The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1862-06-25
SCIENTIFIC.
GrammaticaI BIuuders.


0'NSS NA@' t"N Nuehoh sustalnS 70 the
edifice. II the one is Of good material and
properly laid. the other is likely to resist tba
fury Of the elements for centuries, and "stand
up victor STILL" Few grammarians have
succeeded. however, in defining properly
many Of the scientific terms which they are
iorced TO use. Their unhappy blunders in
this resrect, have made PRACTICAL Grammar
the most imperfect OF all the branches OF
Science-haye, not only clothed its plain and
simple principles in obscure and complex
rules, but violated those rules so frequently
that the honest student has often been COM
PEELED to turn from his books in disgust. b..
A good definition must include all things
OF the same kind, or class, and, at the same
time, it must exclude every thing else-it
can have no exception. Now let us examine
few definitions. BEGINNING with
The Noun.
"a Noun is the name of any person. place,
or thing; as, man, Charleston, knowledge" y
- The name of any thing that exists
whether animate or inanimate, or which We
can See, hear, ieel, taste, smell, or think of
is noun,"- Krkhan. ..
Every word that is the name Of something
that exists, whether material or immaterial,
or OF any thing that may be made the subject
OF thoughts or discourse, is NouN.n--BM-
lions.
"a Noun is the name of any thing; as
Henry. bay. Ohio, dc. The word thing in
the definition includes whatever can have n
name. ."--Pnneo.
The foregoing definitions, although as good
as any heretofore given in standard works,
are, in my humble opinion, much too broad;
for name signifies sound or combination of
sounds uttered by the human voice to express
an idea, or designate an object, quality act.
state, or relation. Hence, all adyectives are
nouns; for they are words used to designate
qualities that exist--that we can see, hear
feel, taste, smell, think Of and make the OBJ
jects Of discourse. In short, every word in
any language is the representative of some
idea--the name of some thing that may b.
made the subject of thought or discourse
hence, every word is a noun.
| will admit that a word properly belong,
ing to some other part OF speech, may, from
its peculiar use, become noun; as,
"The brave and the beautiful were there,
"Use no hous nor Mees in familiar dis.
course"
"iShadadd1c, seems to be the rebels watch.
word"
"We'll vote for Tyler, therefore,
Without aohy or aoherefo~e,' This, how.
ever is no reasonable apology for the grave
blunders committed by standard authors; for.
II there is more than one part Of speech,
each must have at least one property peculiar
to itself, and when that property is properly
pointed out, the result is good definition.
Again, the definitions above qu)ted include
words only, but the sign, the combination,
the phrase, and the clause should be included
also, as each may be used in such manner
that we can discover in it, the characteristic
property of the noun; as,
d., was one known by the name of AM
persand"
"liis horse is fine three gear oM"
To be, contents his natural desire.,'
belgrade, | know thou art vaUiant" But
how are we 10 include these cases with those
at first quoted? Simply, by determining the
one quality essential to the noun. How may
this be done? answer, by carefully consid-
ing the following propostions:--
/. Many things in nature seem to sustain
an independent existence; as, sun, trees, men.
water, &c.-These are called objects.
2. Many things in nature seem to be wholly
dependent upon objects ior their existence,
as. the properties of quality, form, motion;
rest, number, relation, &c.--Thesa are called
attributes.
3. The mind may have definite concep-
ton OF whatever exists, whether it be an
object or attribute. This conception is call.
ed an idea, and that from which it is copied
10 Saii0u itS aiCueGype,
4. Words are the signs Of ideas but the
names of their archetypee.
5. The sign must correspond to the thing
signified--that IS, word must have the
same rank sustained by the idea which it
represents. a'
8. Any idea which we form OF an attribute
considered abstractly, or apart from the OBJ
ject to which it may belong, is an independent
idea. r
Z. The distinguishing characteristic Of al,
words readily conceded to be nouns by all
authors, is, that they are independent names
8. Hence noun is any sign, word. com.
bination, phrase or claus used as an indepen.
dent name, or, for the purpose of designating
an independent idea. .... tai
This definition, think, is less obiec.iona.
BILE than those which have quoted. Let us
test it..
"The braos and the beauhtuW--brave men
and beautiful soomea.
"Use no hous nor heeS'--the aoords thus
uttered.
"Without ,ohy or s0herefors"--a question,
as to the propriety of the thing or act.
y" 3'"--this mark, character, or sian.
"a fine thee year old--an animal that
has completed its third year.
!" 10 be"--a state, attribute, or condition of
life.
II know thou art valliant'--I know the
fact thus declared
Let the teachers of this county test this
definition thoroughly aud report its defects.
tab.
Post him on the EIOuse-TOps.
John A. Bingham, an Abolition member
OF Congress from the Harrison District in o. p
bio, in debate in the House, last week