238 Mr. Sankey on the Analysis and Structure 



the shadow of a doubt, we have only to take for a paradigm 

 any verb whose radix is such as does not admit of any distinct 

 second indefinite ; for example, ri-u, which does and can give 

 us only e-Ti-ov, of the form of imperfect active. The fact is this : 

 whenever grammarians meet with an anomalous imperfect, as 

 being either not properly connected with the verb itself, with 

 which, however, it is erroneously classed, as nXOov, from sXsvBm, 

 and not spypij.a.i, or else a duplicate form, in consequence of 

 the nature of the root admitting both of them, immediately they 

 have recourse to the second indefinite, which, however, in this 

 latter case, will be found to be only a more colloquial, and, 

 therefore, shortened form of the imperfect ; for example, while 

 the regular imperfect of Xziitw is sXei^tov, this conversational 

 form is sKmov, In contracted verbs, we have further to notice, 

 that what is classed as the second indefinite, is in reality nothing 

 more than the regular imperfect of the contracted present : 

 thus we have (piXsco, and, contracted, (piXoJ ; the former gives 

 us the imperfect s(piXeov, contracted £(piX8v ; the latter gives us 

 simply E(pi\ov, 



To present them in a tabular arrangement : 



1st Person. 

 Pres. (piKz-cj (piXco 



J. I I I 



Imp. £(pi\£aj £(p{X8v s(piXov 



2(i Person. 



<piX£-£tS- (p<X-£JS- 



1 I &<?• 



I 1 



£(ptX££r E(plKsif £<ptX£S- 



I have found it necessary, in order to be understood, to adopt 

 the usual expressions of the first and second future, &c. ; it 

 would be better, however, could I find some other mode of dis- 

 tinguishing such duplicate forms, as the terms first and second 

 are apt to mislead the tyro, and might induce him to imagine, 

 that one future, or perfect, was more intensely future , or per- 

 fect, than the other. 



Whilst making these cursory remarks upon the verbs, I 

 would observe, that it is a mistake of some grammarians to trace 

 the common form of the second person of the present tense 

 indicative, for example rwrri, through an older form termi- 

 nating in £1, as ruTTTEi, in deducing it from the most ancient 

 form, rvTrrsaoci. Tvirr^axi, by omitting the a, gives evidently 

 the Ionic rvitnai, from which immediately and analogically, 

 without the necessity of any intermediate step, comes rvnr'^, 

 the £a of w^rea* being contracted into vi ajid the < subscribed. 



