Page:The Comic English Grammar.djvu/53

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ETYMOLOGY.
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sometimes used with personal pronouns; as, himself, itself, themselves. His self is a common, but not a proper expression.

The distributive are three; each, every, either; they denote the individual persons or things separately, which, when taken together, make up a number.m

Each is used when two or more persons or things are mentioned singly; as, "each of the Catos;" "each of the Browns."

Every relates to one out of several; as, "Every mare is a horse, but every horse is not a mare."

Either refers to one out of two; as,

"When I between two jockeys ride,
I have a knave on either side."

Neither signifies "not either;" as, "Neither of the Bacons was related to Hogg."

The demonstrative pronouns precisely point out the subjects to which they relate; such are this and that, with their plurals these and those; as, "This is a Hoosier lad; that is a Yankee school-master."

This refers to the nearest person or thing, and to the latter or last mentioned; that to the most distant, and to the former or first mentioned; as, "This is a man; that is a nondescript." "At the period of the Reformation in Scotland, a curious contrast between the ancient and modern ecclesiastical systems was observed; for while that had been always maintained by a Bull, this was now supported by a Knox."

The indefinite are those which express their subjects in an indefinite or general manner; as, some, other, any, one, all, such, &c.

When the definite article the comes before the word

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