‘The inter- 
rogative 
mood of 
Mr Harris. 
Analysis of 
interroga- 
tive forms. 
Selective 
questions, 
Alternative 
questions. 
Want of 
precision in 
the descrip- 
tion of the 
adyerb. 
Sect. XII. Interrogation, 
INTERROGATION is a part of the object of lan- 
guage, performed by means of the verb, which re- 
mains to be considered. We have mentioned it (at 
p- 397.) in enumerating the forms of imperative in- 
fluence which mankind, by means‘of language, exert 
on one another. Its peculiar object is, to. obtain infor- 
mation from the person addressed. Mr Harris consi- 
ders it as a modification of the use of the verb, and con: 
stituting a distinct mood, although the verb when thus 
applied should not possess a distinct form. It is a direct 
request, and therefore implies the imperative in a very 
prominent degree. ‘ What is your name?” is another 
mode of saying “tell me your name.” Interrogative 
words and interrogative arrangements of words are 
abbreviations implying the subaudition of the impera- 
tive of the verb “to tell.” ‘Who is there?’? means 
*« tell me the person who is there.” 
Interrogative words implying a request for the 
particular mention of one circumstance that must be se- 
dected as true, from many others that are imaginable, 
have a close etymological connection with the rela- 
tive, and sometimes consist of it unaltered. Quis in La- 
tin is different. from gui, but is evidently derived 
from it, and the variation which it receives is intended 
to intimate that the imperative of the verb ‘to tell” is 
understood ; or rather it is so altered as to express this 
imperative distinctly and fully. In the Italian. lan- 
guage, we haye an instance of the employment of a 
different sort of word; ‘ what do you want?” is ex- 
pressed by cosa volete? which literally translated is, 
** thing you want.’? But on most other oceasions, in 
every language the interrogative werds are more or 
less allied to the relative. 5 te qui in Latin, we haye 
quis? qualis ? quando? quo? quorsum? and from ‘< who,” 
and “ which,” in English, the words “ when?” “ where?” 
and ** whence?” are evidently derived. 
There are other questions which may be denominated 
alternative in their nature, because the speaker supposes 
two opposite statements, one of which must be true 
and the other false. A subject and a predicate are con- 
nected in a question, and the only reply that it admits 
of is, either an assertion of a connection betwixt the sub~ 
ject and this predicate, or betwixt it and a predicate 
which is completely the reverse. This may be also done 
by single words of affirmation or negation, rendered 
completely significant by their reference to the question. 
Interrogations of all kinds, however, imply the meaning 
of the imperative of the verb “ to tell.” The words of 
which they consist are a sort of subjoined sentences to 
this imperative, and are in some degree elliptical in their 
first creation, though generally rendered precise by re- 
ceiving a peculiar form. 
CHAP. VIL 
Of Adverbs. 
Tue term Adverd is considered by Mr Tooke as ex- 
pressive of no character by which a part of speech can 
be distinguished, He considers the adoption of it as an 
artifice by means of which, under the colour of scienti- 
fic order, grammarians have brought together a variety 
of words, originating in abbreviations and corruptions, 
and possessing in no other respect any common property, 
In this opinion we cannot acquiesce, shbnaalt we are 
sensible that some confusion has arisen from the un- 
skilfulness of grammarians in ranking among adverbs 
GRAMMAR. ie 
some words which ought to have been included under Ui 
a different head. ; ; G6 
Adverbs are words expressly formed for the pur- 5 , 
pose of subjoining an idea to that which is contained in nt 
an adjective or a verb. They are all capable of bein, 
annexed to verbs, and some of them to no other part 
h, From this circumstance the whole class has 
an idea’ 
by a verb in 
an adjective or a verb. At other times they we 2 
some circumstance of relationship to objects w are’ 
capable of being separately conceived. o 
We cannot coneur with those recent i 
who consider as instances of corruption : 
of adverbs by means of alterations made in the forms of sit | 
words belonging to different parts of speech. They are ™ 
words skilfully devised for fulfilling a definite object. — 
They do not, as has been supposed, always arise trom 
abbreviation. Although they are capable of being ex- 
pressed by a plurality of words,. this is com- 
mon to them with all of speech. e of them 
are evidently abbreviations, while others have marks 
of being used’as single words previously to any phrases 
into which they can be resolved. We have not even 
any demonstrative evidence that all of them are deriva. 
tives, and that none are original words._ ue : 
Adverbs are divided into different species. Some’ pjicfip 
express intensity, remission, or other modifications of tion f 
attributes expressed by etives and verbs. Such verbs. 
are the adverbs “ very” and “ much’; as“ very good” 
‘much better,” “ much obliged ;” also their eompara- Adver 
tive and superlative forms, as more” and « most.” intensi 
The words “ slightly,” * little,” « less,” and “ least,” 
are of a similar nature. Some have considered the 
comparative and superlative degrees of nouns as con- 
densed combinations of adjectives in their positive 
state with the adverbs “ more” and “ most,” because 
they can be resolved into phrases thus constructed. 
« Richer” and “ richest,” are “ more rich” and “ most 
rich.” But these adverbs may in their turn be 
resolved into other phrases containing adjectives. 
« More” is “in a greater degree,” and “ most” “ in 
the greatest degree ;” and, from the first consonant bein 
common to them with the positive adjectives i 
multus, “ many” and “ much,” and their termina- 
tions being characterised by the consonants 7 and st, it = 
appears evident that “more” and “ most” are derivatives. . 
he Latin word maaim2 is evidently derived from 
maximus, in the same manner as a great variety of ad- : 
verbs is derived from adjectives. a 
Adverbs expressing modifications of qualities are 4 aver 
generally derived from adjectives. Such are adverbs mani 
in é and ter in Latin, as longe, in , breviter, felici- 
ter. In English they are formed by the addition of 
the termination “ly,” as in “shortly,” “ considers 
ably,” “ wonderfully.” This termination seems, as 
Mr Tooke remarks, to owe its origin to the word 
« like,” of which it is an alteration, or, as he terms. 
it, a corruption. It is sometimes used as an’ ve 
termination in composition te a substantive, as a 
« princely,” “kingly,” which mean “ prince-like” 
kin “like.” The adoption of it for distinguishing the 
adverb is entirely conventional, and the most pro und 
investigation of its meaning will not lead us to a 
satisfactory conclusion on the nature of this part of 
speech. Yet the use made of this termination, and the 
qi 
4 
