8. The words in the following list, though beginning with vowels, 9. The following words beginning with an h aspirate, but having the accent on the second syllable, require the article an before them. N.B.-It will be noticed that the substantives belonging to these adjectives take 'a' before them. 10. The applies to either number; a, to the singular number only, except when it gives a collective meaning to an expression consisting of an adjective and plural noun; as, a few days, a hundred pounds. Prefixed to adjectives, the marks a class; as, the righteous, the wicked. 11. In phrases like three times a year, ‘a' = each, every, and is distributive. 12. Sometimes a means any; as, 'If a man keep my saying,' i.e.' any man.' 13. ADJECTIVES which mark the peculiarities of a thing by a reference to its qualities, or supposed qualities, are called QUALI TATIVE. 14. Qualitative adjectives are of six kinds-positive and privative, which signify the possession of, or absence of, a quality; diminutive and augmentative, which weaken or intensify the meaning; causative and potential, which impart or excite a quality. 15. ADJECTIVES which distinguish things according to their number are called QUANTITATIVE. 16. Quantitative adjectives are of three kinds—definite, as ten; indefinite, as few; and distributive, as each, every. 17. DEFINITE NUMERAL ADJECTIVES are divided into three classes— (i) Cardinal, (ii) Ordinal, (iii) Multiplicative. (i) A CARDINAL numeral shows the number of things taken ; as, ten, twenty, &c. (ii) An ORDINAL numeral shows in what order they are taken; as, first, fourth, &c. (iii) A MULTIPLICATIVE numeral shows how many times one thing exceeds another; as, simple, double, treble, &c., twofold, threefold, &c. For derivation and explanation of these numerals, vide Etym. Deriv. chap. I. § 2, 6. 18. The following nouns are employed as collective numerals : pair, brace, couple, gross, dozen, score, stone, &c. 19. The compounds of one are, only = one-like; atone, i.e. to be at-one; alone all one; none = no-one. Distinguish between 'one' the noun (homo) and 'one' the adjective (an). are such as, all, few, 20. INDEFINITE NUMERAL ADJECTIVES many, certain, divers, several, &c. 21. DISTRIBUTIVE ADJECTIVES denote objects one, two, or more taken separately; as, each, every, &c. § 3. Adjectives according to Formation and Meaning. 1. Possibly this classification is more grammatical, though less logical: according to it we divide adjectives into six classes, which are thus briefly explained. (i) A COMMON ADJECTIVE is any ordinary epithet or adjective denoting quality or situation; as, good, bad. (ii) A PROPER ADJECTIVE is an adjective formed from a proper noun; as, English, American. (iii) A NUMERAL ADJECTIVE is an Adjective that expresses (iv) A PRONOMINAL ADJECTIVE is one that may either accom- (vi) A COMPOUND ADJECTIVE is one that consists of two or This classification will be found very useful in parsing. § 4. Adjectives according to Structure. 1. Like nouns, adjectives are either simple, derived, or compound. 2. SIMPLE ADJECTIVES are A.-Saxon. 3. DERIVED ADJECTIVES may be divided into strong and weak, or primary and secondary. 4. Primary derivatives are A.-Saxon. They are derived from verbs and nouns; as, wit, wise; pride, proud; fill, full. 5. Secondary derivatives are derived from verbs, nouns, adjectives, either Saxon or Latin or Greek, by the addition of various prefixes and suffixes derived from these languages, for which see Etym. Deriv. chap. I. § 2. 6. COMPOUND ADJECTIVES are formed by combining— (i) Nouns with adjectives, imperfect participles, and perfect (iii) By adding a suffix as 'ed' to some of these compounds; 7. In compound ordinal numerals the last only assumes the ordinal form; as, twenty-third, one-hundred, and ninety-fifth, &c. For derivation, composition, and explanation of the numerals, vide § 5. Comparison. 1. THE ACCIDENTS OF AN ADJECTIVE are Number, Gender, Case, and Comparison. 2. The English adjective does not exhibit, by inflexional changes, the accidents of Number, Gender, Case, which it has in common with the noun which it qualifies, and with which it is said to agree. 3. The only striking peculiarity of the English adjective, as compared with the same part of speech in other languages, is its invariability, or its want of distinct forms for different cases, genders, and numbers. The irreconcilability of the Norman and Saxon modes of inflecting adjectives compelled the English to discard them both; but the Saxon endings of number were not given up till the fifteenth century, and some of them held out longer. Hooker uses my deare for my dears, where a modern preacher would have said my dear hearers.-Marsh's Lectures on Eng. Lang. 4. Definition. Comparison of adjectives and adverbs means a variation in them to express quality in different degrees. 5. There are three degrees of comparison: the positive, the comparative, and the superlative. (i) THE POSITIVE DEGREE. An adjective is said to be in the positive degree when it is in its simple state; as, white, fierce, hard, &c. (ii) THE COMPARATIVE DEGREE. An adjective is said to be in the comparative degree when, on comparing two objects or classes, it expresses relatively an increase or diminution of the quality; as, higher, fiercer, lower, more hard, less feeble. (iii) THE SUPERLATIVE DEGREE. An adjective is said to be in the superlative degree when, on comparing more than two objects or classes, it expresses relatively the limit of the increase or diminution of the quality; as, highest, These definitions of the comparative and superlative are not so short fault in some of these definitions. To define a comparative by a com- 6. ADJECTIVES of more than one syllable form their comparisons by the adverbs more, most, less, least; as, more virtuous, most virtuous, less joyous, least joyous. 7. ADJECTIVES of one syllable and dissyllables in y form their comparisons by adding to the positive er for the comparative, and est for the superlative; as, grand, grander, grandest. They may also form their comparisons by more, most, less, least. 8. In the variation of adjectives, final consonants are doubled, final e is omitted, and y is changed to i; as, hot, hotter, hottest; wide, wider, widest; happy, happier, happiest. 9. The following adjectives, though dissyllables, may form their comparatives and superlatives by adding er, est, to the positive: 10. The comparative suffix er signifies duality. Superlatives have two forms; one in ema, the other in est. The former is found only in such words fore-m-ost, hind-m-ost. The latter was in A.-S. est for adjectives, and ost for adverbs. 11. Comparatives and superlatives which are formed by less. least, are sometimes called comparatives and superlatives of diminution or negation. 12. Adjectives indicating qualities which admit of no variation, admit of no comparison. Such adjectives are: (i) Definitive adjectives; as, a, the. (ii) Adjectives formed from names of figures, materials, time, person, place; as, circular, wooden, Asiatic. |