English Grammar in Familiar Lectures Part 25

In the first of these examples, _and_ joins on a word that expresses an _addition_; in the second, _if_ connects a member that implies a _supposition_ or _condition_; and in the third, _because_ connects a member that expresses a _cause_.

II. The Conjunction _Disjunctive_ serves to connect and continue a sentence by joining on a member that expresses opposition of meaning; as, "They came with her, _but_ they went away without her."

_But_ joins on a member of this sentence which expresses, not only something added, but, also, _opposition_ of meaning.

The princ.i.p.al conjunctions, may be known by the following _lists_, which you may now commit to memory. Some words in these lists, are, however, frequently used as adverbs, and sometimes as prepositions; but if you study well the nature of all the different sorts of words, you cannot be at a loss to tell the part of speech of any word in the language.

LISTS OF THE CONJUNCTIONS.

_Copulative_. And, if, that, both, then, since, for, because, therefore, wherefore, provided, besides.

_Disjunctive_. But, or, nor, as, than, lest, though, unless, either, neither, yet, notwithstanding, nevertheless, except, whether, whereas, as well as.

Some conjunctions are followed by corresponding conjunctions, so that, in the subsequent member of the sentence, the latter answers to the former; as,

1. _Though_--_yet_ or _nevertheless_; as, "_Though_ he was rich, _yet_ for our sakes he became poor."

2. _Whether_--_or_; as, "_Whether_ he will go, _or_ not, I cannot tell."

It is improper to say, "Whether he will go or _no_."

3. _Either_--_or_; as, "I will _either_ send it, _or_ bring it myself."

4. _Neither--nor_; as, "_Neither_ thou _nor_ I can comprehend it."

5. _As_--_as_; as, "She is _as_ amiable _as_ her sister."

6. _As_--_so_; as, "_As_ the stars, _so_ shall thy seed be."

7. _So_--_as_; as, "To see thy glory, _so as_ I have seen thee in the sanctuary."

8. _So_--_that_; as, "He became _so_ vain, _that_ everyone disliked him."

NOTES.

1. Some conjunctions are used to connect simple _sentences_ only, and form them into compound _sentences_; such as, further, again, besides, &c. Others are employed to connect simple _members_ only, so as to make them compound _members_; such as, than, lest, unless, that, so that, if, though, yet, because, as well as, &c. But, and, therefore, or, nor, for, &c., connect either whole sentences, or simple members.

2. Relative p.r.o.nouns, as well as conjunctions, serve to connect sentences; as, "Blessed is the man _who_ feareth the Lord, _and_ keepeth his commandments."

You will now please to turn back and read this lecture four or five times over; and then, after committing the following order, you may pa.r.s.e the subsequent exercises.

SYSTEMATIC ORDER OF PARSING.

_The order of parsing a_ CONJUNCTION, is--a conjunction, and why?--copulative or disjunctive, and why?--what does it connect?

"Wisdom _and_ virtue _form_ the good man's character." _And_ is a conjunction, a word that is chiefly used to connect sentences; but in this example it connects only words--copulative, it serves to connect and continue the sentence by joining on a member which expresses an addition--it connects the words "wisdom and virtue."

_Wisdom_ is a noun, the name of a thing--(You may pa.r.s.e it in full.)--_Wisdom_ is one of the nominatives to the verb "form."

_Virtue_ is a noun, the name, &c.--(Pa.r.s.e it in full:)--and in the nom.

case to the verb "form," and connected to the noun "wisdom" by and, according to RULE 33. _Conjunctions connect nouns and p.r.o.nouns in the same case_.

_Form_ is a verb, a word which signifies to do, &c.--of the third person, _plural_, because its two nominatives, "wisdom and virtue," are connected by a copulative conjunction, agreeably to RULE 8. _Two or more nouns in the singular number, joined by_ copulative _conjunctions, must have verbs, nouns, and p.r.o.nouns agreeing with them in the_ plural.

"Wisdom _or_ folly _governs_ us." _Or_ is a conjunction, a word that is chiefly used to connect sentences: it sometimes connects words--disjunctive, it serves not only to connect and continue the sentence, but also to join on a member which expresses opposition of meaning--it connects the nouns "wisdom and folly."

_Governs_ is a verb, a word that signifies, &e.--of the third person, singular number, agreeing with "wisdom or folly," according to RULE 9. _Two or more nouns singular, joined by_ disjunctive _conjunctions, must have verbs, nouns, and p.r.o.nouns agreeing with them in the_ singular:

If you reflect, for a few moments, on the meaning of me last two Rules presented, you will see, at once, their propriety and importance. For example; in the sentence, "Orlando _and_ Thomas, _who study their lessons, make_ rapid progress," you notice that the two singular nouns, _Orlando_ and _Thomas_, are connected by the copulative conjunction _and_, therefore the verb _make_, which agrees with them, is plural, because it expresses the action of _both_ its nominatives or actors. And you observe, too, that the p.r.o.nouns _who_ and _their_, and the noun _lessons_, are _plural_, agreeing with the nouns _Orlando_ and _Thomas_, according to RULE 8. The verb _study_ is plural, agreeing with _who_, according to RULE 4.

But let us connect these two nouns by a disjunctive conjunction, and see how the sentence will read: "Orlando _or_ Thomas, _who studies his lesson, makes_ rapid progress." Now, you perceive, that a different construction takes place, for the latter expression does not imply, that Orlando and Thomas, _both_ study and make rapid progress; but it a.s.serts, that either the one _or_ the other studies, and makes rapid progress. Hence the verb _makes_ is singular, because it expresses the action of the one _or_ the other of its nominatives. And you observe, too, that the p.r.o.nouns _who_ and _his_, and the noun _lesson_, are likewise in the singular, agreeing with Orlando _or_ Thomas, agreeably to RULE 9. _Studies_ is also singular, agreeing with _who_, according to RULE 4.

EXERCISES IN PARSING.

Joseph and his brother reside in New York. The Sun, moon, and stars, admonish us of a superior and superintending Power. I respect my friend, because he is upright and obliging. Henry and William, who obey their teacher, improve rapidly. Henry or William, who obeys his teacher, improves very fast. Neither rank nor possession makes the guilty mind happy. Wisdom, virtue, and meekness, form the good man's happiness and interest: they support him in adversity, and comfort him in prosperity.

Man is a little lower than the angels. The United States, as justly as Great Britain, can now boast of their literary inst.i.tutions.

NOTE. The verb _form_ is plural, and agrees with three nouns singular, connected by copulative conjunctions, according to RULE 8. The verb _comfort_ agrees with _they_ for its nominative. It is connected to _support_ by the conjunction _and_, agreeably to RULE 34. _Angels_ is nom. to _are_ understood, and _Great Britain_ is nom. to _can boast_ understood, according to RULE 35.

REMARKS ON CONJUNCTIONS AND PREPOSITIONS.

The same word is occasionally employed, either as a conjunction, an adverb, or a preposition. "I submitted, _for_ it was in vain to resist;"

in this example, _for_ is a conjunction, because it connects the two members of a compound sentence. In the next it is a preposition, and governs _victory_ in the objective case: "He contended _for_ victory only."

In the first of the following sentences, _since_ is a conjunction; in the second, it is a preposition, and in the third, an adverb; "_Since_ we must part, let us do it peaceably; I have not seen him _since_ that time; Our friendship commenced long _since._"

"He will repent _before_ he dies; Stand _before_ me; Why did you not return _before_" [that or this _time_;] in the first of these three examples, _before_ is an adverbial conjunction, because it expresses time and connects; and in the second and third, it is a preposition.

As the words of a sentence are often transposed, so are also its members. Without attending to this circ.u.mstance, the learner may sometimes be at a loss to perceive the _connecting_ power of a preposition or conjunction, for every preposition and every conjunction connects either words or phrases, sentences or members of sentences.

Whenever a sentence begins with a preposition or conjunction, its members are transposed; as, "_In_ the days of Joram, king of Israel, flourished the prophet Elisha;" "_If_ thou seek the Lord, he will be found of thee; but, _if_ thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever."

"_When_ coldness wraps this suffering clay, "Ah, whither strays the immortal mind?"

That the words _in, if_, and _when_, in these examples, connect the members of the respective sentences to which they are attached, will obviously appear if we restore these sentences to their natural order, and bring these particles _between_ the members which they connect: thus, "Elisha the prophet flourished _in_ the days of Joram, king of Israel;" "The Lord will be found of thee _if_ thou seek him; but he will cast thee off for ever _if_ thou forsake him:"

"Ah, whither strays the immortal mind, "_When_ coldness wraps this suffering clay?"

As an exercise on this lecture, you may now answer these QUESTIONS NOT ANSWERED IN PARSING.

From what words is the term conjunction derived?--What is a sentence?--What is a simple sentence?--What is a compound sentence?--Give examples.--In what respect do conjunctions and prepositions agree in their nature?--How many sorts of conjunctions are there?--Repeat the lists of conjunctions.--Repeat some conjunctions with their corresponding conjunctions.--Do relative p.r.o.nouns ever connect sentences?--Repeat the order of parsing a conjunction.--Do you apply any Rule in parsing a conjunction?--What Rule should be applied in parsing a noun or p.r.o.noun connected with another?--What Rule in parsing a verb agreeing with two or more nouns singular, connected by a copulative conjunction?--What Rule when the nouns are connected by a disjunctive?--In parsing a verb connected to another by a conjunction, what Rule do you apply?--Is a conjunction ever used as other parts of speech?--Give examples.--What is said of the words _for, since_, and _before?_--What is said of the transposition of sentences?

PHILOSOPHICAL NOTES.

On scientific principles, our _connectives_, commonly denominated prepositions and conjunctions, are but one part of speech, the distinction between them being merely technical. Some conjunctions unite only words, and some prepositions connect sentences. They are derived from nouns and verbs; and the time has been, when, perhaps, in our language, they did not perform the office of connectives.

"I wish you to believe, _that_ I would not wilfully hurt a fly."

Here, in the opinion of H. Tooke, our modern conjunction _that_, is merely a demonstrative adjective, in a disguised form; and he attempts to prove it by the following resolution: "I would not wilfully hurt a fly. I wish you to believe _that [a.s.sertion_."] Now, if we admit, that _that_ is an adjective in the latter construction, it does not necessarily follow, that it is the same part of speech, nor that its a.s.sociated meaning is precisely the same, in the former construction. Instead of expressing our ideas in two detached sentences, by the former phraseology we have a quicker and closer transition of thought, and both the mode of employing _that_, and its _inferential_ meaning, are changed. Moreover, if we examine the meaning of each of these constructions, taken as a whole, we shall find, that they do not both convey the same ideas. By the latter, I a.s.sert, positively, that "I would not wilfully hurt a fly:" whereas, by the former, I merely _wish you to believe_ that "I would not wilfully hurt a fly;" but I do not _affirm_, that as a fact.