A Grammar Containing the Etymology and Syntax of the English Language for Advanced Grammar Grades, and for High Schools, Academies, Erc.

Preface

This text-book of English Grammar forms the advanced manual of Harper’s “ New Language Series,” and is designed for study in con¬ nection with the author’s New School Composition* In a graded course on the English language it is intended to fill the place of the book known as the Progressive Grammar . That, in such a course, it will fill that place in a manner more satisfactory than the work just named may reasonably be hoped from the considerations ad¬ duced in the following paragraphs.

At the time when the Progressive Grammar was first published (1872), it had become a conviction in the minds of many thought¬ ful teachers and others that English grammar, as set forth in books and taught in schools, was failing to accomplish its avowed end, namely, “ to teach the art of speaking and writing the English language with propriety.” The Progressive Grammar was an at¬ tempt to break loose from the shackles of purely technical grammar — to strip it of fruitless formalism, and to introduce the constructive element. It may be remarked that the author’s views did not then extend beyond that one book. Soon after, however, the experience of the school-room led the author to believe — as a like experience was leading many others to believe — that a method of language-

* Both treatises may be had bound in one volume, under the title “Swinton’s English Grammar and Composition.”

IV

PREFA CE.

training quite different from that mainly in vogue was necessary: there arose, in fact, the thought of language as one thing, and of grammar as another thing ; and in this view it seemed that a suitable apparatus of elementary instruction was yet to he sup¬ plied. This conviction took shape in the books known as Lan guagi Primer , Language Lessons , and School Composition.

In the meantime, contemporaneously with the appearance of the successive books of the “ Language Series,” there came about a broadening and readjustment of the scheme of language-study in the public schools. The necessity of a progressive and graduated course of training in the mother-tongue, extending over some years, and beginning in practice and ending in theory, is now generally recognized and acted on ; so that, a considerable uniformity in the programme and method of English study being attained, it seems possible to adapt our book-apparatus to the work to be done in our schools.

It is with the view of accomplishing this purpose that a thorough remodelling of Harper’s “Language Series” has been made. It is thought that the books now form a closely connected series, embody¬ ing a progressive course of development, the outline of which may be thus set forth :

1 . Language Primer — mainly practice.

2. New Language Lessons — theory and practice (i. e., grammar and

composition) in about equal proportion.

New English Grammar, New School Compositiontbe two studies differentiated, but simultaneously pursued.

In the remodelled series, the present text-book forms the Gram¬ mar , pure and simple. It presupposes a certain amount of previ ¬ ous training in the theory and practice of English — presupposes, at least, the amount of knowledge obtainable from Swinton’s Language Lessons , or from a similar book ; and its specific place in the cur

PREFACE .

Y riculum is to be found in the advanced grammar grades of out public schools, though the book is also suited to the wants of high schools and academies. It is earnestly recommended that the Grammar be taken in connection with the School Composition , — the author’s ideal of the distribution of. study being : three gram¬ mar lessons and two composition lessons per week.

The method and the matter of the book are both so obvious that teachers will discover its scope and character by simply turning over the leaves : hence no detailed exhibit of the plan seems to be called for here. The author would state in a single sentence that his aim has been to set forth, in the light of the latest linguistic scholarship, the etymology and the syntax of the English language — to make a logical, systematic, and well-ordered presentation of this great subject, with a view both to intellectual development, or wit-sharp¬ ening, and to the attainment of a fair mastery of the art of speaking and writing our tongue. Very great care has been taken to make it a working class-book ; and particular attention is called to the sum¬ maries, topical analyses, and written reviews. For the higher study of English, in its historical and comparative aspects, a good amount of material will be found in the Appendix, pages 237-252.

In the preparation of this text-book the author has handled several hundred English grammars, all of which have been sug¬ gestive in one way or other. lie must, however, acknowledge his indebtedness throughout to the great German works of Mactzner and of Koch, and to the English grammars of Morris, Ernest Adams, Bain, Mulligan, and Mason. It will perhaps not be amiss to credit to these storehouses all that is best in the material of this text-book ; its architecture the author claims as his own.

William Swinton.

New York, Auyust , 1877.

Contents

INTRODUCTION . . 1

Section I.— Etymology . 3 Thapter

I. Classification and Forms . 3

II. The Noun . 6

II. Classes of Nouns . 7

III. Grammatical Forms of the Noun . 11

I. Number, 11 ; II. Gender, 16 ; III. Case, 21 ; IV. Person, 23.

III. The Pronoun . 28

II. Classification and Inflection . 28

I. Personal Pronouns, 2S; II. Relative Pronouns, 31; III. In¬ terrogative Pronouns, 32.

IV. The Adjective . 35

II. Classification . 35

I. Limiting Adjectives, 36 ; II. Qualifying Adjective^ 40; III. Grammatical Forms of the Adjective, 41.

V. The Verb . 48

II. Classification . 48

III. Verbals . 52

IV. Grammatical Forms of the Verb . 53

I. Voice, 64 ; II. Mood, 55 ; III. Tense, 57 ; IV. Moods with Tenses, 57 ; V. Number and Person, 64; VI. Conjugation, 66; Conjugation of tiie Auxiliary Verbs, 67 ; Paradigm of , the Regular Verbs, 71 ; Paradigm of the Irregular Verbs, 74; Forms of Conjugation, 75; Irregular Verbs, 80.

VI. The Adverb . 85

Definition, Classes, and Inflection . 85

VII. The Preposition . 89

VIII. The Conjunction . 93

The Interjection . 95

IX. Uses and Parsing of the Parts of Speech . 98

I. The Noun . 98

II. The Pronoun . 108

HI. The Adjective . 113

IV. The Verb . 118

V. The Adverb . 123

VI. Preposition, Conjunction, and Interjection . 124

Method of Abbreviated Parsing . 127

Vlll

CONTENTS.

PAGE

chapter SECTION II.— SYNTAX . . . 137

Definitions . 137

Rules of Syntax . 140

I. Subjective Relation . 143

II. Predicative Relation. . . . . . 145

III. Attributive Relation . 153

IV. Complementary Relation . !.... 100

Y. Adverbial Relation . ’ . 175

VI. Representative Relation . 179

VII. Connective Relation . 18,

VIII. Absolute and Independent Constructions . 194

IX. Syntax of Verbs and Verbals . 197

Section Iii.— Analysis . 204

1. Definitions and Principles . 204

I. The Sentence and its Elements . 204

II. Classes of Sentences. . . . . 209

III. Subject and Predicate . . . * . 212

IV. Adjuncts Of Subject and Predicate . 213

II. Analysis of the Simple Sentence . . . 216

I. Theory of the Simple Sentence . 216

II. Directions for Analysis . . . . 216

Models for Oral Analysis.. . . 218

Models for Written Analysis. . 220

III. Analysis of the Complex Sentence . 223

I. Theory of the Complex Sentence . 223

II. Directions for Analysis . . 225

Models for Oral Analysis . . 226

Models for Written Analysis. . 228

IV. Analysis of the Compound Sentence . 231

I. Theory of the Compound Sentence . 231

II. Directions for Analysis . 232

APPENDIX . . . 237

I. Notes on Number . . . 237

II. Notes on Gender . . 238

III. Notes on Case . . . . . 239

B. The Pronoun . . . . . . 240

C. The Verb . . . 242

I. Notes on the Paradigm . 242

II. List of Irregular Verbs . 244

III. Notes on the Irregular Verbs . 250

IV. Origin of the Infinitive with “to” . 252

ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Introduction

1. Language is the expression of thought by means .of spoken or written words.

2. Grammar is the science that treats of the principles of language.

Some principles are common to all languages, and these princi¬ ples form the science of general grammar ; but as the several languages differ widely, it is necessary to have a special gram¬ mar for each. Hence French grammar, German grammar, Eng¬ lish grammar, etc.

3. English grammar is the science that treats of the principles of the English language.

Its use, or end , is to teach the art of speaking and writing the English language correctly.

. . ( Explains the structure )

As a sciences . y =:theory.

( ot the language )

. . ( Lays down rules for its )

As an art -j , y ^practice.

( correct use )

4. Words and Sentences. — Language consists of words arranged in sentences.

I. A word is a significant sound or combination of sounds. It may be represented by a written character or combination of characters.

A

ENGLISH GRAMMAR .

II. A sentence is a combination of words expressing a complete thought, and conveying an assertion, a question, a command, or a wish : as, (1) He comes. (2) Does he come ? (3) Let him come. (4) O that he would come !

5, Divisions of Grammar, — Language is composed of sentences, and sentences are made up of words : hence arise the two principal divisions of English grammar: namely, etymology — treating of words by themselves ; and syntax — treating of words combined in sentences.

NOTES.

I. The common division of English grammar has been into four parts — orthography , etymology , syntax, and prosody , the offices of which are usually thus defined :

Orthography treats of letters, syllables, separate words, and spelling.

Etymology treats of the different parts of speech, with their derivation and modifications.

Syntax treats of the relation, agreement, government, and arrangement of words in sentences.

Prosody treats of punctuation, utterance, figures, and versification.

II. A strict analysis of language - study considerably narrows the scope of grammar, by assigning to more appropriate places several of the kinds of knowledge vaguely included in grammatical science.

Thus orthography (together with “ utterance,” i. e. orthoepy ) forms the subject-matter of special manuals of spelling, and is to be learned from these and from the dictionary. Prosody is a branch of rhetoric, or English composition. The derivation of words (historical etymology) does not properly belong to grammar, but is to be studied in text¬ books of etymology, or word-analysis.

III. It thus appears that grammar, in its strict sense, is limited to two departments of language-study ; namely, grammatical etymology , or accidence, and syntax — the former treating of the classification and grammatical forms of words, the latter treating of the principles and usages relating to the combination of words in speech.