no
> noncontracted analogue: *We dass not do that, *Dass we do that,

I also recall seeing 'dursn't' and I believe 'durst' both derived from 'to
dare'.  I think they were Middle English, maybe Chaucer.  And I think I've
seen them in affected Shakespearean style speech and writing.  I have no
clue about their etymology, though.  The OED might have an entry
for'durst'.

Hmm, how about 'dast we do that'?

'james

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