Page:Collier's Cyclopedia of Commercial and Social Information.djvu/21

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
GRAMMAR.
9

Roots. Prim. Deriv. Second. Deriv.
Lend loan
Lie lay, law lien, lawyer, layer
Lose loss, loose loser, unloose
Man mannikin, manhood
Milk milch
Pin pen, pound
Pride proud
(Be)reave raven ravenous
Rise raise, rouse arise, arouse
See sight sightly
Shake shock shocking
Sing song singer, songster
Sit set, seat settle, settler
Speak speech speaker, bespeak
Stick stake, stitch
Strike stroke
Tell tale
Trow truth truthfulness
Wake watch waken, watchful
Weave woof, web weaver, webster
Win winsome
Work wright
Wring wrench, wrong wrongful
Wry writhe, wreath

8. Derivative words are also formed by composition; that is, by the construction of a single word out of two or more words, each capable of being used independently. These compounds differ entirely from the secondary derivatives, and are found in every class of English words, They are not, however, so numerous in our tongue as in the German; and in that they are less common than in the Greek language. Ex. Sunshine, fairhaired, thunderstorm, harvestman, daybreak, nevertheless, therefore, into, everlasting, midnight, noontime, elsewhere, however, undersell, overturn, because, hedgerow, warehouseman, earthquake, steamengine, railroad.

CLASSES OF WORDS.

9. The classification of words depends upon their signification as parts of sentences, which will be treated of under the head of "Syntax." The following will, however, suffice as an introduction to this part of the Grammar; and the nature of Subjects and Predicates, ‘Attributives and Objects, with the various means of expressing the relations between them, will be treated of in the succeeding division.

Names of things, persons, and of whatever exists, even in imagination, are called Nouns, and sometimes Substantives. Ex. Tree, stone; man, boy; Cesar, Wellington; virtue, hope.

Words expressing an assertion respecting an action or condition, or the reception of the consequences or an action, or simply respecting existence, are called Verbs. Ex. To run; to strike; to sleep, to be; to be beaten.

Attributives which can only in figurative language be used without a noun (which they qualify in some way) are called Adjectives. Ex. Good, bad, green, high, everlasting.

These are the three principal classes of words, which represent distinct notions of things, persons, actions, qualities, &c., &c., formed in the mind. Other words express not so much the notions we have formed, as the connection of those notions with each other, or their relations to us, or some of the infinitely various associations of thoughts.

10. Pronouns serve not only to prevent the too frequent repetition of the same nouns, but yet more to indicate the relation of the persons or things spoken of to the speaker. Such are the Personal Pronouns. Others are used as attributives, but they also show the relations of the subjects they characterize to the speaker. Ex. I, thou, he, they; mine, thine; this, those; whom, what.

Whatever exists, or acts, or is acted upon, is regarded as being, or acting, or being acted on, in some particular time, place, manner, &c.; and these modifications of the simple notions indicated by the verb are expressed by a class of words called Adverbs. Ex. Now, where, so, seldom, perhaps.

Many of the relations of notions one to another, also, are those of place, time, manner, means. &c.; and these are expressed by words called Prepositions, which serve to connect nouns and pronouns with other nouns and pronouns, and with verbs. Ex. From, by, of, to, after.

The connection of things, &c., with each other, and of thoughts with other thoughts, is shown by means of Conjunctions. Ex. And, or, but, though, for.

Numerals are in part names, and in part attributives and adverbs; and therefore do not properly form a class by themselves, Ex. Two, four, six; first, tenth, hundredth; firstly, secondly, lastly.

Interjections, which are expressions of emotion, such as fear, joy, pain, wonder, &c., and not of thought, and the greater number of which are rather sounds than words, cannot be noticed in a grammar; although it is convenient to have such a class to which certain expressions which occur in the Dictionary may be referred. Ex. Ah! O! Ha!

11. Nouns. The Gender of Nouns is determined