416 
Universal ideas which they express are the subject of a sentence, 
‘Grammar. _» corres ing change is required in the predicate, in 
“—Y~" order that the identity of the meaning may be preser- 
ved. The sentence, “a good man is.a happy man,” 
may be converted into “ human goodness is conducive 
to human happiness.” 
It sometimes happens that the adjective expresses 
the idea which is intended to be the principal, and to 
which that expressed by the substantive noun is sub- 
-ordinate; asin the Latin phrase ab urbe condita ad 
(urbem) liberatam. In the translation of such phrases, 
the idea that is primary is expressed by a substan- 
tive noun, and the subordinate one by an ag 
The prima: y ideas introduced in this phrase, by the pre- 
“positions aé and ad, are the “building” and the “ deliver- 
ance;” hence it is translated, ‘* from the building to the 
deliverance of the city.” Such idioms are to be consi- 
dered as arbitrary inversions of the parts of speech, and 
‘do not invalidate the original subserviency of the adjec- 
‘tive to the substantive noun, as well as of the genitive 
case to the noun by which it is introduced. 
The adjective is very often employed as the predi- 
cate of a sentence. It then conveys, by the help of the 
‘substantive verb or copula, information of a connection 
betwixt the idea conveyed by it and the leading sub- 
ject expressed by the nominative prefixed to this verb. 
As in the sentences: ** Cicero was-eloquent,” and “ So- 
Jon was wise.” 
Secr. II. 
An anoms- 
The Etymology of Adjectives. 
A great Amunst the obscurity in which etymology is invol- 
Lowers ved, it would be difficult to trace all adjectives to other 
‘Sea. Parts of speech, and thus prove that none of them are 
from verbs OFiginal. But many of them which might be supposed 
of motion. from their appearance to be simple have been shown 
to be derived from verbs, and these verbs are expressive 
of motion. ; 
Sometimes the adjectives thus derived signify qua- 
lities produced by particular motions The adjective 
“left,” in contradistinction to right, is from the verb fo 
deave. The left hand is that which we leave or de- 
eline to'use. “ Tight” is ted; “full” is filled ; « loud” 
4s from lon’d. 
Sometimes the adjectives thus formed merely con- 
tain an allusion to the motions from which they are de- 
rived, as “odd” from ow d; “straight” and “strict” from 
stringere to pull; “ blind” from the old verb to “ d/in,” 
or stop; ‘ bold” from the verb to build or establish. 
* Brown” is from the verb'to dren or burn. “ Lewd” 
is the participle of the verb to /ew or allure,  Pro- 
fligate,” an adjective used to depict a character desti- 
tute of all rectitude of principle, is derived from prfli- 
gare to defeat. 
‘some deri- Adjectives expressive of single qualities are some- 
ved from times derived from the names of habitual assemblages 
concrete in which such qualities are conspicuous. The colour 
DOunS. 
“yellow” is in Latin fammeus or luteus, because it is the 
colour of flame or of clay. The English word “ yellow” 
is derived from the Saxon verb gea/gen to burn or 
flame. Viridis in Latin, is from virere, to vegetate; and 
“ green” in English from grenian to grow. 
From the analogies in etymology disclosed by the 
researches of Mr Tooke, it would appear that verbs 
expressive of human motion have been the roots from 
which almost | all adjectives, as well as substantives, 
have been derived This fact tends to illustrate the 
views given at the beginning of this article, on the 
principles which regulate the progress of the human 
gnind:- in the formation of language. 
$ 
GRAMMAR 
Some adjectives contain an infentional allusion to 
the nouns and verbs from which they are derived, 
and something more is recognized in them than the 
current signs for annexed qualities. Such are~the 
adjectives, “ manly, p ike, princely, national, 
provincial, worldly, earthly ;” also “earthy, hilly, 
stony.” The substantives are here fully 
and the terminating syllable denoting ion is 
capable of being separated. Sometimes this last is 
merely a general sign of connection; at other times tives 
it signifies something more specific, and: then the ad. 4" 
jective is to be considered as formed by the com-* 
bination of another adjective with a noun. Thus, 
“« faithful” does not mean simply “ connected with 
faith,” but “full of faith,” and, if analyzed into the geni- 
tive case, it would not be by the 
faith,” but -“of fulness of faith’? A « leman-like 
youth” is not “a youth of, or caarietelin : 
rl but “ of the resemblance, or likeness, of a gen« 
tleman.” Where several synonymous adjective termi- 
n»tions exist, though all Sepia in original meaning, 
different specific applications may be afterwards ap- 
propriated to them. Thus “ earth-en” means mare of 
earth, “ earth-y.” abounding with earth, “ earth-ly” 
connected with the earth In some examples we find 
both parts of the compound word restricted in their 
meaning. If ly means “like,” the etymological meaning 
of the word « earthly” must be “ similar to earth ;” yet - 
the word is employed solely to signify “ connected with — _ 
the system of our earth” in contradistinction to the in- 
visible world. 
‘There seems to be a constant tendency amidst the 
fluctuations of language to coin new adjectives, by de- 
rivation from substantive nouns, for the cakdiohs pro- 
ducing greater liveliness of expression. When such 
a word as “ manly” is first used for describing an indi- 
vidual, the hearer more readily imagines to himself a 
** man” with all his suitable qualifications for the illus-. 
tration of the quality named, than when such epithets 
as “ bold” or “ firm’’ are employed. 
Some adjectives derived from verbs contain an 
equally palpable allusion to the parent words as those 
do which are derived from nouns, and thus_ bri 
more fully into view the motions or actions which they 
denote. The most remarkable adjectives of this sort 
are also called participles. They resemble other ad- 
jectives in every feature which has yet been mention- 
ed; but many of them imply an additional characteris- 
tic, which will come into view when we treat of the 
verb. The participle expresses the meaning of the 
verb, toge her with its subordination to the idea ex- 
pressed by a substantive noun. The words, “ pining,” 
“ thriving,” “ dazzling,” are as completely adjectives in 
meaning and use, as “ weak,” strong,” and “ bright.” 
Sometimes it contains the addition of a particular mo- 
dification of connection. There is generally a difference 
betwixt the participle in avs or-ens and that in ws in 
Latin, and betwixt the participle in ing and that im ed 
in English, ; 
The adjectives of some languages’ are subjected to I 
variations corresponding with the cases, numbers, and 
genders of the substantive nouns to which they are at- 
tached. ‘These are terminations. They are extraneous 
with regard to the meaning of the adjective, and are 
merely convenient marks’ for designating, in compli- 
cated sentences, the noun with which» each adjective 
corresponds. They served, in the Greek and Latin 
languages, to obviste that’ ambiguity which must have 
been the consequence of the inversions of the order of 
_ 
