Owen — Revision of Pronouns. 109 



In the adjective expression ^^Apples ripe" the association of 

 ideas named can be justified only by the existence between them 

 of some recognized relation. Given "Apples" and "ripe" alone, 

 the ideal trio required to make a thought is incomplete. Unless 

 there be between them a relation, they are simply unrelated in 

 the mind ; that is, again, they have nothing to do with each other ; 

 accordingly the idea expressed by "ripe" cannot have a place as 

 part of my thought. Since, however, this idea, as a matter of 

 fact, does obviously make good its claim to such a place, it must 

 be in relation with the idea expressed by "apples." This rela- 

 tion, I may add, is by no means merely that of an object and 

 a quality ; for such relation would hold between horses and 

 "ripe" or "apples" and "blue." It is the relation of an object 

 and its ovrn quality. 



How this relation is learned by the hearer is a matter of minor 

 importance. It may be merely inferred. It may be even ex- 

 pressed by the adjective ending.^ It may be understood from 

 the very association of objective and qualitative words. The im- 

 portant fact is its being there, its actual presence in the minds 

 of speaker and hearer alike. 



It appears accordingly that "Apples which are ripe" contains 

 no term or relation which is not expressed by "Apples ripe," 

 either directly or by implication. It also appears that "which" 

 as a mere function sign may be neglected in the comparison of 

 thoughts and their architecture. The subsidiary ideas expressi- 

 ble by verbs, such as beginning (inchoation), continuation or 

 completion, and repetition or singleness of action, do not appear 

 in "are." Even the time-element of the verb, in any case in- 

 ferrible, is in the present case, no doubt, excluded. "Are" is 

 valid for present, past, or future, being used in this example as 

 a "tenseless" form of the verb. There remains, however, the 

 question whether in "are" there be an assertion, an element of 

 personal belief, which fails to appear in "Apples ripe." The 

 answering of this question will be aided by a momentary exten- 

 sion of our view. 



1 While I do not personally believe this to be the case, the adjective ending 

 being otherwise amply occupied, some indication that it is the case is offered by 

 the use. in German, of the adjective endings on those occasions only in which re- 

 lation is not expressed by a verb, that is, in the attributive position. Conf, 

 "Gute Miinner" and "Die Milnner sind gut." 



