Owen—Hybrid Parts of Speech. 
109 
(157-163) is followed by an examination of verbal nouns in 
their operation as verbs (163-165). In their operation as nouns 
the usual interpretation of e. g. total infinitive phrases as sub¬ 
jects, objects, etc. (165-168) is neglected in favor of an inter¬ 
pretation which regards the infinitive alone as centrally a noun 
—a subject, object, etc.—while laterally verbal and capable of 
service with a subject and an object of its own (168-184). 
The extensive inflectional possibilities of verbal nouns are ex¬ 
amined (184-187); the purposes of inflection are noted as de¬ 
termining actual inflectional varieties (187-194); a like pro¬ 
cedure with verbal adjectives and verbal adverbs is outlined 
(194-202) ; the possibility of secondary hybrids is illustrated 
by a single word compelled to operate as an adjective and also 
as a verbal noun (202). 
Chapter third endeavors (204-214) to convict of irration¬ 
ality the current conjugational system, and to reach a tenable 
systematic tabulation of verbal forms (214-221), using in suc¬ 
cession, as distinctives, differences in meaning (assertive or un¬ 
assertive), differences in syntax of the unassertive forms (these 
being verbally substantive, adjective or adverbial), and amount 
and character of inflection. Incidentally, the several tenses are 
exhibited in chronological order (216-218), and an elf oil is 
made to refute the fallacy of the conditional mode (218-220). 
Chapter fourth investigates the influences which determine 
the use of the several verbal forms. The hybrid sort being un¬ 
assertive, and the remainder assertive, genuine choice between 
the two—distinguished from the mere adoption of another’s 
choice (223-228)—is found to be the expressional corollary of 
a prior choice between thought including, and thought exclud¬ 
ing belief [in truth or untruth] (228-235). Similarly, choice 
between the several kinds of verbal hybrids—i. e. verbal noun, 
verbal adjective and verbal adverb—is found to be the ex¬ 
pressional corollary of a prior choice between the several avail¬ 
able structures of thought—word-syntax, so to speak, reflect¬ 
ing idea-syntax (235-244). Choice between the varieties of 
e. g. verbal nouns is found to be grounded on expressional ex¬ 
pediency ; thus the compactness of the infinitive phrase, and the 
