44 Owen—Meaning and Function of Thought-Connectives. 
stated remainder, and a reverse relation combine as adverbial 
adjunct in the last sentence. 
I have not yet found any case in which the reverse of this re¬ 
lation is expressed by a thought-connective. 
CLASS VIII. TIME RELATIONS. 
(a) Precedence , employing the connectives previously, etc. 
For example, “ He called on me. Previously he called on you. u 
The idea of previousness has no practical value, unless accom¬ 
panied by that from which it is reckoned. The necessary sup¬ 
plement is obtained by reinstating the preceding thought. Ac¬ 
cordingly, in full: “Previously to” or, more simply, “before 
his calling on me, he called on you. ” As usual, a reinstatement 
and a reverse relation combine as the adverbial adjunct in the 
last sentence. 
(b) Contemporaneousness , employing the connectives at the 
SAME TIME, SIMULTANEOUSLY, etc. 
With these the linguistic method is the same, and does not 
seem to require comment. 
(c) Subsequence , employing the connectives subsequently, 
LATER, THEREUPON, etc. 
This case is the mere opposite of (a) and, as such, does not 
appear to need examination. 
CLASS IX. INDEFINITE RELATIONS. 
This class employs the connectives now, then, etc. 
These seem to be used, for the most part, to introduce a 
thought conceived in a general way as in relation with the pre¬ 
ceding, yet without specification of a particular relation; e. g. 
“ Now Barabbas was a robber. ” So far as the unaided power of 
“ now ” is concerned, it may mean “ explanatorily of the preced¬ 
ing, or antagonistically to the preceding.” Indeed, it is hardly 
safe to say that the meaning is anything more than “ relevantly 
to the preceding. ” That is, the last thought is, with the pre¬ 
ceding thought, in some relation. This relation is not partic¬ 
ularized and must be discovered by the hearer from the context. 
The cause of such indefiniteness may often be found, no doubt, 
in the mental status of the speaker. He has not himself estab¬ 
lished a particular, definite relation. He only perceives 
