LESSON VI. 1. Definition. 2. Kinds. THE VERB. 1. Finite; 2. Infinite. 3. Classification. 1. As to Nature,— 1. Active; 2. Passive; 3. Neuter. 2. As to Use, 1. Transitive; 2. Intransitive; 3. Copulative. 3. As to Form,— 1. Regular; 2. Irregular. 4. As to Inflection, 6. Properties (continued.) 3. Tense; 1. Absolute; 1. Past; 2. Present; 3. Future. 2. Relative; 1. Past Perfect; 2. Present Perfect; 3. Future Perfect. 4. Person; 1. First; 2. Second; 3. Third. 5. Number; 1. Singular; 2. Plural. 7. Variation. 1. Conjugation; 1. As to Voice, 1. Active; 2. Passive. 2. As to Form,— 1. Regular; 2. Irregular. 3. Coördinate Forms; 2. Synopsis. 8. Special Forms. 1. Infinitives; 1. Voice Forms; 1. Active; 2. Passive. 2. Tense; 1. Present; 2. Perfect. 3. Construction; 1. Noun; 2. Adjective; 3. Adverb. 2. Participles; 9. Parsing. 1. Derivation; 2. Kinds; 1. Present; 2. Perfect; 3. Compound. 3. Construction. 1. Noun; 2. Adjective; 3. [ Adverbs (?) ] SUPPLEMENTARY. QUESTIONS. 1. The word verb is from the Latin verbum which means word. Why was this part of speech so called? 2. In the early stages of language there were no infinitives and participles. Why, and how, were they developed? 3. Can you write sentences showing how subordinate clauses may be abridged by the use of infinitives and participles? tive. 4. Why are some verbs, as ought, for instance, defec 5. Which partakes most of the nature of the verb, the infinitive or participle? 6. What different views are held by writers on grammar with regard to the number of modes in the English language? 7. If the subjunctive mode were given one more tense, what mode might be dropped? 8. What is a gerund? 9. Why is there so much difference among grammarians in the disposition of infinitives and participles? 10. The inflection of regular verbs is called the New Conjugation, and that of irregular verbs is called the Old Conjugation. What does this indicate? 11. What verbs have no infinitives or participles? 12. What other names are sometimes given to the past, and past perfect tenses? 13. What is the best method of determining the construction of an infinitive or participle? 14. What are the accidents of a verb? 15. What is the etymological meaning of the word conjugation? 16. What other name is sometimes applied to impersonal verbs? 17. What are the oldest parts of speech? 18. Would you parse the infinitive or participle, as having a subject? 19. Can you give a rule governing the use of auxili aries? 20. What is a verbal? ANSWERS. 1. The verb is the principal part of the sentence. verb standing alone may convey a thought; that is, it may be a sentence with its subject and modifiers in ellipsis. The word "come" is a good example, meaning, evidently, you come to me. The thought centers in the verb. The verb is the word of the sentence. 2. In the use of language we endeavor to express ourselves in as few words as possible. Hence, a subordinate proposition, which is only a modifier of the principal statement, is frequently reduced to a single word; and, as the only way of retaining the true idea must be by means of the verb, some form of a verb which shall still retain the verb idea, and at the same time having the power of inodifying the main sentence, must be used. This gave rise to a new class of words-infinitives, and participles-which perform these double offices. 3. 'I told him that he should go. 2I told him to go. In the second sentence the infinitive conveys the same thought that the subordinate proposition in the first conveys. In strength, terseness and several other points, the second sentence has the advantage. "I did not know that he was the man. 'I did not know of his being the man. In the fourth sentence the participle takes the place of the verb in the subordinate clause, but the same superiority can hardly be claimed for the fourth sentence as for the second. 4. These verbs want some of their principal parts for the reason that they have never been used in these capacities. Usage makes language what it is. 5. The infinitive is more of a verb than the participle. The main use of the infinitive is to make an assertion, while that of the participle is rather as a noun, and a modifier of nouns or pronouns. 6. Some writers, including Whitney, distinguish but three modes-indicative, subjunctive and imperative; others, including Harvey, add two modes-the potential and infinitive to their list; others add still another mode-the participial. This last does not seem well warranted, as the participle has too much of the signification of an adjective. It is not so much a verb as the infinitive. It is better to make it a separate part of speech. 7. If the subjunctive mode were thus expanded it could assume all the functions of the potential. The dropping of the potential has been advocated by eminent scholars. 8. In such constructions as the following: Paying one's debts is honorable; the word paying is, by some authors, called a gerund or infinitive, ending in ing. 9. Infinitives and participles partake of the character of several parts of speech. They were both derived from verbs of whose character they always partake; and, at the same time, assume the functions of nouns and adjectives to a greater or less extent. The infinitive also assumes the functions of an adverb. Now, the question is, to what extent do they assume these functions. On this point differences of opinion may easily arise. 10. Before verbs were inflected according so some general law, their principal parts would naturally be very irregular; as, am, was, been, where even a different word is used for different tenses of the same verb. This was the conjugation of primitive ages, and is for this reason called the Old Conjugation. A regular form was invented at a later period and verbs of more recent origin conform to this, and hence the name, New Conjugation. 11. The auxiliaries may, can, shall, will, must and the principal verb ought have no infinitive or participial forms. 12. The past tense is sometimes called the preterit, and also the imperfect. The past perfect is often called the pluperfect. 13. The best way of doing this is by expanding them |