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HINTS AND EXPLANATIONS. 71 
parts of speech, and parts of speech are such because they are used as the 
organic elements of a sentence. 
The criteria of rank in languages are, first, grade of organization, 7. e., 
the degree to which the grammatic processes and methods are specialized, 
and the parts of speech differentiated ; second, sematologic content, that is, 
the body of thought which the language is competent to convey. 
The grammatic processes may be used for three purposes: 
First, for derivation, where a new word to express a new idea is made 
by combining two or more old words, or by changing the vowel of one 
word, or by changing the intonation of one word. 
Second, for modification, a word may be qualified or defined by the 
processes of combination, vocalic mutation or intonation. 
It should here be noted that the plane between derivation and qualifi- 
cation is not absolute. 
Third, for relation. When words as signs of ideas are used together to 
express thought the relation of the words must be expressed by some 
means. In English the relation of words is expressed both by placement 
and combination, 7. e., inflection for agreement 
It should here be noted that paradigmatic inflections are used for two 
distinct purposes, qualification and relation. A word is qualified by inflec- 
tion when the idea expressed by the inflection pertains to the idea expressed 
by the word inflected; thus a noun is qualified by inflection when its number 
and gender are expressed. A word is related by inflection when the office 
of the word in the sentence is pointed out thereby; thus, nouns are related 
by case inflections; verbs are related by inflections for gender, number, 
and person. All inflection for agreement is inflection for relation. 
In English, the three grammatic processes are highly specialized. 
Combination is used chiefly for derivation, but to some slight extent for 
qualification and relation in the paradigmatic categories. But its use in 
this manner as compared with many other languages has almost disappeared. 
Vocalic mutation is used to a very limited extent and only by accident, 
and can scarcely be said to belong to the English language. 
Intonation is used as a grammatic process only to a limited extent— 
