‘Universal 
Grammar. 
— 
Designa- 
tions diffe- 
rent in de- 
grees of 
perma- 
nence. 
Personal 
pronouns 
the least 
permanent, 
Origin of 
the prevail- 
ing doc- 
* trine. 
Their bre- 
vity. 
Their fre- 
quent use. 
Etymology 
of pro- 
nouns, 
. trary principles w 
General 
characteris- 
tics of the 
personal 
pronouns. 
406 
more durable than others. The designations ‘ man,” 
« king,” “Dane,” “Indian,” “sailor,’” “ soldier,” are of 
a permanent nature. Some are founded on more li- 
mited external relations, and are seldom used with 
ropriety except in i connections, as “ father,” 
« brother,” friend,” “enemy.” These generally re- 
uire mention to be made of the object to which the in- 
dividual bears this particular relation. Others are mere- 
ly temporary and occasional, as “ plaintiff,” «< de- 
fendant,” ‘ speaker,” ‘ hearer,’ ‘ buyer,” ‘ seller,” 
«« assistant,” “ opponent.” All these words are used 
on particular occasions with as great propriety as the 
names, or any other designations of the persons spoken 
of. Of this last occasional kind are the words called 
personal pronouns. They distinguish individuals by the 
temporary characteristics now enumerated. 
What then has led grammarians to assign to these 
words a separate place in language under the name of 
pronouns, and to deseribe them as possessing the pecu- 
liar character of being the substitutes of nouns ?—The 
only cireumstances in which they differ from other ap- 
ellations are, that they are shorter and more familiar. 
heir shortness has probably made them appear unique, 
and their familiar recurrence has made them appear of 
‘peculiar importance. The frequency of their use, though 
worthy of attention, is a quality attached to words 
in various gradations. In this instance we have per- 
haps the aemé of frequency, because the pronouns are 
founded on the pet circumstance of the rhe pei 3 
. Language always implies a speaker, who to 
himself saiptart important, and a person addressed, who, 
in order to be operated on with advantage, has.a pro- 
minent interest assigned to him in our discourse. 
It is probable that pronouns are of very early origin. 
Attempts have been made to trace the etymology of the 
first and second in some languages to a word signifying 
the hand, or some other object near and inseparable. It 
is sufficiently natural to suppose that persons who have 
words to represent such objects, and no personal pro- . 
nouns, might resort to such expedients, But it is equal- 
ly supposable that certain sounds might, in the ve 
fisst instance, be applied to this use, om the same arbi- 
ich must have regulated the pristine 
application of the greater part of articulate sounds. 
If no pronouns were in use, a speaker would proba- 
ably point to his own body in speaking of himself; and 
to that of the person addressed in speaking of him. On 
this account some philosophers have considered it as 
the peculiar nature of the pronouns to be “ substitutes 
for that pantomimical act.” But the act of pointing is 
also used in designating other objects that are present- 
ed, especially if the speaker and hearer have no lan- 
guage in common. 
The personal pronouns combine a great degree of 
generality in their use with a well-marked particula- 
rity in the instances of their application. _The word I 
may be applied to any person, but only by one speak- 
er, viz. that person himself. The quarter from which 
the sound proceeds determines its exact application. 
In the same manner you may be applied to any one 
individual, but only when the werds are particularly 
addressed to him, and this circumstance gives us on 
every occasion an unerring indication of its use. He 
may be applied to any man, she to any woman, it to 
any thing, and by any individual. But they imply no 
reference to the present use of language. They im- 
ply some previous mention of the object ‘referred to, 
and this must be well understood in order that'their 
particular application may become intelligible. They 
3 
GRAMMAR. ‘ 
have exactly the same meaning with the word « fore- 
id.” Some assistance is given towards the 1 & 
understanding of their application by distinction toute ’ 
ed on 7 lity print Pepe ‘is Ai tin 
i e ali by the absence of personality ; 
he from she by the circumstance of sex. ARS ne 
The term pronoun, as used by” s, is ony 
the whole productive of eonfusion and ambiguity. It of 
is extended to some adjectives, which are Ai pr 
minal adjectives, or adjective pronouns. Suc “ge 
ish. The 
with 
word “other” has evidently the same meaning with — 
« different,” althoagh neither the’ English word “diffe 
rent” nor the Latin word diversus is ever included in the — 
list of ptonouns. but Siete: 
Secr. VI. Genders: 
a followin: deseo s of ve we 
consider some prevailing marks which accompany the 
application of the noun, and which adapt it mp the 
lar purposes. Pea ’ Wik + ‘ 
_ As our own species comprehends the most interest- D 
ing subjects of discourse, any common print vit ong of 
among them appear worthy of being pointed out. ~ 
situation of the two sexes in society, and their general ~ 
habit and nee, afford the most remarkable dis. _ 
tinction, and the implication of this naturally accom. 
panies the mention of individuals. Even when it would. 
not be sufficiently interesting to be mentioned, provic 
a word were required forthe purpose, it 
sufficiently i tant ‘to determine some part ot the 
names by which are designated. The Greeks 
and Romans effected this by differences of termination, — 
The English has current names ¢ 
sivély applicable to a particular sex. lar differenc 
are im 
ed in the names given to domestic animals, 
romtites to animals of other Kd, Rees Aird 
ut as not always stopped at this reason* some 
able polite? he active ington of those by whom guag. 
it has been modified have, vague ies, 
bed sex to objects destitute of it. In Greek, Latin, ° 
and French, this is done in very numerous instances, *P2" 
In French, the genders of nouns are not easily distin- — 
guished by their terminations, yet a particular gender 
is uniformly attached to each, and tes the termi- 
nation given to every adjective agreeing with the noun, 
The @etails of the genders must therefore be studied 
every person who wishes to speak the language wi 
sufficient accuracy to preserve him from ridicule. These _ 
circumstances render that language of difficult acquisi- — 
tion. fi 
In the Hebrew, Italian, Spanish, and French lan-~ 
guages, there is no neuter form, so that every object 
must, in the syntax of words, be either masculine or 
feminine. fer s/s AU eE, ae 
Attempts have been made to account for this preva- spec 
lent arrangement, which appears in itself’ so absurd. tions 
But no explanation has been given that is <itanee : 
steady in its application to afford material assistance in *°,’ 
- 
ov 
Se 
facilitating the acquisition of any 
objects which are masculine in one 
nine in a second, and neuter in a third. 
jects of the same kind, and even nouns that are synony-— 
mous, differ in their gender in the esi “Those — 
who take plessure in tracing these whimsical proceed= 
ings in the formation of language, will find some ingeni- it 
ous remarks on the subject in Harris's Hermes, and 
Tooke’s Diversions of Purley’ ey ; 
ih 
t 
; 
