My posts are often questions for further knowledge about reasons for language change. In this extract from 1750, there are three variations on the past tense form. Once again, I am grateful if anyone can assist with explaining why or when contemporary use became standard practice.
It appeared that the Priſoner went to the Proſecutors Shop and
cheapen’d ſome Handkerchiefs, that he carry’d one to the Door to ſhew
to a Woman who was there, and asked her if ſhe liked it; and as ſoon
as he was gone they miſt the Handkerchiefs off the Compter.
Best Answer
In simple terms, even verbs are subject to Darwin's idea of "survival of the fittest". Some highly irregular forms simply couldn't compete with simpler, newer forms. For example: dreamt and dreamed.
The form "dreamt" doesn't only require a spelling change--it also necessitates a pronunciation shift in the stem of the word--that's one change too many, and in evolutionary terms, this is expensive. "Dreamed" is simply a much more practical and more convenient choice. we simple just "ed", and We don't have to change the pronunciation of the stem. This explains the waning popularity of "dreamt" (and similar verbs like leant).
You can read this article for more ideas: http://notexactlyrocketscience.wordpress.com/2007/10/10/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-%E2%80%93-how-verbs-change-over-time/