Conjugation of ДАТЬ?

[Paul B. Gallagher]

Peter Scotto wrote:

> Can anyone either give me a rundown on, or point me to a web place
> that explains why дать conjugates the way it does?
>
> One of my students in my second-year class asked me this, and I had
> no answer.

Relic of the old fifth conjugation; cf. ѣсть "to eat" in Russian and 
вѣдать "to know" in some other Slavic languages (leveled out in Russian).

Good start here:

<http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/lrc/eieol/oruol-10.html>
"Perhaps the most unique feature of the fifth conjugation as a whole is..."

Continue reading after the brief treatment of быть.

-- 
War doesn't determine who's right, just who's left.
--
Paul B. Gallagher
pbg translations, inc.
"Russian Translations That Read Like Originals"
http://pbg-translations.com

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