A new grammar of the English language; familiarly explained, and adapted to the use of schools and private students

Front matter

Lyons'*s English Grammar.

A NEW

GRAMMAR

Preface

" For imposing this volume upon the public, I have but one apology to offer, and that is this — that in the prevailing systems, the science of Grammar is neither so conveniently arranged nor so aptly illustrated as it should be. Notwithstanding the great multiplicity of new systems, we seldom find a teacher well pleased with his grammar, or a pupil much interested in the study. The evils complained of, I have endeavored to remedy ; and whether I have been able to gratify others or not, I have at least succeeded in pleasing myself.

" But he who blends instruction with deb'ght, Wins every reader, nor, in vain shall write."

Grammar is easily learned, when properly taught.

The plan herein developed, is that which is best adapted to the capacities and inclinations of children. Instead of perplexing the pupil, at the very threshold, with critical principles, he begins with the simpler elements; and the subjects are graduated, and adapted to his comprehension and taste.

After the rules of Orthography, the parts of speech are first presented in a synopsis, in which some of their distinguishable characteristics are strikingly set forth ; so that the pupil, after a few hours' study, can readily distinguish them.

A COMPEND of Etymology is next presented, in which the attributes of all the parts of speech are forcibly illustrated, and various exercises given, to be corrected and parsed according to the rules of Syntax. The models for conjugating and syntactical parsing, are simple, concise, and uniform; and

(iii)

iv PREFACE.

(if one is capable of judging of his own productions), they will be found to be the easiest and most satisfactory of any that have heretofore been devised. Yv^hen the pupil has gone through the compend of etymology, he has not failed to perceive the structure, genius, and beauty of the language ; and he begins even now to plume himself upon his knowledge of the science of grammar.

There is next presented in the same order a recapitulation of etymology, embracing the more complex principles and exercises that ^ere not introduced into the compend; together with many that have been usually and unnecessarily crowded into the syntax; so that no part is encumbered with what does not properly belong to it. This recapitulation he now begins with fortitude, and in earnest. Seeing that grammar is a science and an art to be understood and practiced, he is encouraged at every step, ^^tirmount every obstacle.

The third part is a complete Syntax of concise rules, notes, remarks, and exercises, well adapted to the convenience of both teacher and pupil.

In the Prosody (the fourth part), the subjects of punctuation, elocution, versification, style, and figures, are treated of in a way th cannot fail to interest the young learner.

The work throughout is both lucid and practical, and the subjects for exercise are chaste and moral.

The style is neither so juvenile as to degrade the subject, nor so elevated as to be incomprehensible to children.

Whatever could be esteemed useful to the practical grammarian, is embodied in this work ; and usages and idioms are treated of in a manner, agreeing substantially, with that of many of the most able and popular authors.

For the subject matter of the work, I here acknowledge a particular indebtedness to Messrs. G. Brown, Butler, Bullions, and Wells. Many others have been duly quoted ; but to numerous quotations, used merely for examples and exercises," it was not entirely convenient, nor was it necessary to append the name of the author, — indeed some of them have been

PREFACE. 5

quoted so often, that it is impossible to tell who the original author was.

The popular nomenclature is left unchanged, except a slight departure in the moods and tenses; and this, I have found from ten years' experience in oral lecturing, to be a decided improvement.

I have endeavored to make this an accurate work, but it by no means claims to be perfect. Believing, however, that even the hyper-critic will find in it much more to commend than to condemn, I send it out to the world to be judged by an enlightened and generous public— to stand or to fall by its own merits.

ENGLISH GRAMMAR.

1. English Grammar is the art of speaking and writing the English Language according to established practice.

'2. By established practice is meant, reputable, national, and present usage.

3. The established practice of the best speakers and writers, is considered the standard of grammatical accuracy.

4. English grammar is divided into four parts: viz: Orthography, Etymology, Syntax, and Prosody.

PAET I.

ORTHOGEAPHY.

5. Orthography treats of letters, syllables, and the spelling of words.

OF LETTERS.

6. A letter is a character used in writing to represent an articulate sound.

7. There are twenty-six letters in the English Alphabet; and these are divided into vowels and consonants.

*[Lesson I.] 1. What is English Grammar 1 2. What is meant by established practice "? 3. What is the standard of grammatical accuracy 7 4. Into how many parts is the grammar divided ? — Name them. 5. Of what does orthography treat ? 6. What is a letter 1 7. How many letters in the English alphabet 1 — How are they divided 1

*To THE Teacher. — The questions at the bottom of the pages are divided into lessons and half lessons, to suit pupils of different ages and capacities. Some may learn a lesson while others learn only a half-lesson. (Marked ^^^).) If the teacher should choose to regard'these marks of division, he may find them very convenient; but if he bkould choose to disregard them, they can give him no inconvenience.

8. Vowels. — A vowel is a letter wliich makes a full and distinct sound of itself.

9. The vowels are a, e.. i, o, u, and sometimes w and y.

10. Consonants. — A consonant is a letter wliicli cannot be distinctly uttered without combining with it the sound of a vowel.

t, V, X, z, and sometimes w and y.

12. W and y are consonants when they precede a vowel in the same syllable : as, wine, twine, thwart, year, yet, youth. In all other situaations they are vowels : as, law, hawk, owl, betray, Maryland, Yttria.

13. A diphthong is the union of two vowels in one syllable: as, oi in soil ; ea in beat.

14. When both vowels are sounded, as in soil, the union is called a proper diphthongs; but when only one is sounded, as in beat, it is called an improper diphthong.

15. A triphthong is the union of three vowels in one syllable : as, eau in beauty, iew in view.

OF SYLLABLES.

16. A syllable is one or more letters pronounced by a single impulse of the voice : as, a in acorn ; an in angle.

17. A monosyllable is a word of one syllable : as, far.

18. A dissyllable is a word of two syllables : as, far-ther.

19. A trisyllable is a word of three syllables : as, far-thermost.

20. A polysyllable is a word of more than three syllables: as, far-rag-in-ous, ar-tic-u-la-tion.

OF SPELLING.

21. Spelling is the art of expressing words by theii* proper letters, and of rightly dividing them into syllables.

8. What is a vowel ? 9. Name the vowels. 10. WTiat is a consonant ? 11. Name the consonants. 12 When are w and y consonants ? — Give examples. When are w and y vowels? Examples. ^J^). 13. What is a diphthong 7— Examples. 14. When is the union of two vowels called a proper diphthong 1 When an improper diphthong? 15. What is a triphthong? Examples. 16. What is a syllable? Examples. 17. A monosyllable ? Example. ]8. A dissyllable ? Example, 19. A trisyllable 1 Example. 20. A polysyllable ? Examples. 21. What is spelling?

ORTHOGRAPHY. 9

22. The proper pronunciation of words, is called Orthoepy.

Observation. — Both spelling and orthoepy are to be learned from dictionaries and spelling books. It is impracticable, in this place, to give precise rules for the spelling of all words. Only a few are here presented, and with these every pupil should become well acquainted; but inasmuch as they are somewhat uninteresting to beginners, the pupil, until he shall have perused the work, may omit them, and proceed to etymology.

RULES FOR SPELLING.

Rule 1. The consonant/, I, or s, is doubled, when it both follows a vowel and ends a monosyllable : as, staff, fell, miss— NOT, staf, fel, mis.

Exceptions. — Was, gas, as, is, his, pus, yes, if, this, has, thus, of, us.

EXEECISE 1 .

FALSE OKTHOGRAPHY TO BE COEREGTED.

With my staf in hand, I shal pas through the valley. Wei may you gues that snuf wil injure you. Oxygen gass supports combustion,^

Rule. 2. — No consonant is doubled when it ends a word, except /, I, and s : as, corn, wheat, hemp — not, cornn^ wheatt, hempp.

Warr is an evil. We have a new mapp of Mexico. Gett a snu gg rodd from the sodd, and tapp tlie tubb in the mudd. To er is human. There is luck in od numbers.

Rule 3. — Every consonant is doubled before an additional syllable beginning with a vowel, when the consonant both follows a single vowel and ends a monosyllable or a word accented on the last syllable : thus, From red, comes redder : From dbetf abetting and abettor.

Exceptions. — ^X and k are never doubled.

exercises.

If we rob a rober, what shall we gain by robing ? Let us begin at the * Exercises relating to the exceptions, are marked in italics.

begining. If we admit the man that we admited before, ivhat shall lie give for admitance? That wit became wity at our runing and overseting. That was confering no favor. Trackking on ice is perplexxing.

Rule. 4. — If the final consonant follows a diphthong, or if the accent is not on the last syllable, or if by adding the syllable we remove the accent, then the final consonant is not doubled : thus. From hear comes hearing : From hatter, haltered : From refer, reference.

Exception i. In bias and worship, s and p are generally doubled before the suffix : as, biassing, worshipping.

Exception ii. Some writers double the final I when the accent is not on the last syllable: thus, From travel they make traveller: From model, modelling,

Why are we toilling for naught? The hammer is used for hammerring. Ministers confer in conferrence assembled. Having loanned the money, it was his preferrence to have the debt cancelled.

Rule 5. — Frimitive"^ words ending in II, drop one I before

less and ly : thus, From skill comes sJcilless : From chill, chilly.

Remark. — All and full, when permanently joined to other words, commonly drop an /; as, also, mirthful.

EXEE CISE 5 .

A man without skill, is skilless. They had full measure and were fullly satisfied. They were all so attentive, as never to need reproof ; and they were allso cheerful! and happy.

Rule 6. — Final e is dropped before additional suffixes beginning with a vowel, but retained before those beginning with a consonant : as, loving, lovely.

Exception i. We write singeing and swingeing, to distinguish these words from singing and swinging.

Exception ii. To preserve the soft sound of c and g, in words ending in ce and ge, the final e is not dropped before ahle: as, peaceable, man-

Exception hi. Some writers do not drop the e before able, in the words blamable, provable, movable, salable; but write blameable, proveable, moveable, saleable.

• A primitive word is one that is not formed from any simpler word in the language.

ORTHOGRAPHY. 11

Exception iv. From dye^ (to color,) comes dyeing: From hoe comes

Exception v. Some writers do not drop the e after dg^ but others do: as, acknowledgement, acknowledgment.

Exception vi. In the words dulyi (from due,) truly, (from true,) and awfuli (from awe,) the e is dropped before the consonant.

I ride now, and I shall be rideing to-morrow. I saw him write, and I am sure he is an excellent writeer. Men of sense, are senseible, and act senseibly. It will never cease, for it is ceasless. The entire affair was entirly forgotten. That little girl is singing her hair. The horse is managahle and peacable. Logioood is used for dying. True love is truely lovly.

Rule 7. — ^T^^hen y, ending a primitive word, is preceded by a consonant, it is changed to i before any additional word or syllable except in^ : as, I try, I tried, I am trying.

The first was merry; the second merryer; the third, merryest. We pity a pity able object. We try now and we will continue triing.

KuLE 8. — Final y is not changed to i when it is preceded by a vowel : thus, from betray comes betrayed.

Exceptions. — From sa?/, comes sai<^; From lay Jaid: From pay, paid.

He portraied the consequences. He was very much annold. He sayed he layed down the money and payed the forfeit.