However is used, 1st. As an Adverb; as, "To trace the ways of highest agents, deemed however wise." 2nd. As a Conjunction; as, "You might, however, have taken a fairer way."

Much, more, and most are used, 1st. As Adjectives; thus, " Much money was expended;" "More praises have been bestowed;"" Most men think indistinctly." 2nd. As Adverbs; thus, "It is much better to labour than to be slothful;""He is more diligent;" "He has acted most presumptuously." In the sentence, "Where much is given, much is required," much is an adjective, some word being understood; as, "Where much grace has been given, much gratitude is required."

No is sometimes an Adjective, thus, "I have no paper;" sometimes an Adverb, as, "Were you present?" "No."

Save is sometimes a Verb, as, "He can save us ;" and sometimes a Preposition, as, "all were present, save John."

Since is sometimes a Conjunction; as, "Since we must part, let us do it peaceably." 2ndly. A Preposition; as, "I have not seen him since that time." 3rdly. An Adverb; as, "Our friendship commenced long since."

That is either a Relative, a Definitive Adjective, or a Conjunction. See p. 25, under Pronouns.

Then is sometimes an Adverb, as, "He arrived then, and not before;" sometimes a Conjunction, as, "I rest, then, (therefore) upon this argument."

Therefore is an Adverb when, without joining sentences, it follows the words, and, if, since, &c., and gives only the sense of for that reason; but when it gives that sense, and also connects, it is a Conjunction, as, "He is good, therefore (conj.) he is happy." "He is good, and therefore (adv.) he is happy."

Derivation is that part of Etymology which treats of the origin and primary signification of words.

Words are either Primitive or Derivative.

A Primitive or radical word is not derived from another word in the language; as, art, kind, wise.

A Derivative word is one that is formed from a primitive, either by prefixing or annexing a syllable or syllables; as, unjust from just; artful from art; kindness from kind.

The primitive words of a language are always few in comparison with the total amount of its vocabulary.

The use of derivatives arises from the natural disposition in man to alter and modify words already in existence, rather than invent sounds altogether arbitrary, to express such new ideas as the enlargement of his knowledge suggests.

1. Origin of English Words.

1. The English language is principally derived from the Saxon, but, it has received large accessions from other languages.

Though the basis of the English language is Saxon, yet, it retains many words from the ancient languages of Britain, the Belgic, the Welsh, and some from the Cornish. Some words, mostly prevalent in the Northern counties, were introduced by the Danes.

After the Conquest, the Norman kings endeavoured to extirpate the English language and substitute the Norman, which is formed by the junction of one of the Northern languages and the Latin. For this purpose, it was ordered that all law proceedings and records should be in the Norman language. But neither royal authority, nor the influence of courts, could change the vernacular language. After an experiment of three hundred years the law was repealed; and since that period the English has been, for the most part, the official, as well as the common language of the nation. A few Norman words, however, remain; most of them in law language.

At the revival of Letters, many words were borrowed by the learned from the Greek and Latin languages; and subsequently to that period, many French, Spanish, Italian, and German words have been introduced; for, the same countries that have supplied us with improvements, have furnished the various terms by which they are denoted. Music, sculpture, and painting, have borrowed their expressions from Italy; the words used in navigation have been taken from the inhabitants of Flanders and Holland; the French have supplied the expressions used in fortification and military affairs; the terms used in mathematics and philosophy have been borrowed from the Latin and Greek; and in the Saxon may be found most of our words in general use, as well as those that belong to agriculture and the mechanical arts.

2. Many words, considered as primitives or roots in English, are derived from the Latin and Greek languages. In these instances, the Latin or Greek primitive frequently undergoes some alteration, either by being abridged or by having its vowels changed. Thus,

3. Other English primitives have been derived from the Latin through the medium of the French language.

Thus,

a song or incantation. outward.

4. In many instances, the English language has two sets of derivative words expressive of the same thing, the one of Saxon, the other of Latin origin. Thus,

5. English nouns are frequently of Saxon origin, while the corresponding adjectives are derived from the Latin. Thus,

6. Other nouns of Saxon origin have two sets of adjectives, one derived from the noun itself, the other from the Latin.

Thus,

a. Those words which are derived from other words in our own language, are chiefly formed by attaching to the root, or essential part of the word, certain prefixes and affixes.

A Prefix is a particle placed before a root to vary its sense; as, im in the word immortal, over in overcome.

An Affix or termination is a particle added to the root to vary its signification; as, ish and ful in whitish, joyful.

b. Prefixes are generally prepositions, and are of great diversity of origin. Those which are of a purely English or Saxon origin are, a, be, for, fore, mis, over, out, un, up, with. These prefixes are usually called inseparable prepositions, from their never being used single or uncompounded.

A signifies on or in; as, ashore, that is, on shore.

Be signifies about; as, bestir, that is, stir about;-also for or before; as, bespeak, that is, to speak for or before. It has also several other meanings.

For denies; as, bid, forbid.

Fore signifies before; as, see, foresee.

Mis signifiès defect or error; as, take, mistake.

Over denotes superiority or excess; as, come, overcome; done, overdone.

Out signifies excess or superiority; as, run, outrun.

Un, before an adjective, signifies not; as, worthy, unworthy;-before a verb it signifies the undoing of the act expressed by the verb; as, tie, untie.

Up denotes motion upward; as, start, upstart;-and also, subversion; as, set, upset.

With signifies against, from; as, stand, withstand; draw, withdraw.

c. The following Prefixes are derived from the Latin, and have the annexed signification.

A, ab, or abs, signifies from or away; as, abstract, to draw away.

Ad, signifies to, at; as, adjoin, to join to; (Ad assumes different forms according to the first letter of the root to which it is prefixed; as, ascend, accede, affect, aggrieve, &c.)

Ambi, from ambo, both, signifies double; as, ambiguous.

Ante signifies before; thus, antedate, to date before.

Bene signifies good, well; as, benevolent, well disposed.

Bi or bis means two or twice; as, bisect, to cut into two parts.
Circum signifies round, about; as, circumnavigate, to sail round.

Cis signifies on this side; as, cis-alpine, on this side the Alps.

Con, com, co, or col, signifies together; as, convoke, to call together.

Contra and contro signify against; as, contradict, to speak against; (contra is sometimes changed into counter; as, counteract.)

De signifies of, from, or down; as, dethrone, to drive from the throne.

Di or dis, dif, signifies asunder, as, distract, to draw asunder. It also signifies negation or undoing; as, disobey, not to obey.

E, ex, signify out of; as, elect, to choose out of.

Equi signifies equal; as, equidistant, at an equal distance.

Extra signifies out of, beyond; as, extraordinary, beyond the ordinary course.

In, before an adjective, serves as a negative; as, active, inactive ;-before a verb, in signifies in or into; as, include, to close in.

Inter signifies between; as, intervene, to come between.

Intro signifies to, within; as, introduce, to lead in.

Jurta signifies nigh to; as, juxtaposition, placed near to.

Mal or male (from malus, bad) signifies ill or bad; as malcontent, discontented.

Manu (from manus, a hand) signifies with or by the hand; as, manuscript, any thing written by the hand.

Multi signifies many; as, multiform, having many forms.

Ob signifies opposition; as, obstacle, something standing in opposition; (Ob has the various forms of oc, of, o, op; as, occur, &c.)

Omni signifies all; as, omnipotent, all powerful.

Per signifies through or thoroughly; as, perfect, that is, thoroughly done.

Post signifies after; as, postscript, after the writing.

Prae or pre signifies before; as, prevent, to go before, to stop.

Pro signifies forth or forwards; as, promote, to move forwards.

Praeter or preter signifies past or beyond; as, preternatural, beyond the course of

nature.

Re signifies again or back; as, regain, to gain back.

Retro, signifies backwards; as, retrograde, going backwards.

Se signifies apart or without; as, secrete, to hide, to put aside.

Sine signifies without; as, sinecure, without care or labour.

Subter signifies under; as, subterraneous, under the earth.

Super signifies above or over; as, superscribe, to write above or over.

Trans signifies over, from one place to another; as, transport, to carry over.

The inseparable prepositions are sometimes improperly used; thus, disannul is sometimes used for annul, unloose for loose, &c.

d. The following are the Prefixes of Greek origin, with their import.

A or an signifies privation or without; as, anonymous, without a name. Amphi signifies both or the two; as, amphibious, that is, having two lives, or capable of living both on land and in water.

Ana signifies through or up; as, anatomy, a cutting through or up.

Anti signifies against; as, antichristian, against Christianity; (Anti is sometimes contracted into ant; as, antarctic, opposite the arctic.)

Apo signifies from; as, apogee, from the earth. (Apo is sometimes contracted into ap; as, aphelion, away from the sun.)

Dia signifies through; as, diameter, a measure through.

Epi signifies upon; as, epidemic, upon the people.

Hyper signifies over, above; as, hypercritical, over or too critical.

Hypo signifies under, implying concealment; as, hypocrite, a person concealing his real character.

Meta signifies change, transmutation; as, metamorphosis, a change of shape.

Mono signifies single; as, monosyllable, one syllable.

Para signifies beyond, on one side: as, paradox, an opinion beyond or contrary to the general opinion.

Peri signifies about; as, periphrasis, a speech in a round about way, a circumlocution.

Poly signifies many; as, polysyllable, a word of many syllables.

Semi or demi, hemi, signifies half; as, hemisphere, half of a sphere.

Syn signifies with, together; as, synod, meeting together. (Syn has also the forms sy, syl, sym; as, system, syllogism, sympathy.)

e. Of the Affixes it is difficult to trace the origin. The following are those which most frequently occur.

f. In the same manner, the different parts of speech are formed from each other, generally by means of some affix. Thus (verb) please; (noun) pleaser; (part.) pleased, pleasing; (adverb) pleasingly; (adjective) pleasant; &c.

Words derived from each other, however different they may be as to the class to which they belong, are always, more or less, allied in signification; thus, please, the