438 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts , and Letters. - 
would find a word predestined to become a relative, is obvious; but be 
might find it in a stage of development at that time only indefinite, and 
not yet advanced to relative rank. To me the relative and interroga¬ 
tive are collateral descendants of the indefinite. My purely personal 
guess, indeed, is that the interrogative antedates the distinctly rela¬ 
tive word. 
Values of other interrogative words may be outlined as fob 
lows. 
“What?” in the sense of the German “Was?”—indefinite as 
to kind and individuality, but commonly not as to number— 
means “I wish you to tell me that (which).” As for guidance, 
it directs the hearer to continue in mind the thought-factor ex¬ 
pressed by “that,” and to use it as a factor (not specified by its 
form as subject or object) in a sentence yet to come. El g. 
“Tell me that (which) killed Lincoln.” 
“What?” in the sense of the German “Welch er?”—indefi¬ 
nite as to individuality but not as to 1 kind or number—may be 
illustrated by “What actor killed Lincoln ?” This I interpret 
as meaning “Tell me the actor (distinguished from others by 
having killed Lincoln, i. e.) who killed Lincoln.” In this ex¬ 
pression “the,” though commonly known as definite article, 
stands for what is in my thought decidedly indefinite, serving 
only to suggest that category of particularity, which I am 
unable to fill. I am virtually asking you to fix that individual¬ 
ity to which I can make no nearer approach than by saying “An 
actor killed Lincoln” or “Some actor killed Lincoln.” With 
this stipulation, I interpret “What?” as meaning “Tell me the 
who.” 
As to guidance, the fact that “the” is adjunctive to an object 
of “Tell,” is overlooked. The fact that “who” will figure as 
subject (or object) in a following sentence', dominates. Ac¬ 
cordingly when inflection exists, as with “Welcher ?,” it indicates 
the function which the object of “Tell” shall have in the follow¬ 
ing sentence. 
Plainly “What?,” in such a usage, offers systematic grammar 
opportunity to' recognize an interrogative article. Eor a rela¬ 
tive article conf. “An actor —which actor for the time escaped— 
assassinated Lincoln.” 
“Which?” in many usages is like the just preceding “What ?,” 
except that commonly a somewhat smaller group is contemplated, 
indefiniteness of individuality being thereby correspondingly 
