XPost: alt.usage.english   
   From: gadekryds@lundhansen.dk   
      
   Adam Funk wrote:   
      
   > The -ing suffix in Modern English is a fusion of two Old English   
   > suffixes, one similar to German -ung & the other to German -end. I'm   
   > not sure of the extent to which that encouraged the development of the   
   > current -in'/-ing situation.   
      
   One might add that the -ung is a suffix that substantivates a verb,   
   while the -end makes the verbform present particip. There are parallels   
   in Danish where we have -(n)ing and -ende.   
      
   --   
   Bertel   
   Kolt, Denmark   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)