IN ETYMOLOGY AND SYNTAX, IN WHICH THESE TWO PARTS OF GRAMMAR ARE EXHIBITED IN PARALLEL COLUMNS : CARELFULY ADAPTED TO THE CAPACITY OF YOUNG LEARNERS. Chiefly selected from Murray's Grammar. BY MANASSEH ROBBINS, TEACHER OF YOUTH. PROVIDENCE, R. I. PUBLISHED AND SOLD BY JOHN HUTCHENS. B. Cranston, Printer. 1826. RHODE-ISLAND DISTRICT, sc. BE IT REMEMBERED, that on this seventh day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-six, and in the fifty-first year of the Independence of the United States of America, MANASSEH ROBBINS, of said District, deposited in this office, the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as author and proprietor, in the following words, to wit, "Rudimental Lessons in Etymology and Syntax, in which these two parts of Grammar are exhibited in parallel columns: carefully adapted to the capacity of young learners. Chiefly selected from Murray's Grammar. By MANASSEH ROBBINS, Teacher of Youth.” In conformity to an act of Congress, entitled "An Act for the encouragement of learning by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein mentioned," and also to an act entitled "an act for the encouragement of learning by securing the copies of maps, charts and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the time therein mentioned, and extending the benefit thereof to the art of designing, engraving and etching, historical and other prints.” Witness, BENJAMIN COWELL, Clerk of the Rhode-Island District. FEB 16 1928 R536PREFACE, Although Etymology and Syntax are distinct parts of Grammar, yet their connexion is such, that a knowledge of one is hardly attainable without a knowledge of the other. Therefore, the study of one detached, without a previous knowledge of the other, is disgusting and fatiguing. Yet, perhaps it may be a proper method, after the first rudiments are generally understood. A conviction that these Parts might be studied, at first, to much greater advantage in connexion, than detached, induced me to make the following essay which is so arranged, that it may be perused understandingly by one unacquainted with the science. Murray's form of expression is frequently departed from in this work, while his ideas are generally adopted. This liberty was found necessary for the method here used. Perhaps elegance of language is too much sacrificed to a desire of adapting it to the capacity of Learners: yet it must be admitted, that this desire should have very great influence when forming elementary Lessons. With much deference to established authority, I have classed with Adjectives, the words called Articles and the adjective pronouns; still admitting the latter to be pronominal when their noun is not expressed. This innovation is made with a view to render the work more explicit : believing it also to be less exceptionable than Murray's distinctions. If this classification be found to produce greater simplicity, it will proba bly be pardoned. It will be perceived that this little work is not intended to form a complete system: but it is believed to be eminently adapted to facilitate the progress of learners in this branch of education. The most important Rules of Syntax are chiefly numbered throughout the work. The Examples given, are intended for the learner to parse as he progresses even those in the conjugation of verbs. Great care should be taken, in exercises of parsing, not to burden the mind with distinctions which it does not understand. The largest print is intended for recitation, except what is included in brackets. The method here recommended has been proved to be a great improvement in the art of teaching Grammar, by MANASSEH ROBBINS. EXPLANATIONS. Where the page contains two columns, the marks of reference in the left hand column point to the right hand. R. stands for Rule: and is used in the left hand column as a reference to a Rule in Syntax, which is in the right hand column. Rudimental Lessons in Etymology and Syntax. CHAP. 1. A GENERAL VIEW OF THE PARTS OF SPEECH. In the English language there are eight Parts of Speech, viz. The Noun, the Adjective, the Verb, the Pronoun, the Preposition, the Conjunction, the Adverb, and the Interjection. A Noun is the name of any thing of which we can think. An Adjective is a word RULE 1. Every Adjective be added to nouns to qual-longs to a noun, ex ify them, to point them out, or to show how far their signification is intended. RULE 1. A noun makes sense of itself; as, Man, Virtue, London. An Adjective makes sense only by being added to a noun; as, New house, sour apple, generous man.* An Adjective may be known by its making sense with the word thing or things after it; as, this thing, that thing, many things, all things, every thing, &c. pressed or understood. Ex. Sweet apple. Sweet is an adjective, and belongs to the noun "apple." (Here recite R. 1.) Apple is a noun. ("A noun is the name of any thing," &c.) |