APPENDIX. '^ 489 



jectives, and pronouns, and verbs, and other parts of speecli 

 woven into the texture of the noun, in their elementary and con- 

 junctive forms. 



III. 



Principles Governing the Use of the Odjihiva Koun- Adjective, 



Inquiry 3. 



Observations on the adjective — Its distinction into two classes denoted by the pre- 

 sence or absence of vitality — Examples of the animates and inanimates — ^lode of 

 their conversion into substantives — How pronouns are applied to these derivatives, 

 and the manner of forming compound terms from adjective bases to describe the 

 various natural phenomena — The application of these principles in common con- 

 versation, and in the description of natural and artificial objects — Adjectives 

 always preserve the distinction of number — Numerals — Arithmetical capacity of 

 tlie language — The unit exists in duplicate. 



1. It has been remarked that the distinction of words into 

 animates and inanimates, is a principle intimately interwoven 

 throughout the structure of the language. It is, in fact, so deeply 

 imprinted upon its grammatical forms, and is so perpetually re- 

 curring, that it may be looked upon, not only as forming a strik- 

 ing peculiarity of the language, but as constituting the fundamental 

 principle of its structure, from which all other rules have derived 

 their limits, and to which they have been made to conform. No 

 class of words appears to have escaped its impress. Whatever 

 concords other laws impose, they all agree, and are made sub- 

 servient in the establishment of this. 



It might appear to be a useless distinction in the adjective, 

 when the substantive is thus marked ; but it will be recollected 

 that it is in the plural of the substantive only that the distinction 

 is marked; and we shall presently have occasion to show that 

 redundancy of forms is, to considerable extent, obviated in 

 practice. 



For the origin of the principle itself, we need look only to 

 nature, which endows animate bodies with animate j^roperties 

 and qualities, and vice versa. But it is due to the tribes who speak 

 this language, to have invented one set of adjective symbols to 

 express the ideas peculiarly appropriate to the former, and another 



