Syntax of Nouns.

72. Fifth, the SYNTAX of the Noun. The Syntax of the Noun includes the position of Nouns in Sentences, and Rules in regard to the attributes of the Noun.

Rules for the Position of Nouns.

73. RULE I. A subject noun, which is emphatic and is used in a historic or declarative, in a responsive, or in a conditional sentence, must be placed before its verb.

NOTE I. Rule I. rests on a principle, common to all languages, that an emphatic Noun should be placed at the beginning of a sentence, when this can be done, without depriving the narratee of the means of ascertaining the attributes of the Noun.

Exception. In poetic, and in highly descriptive narrative.

EXAMPLES.

1. My right there is none to dispute; from the center all 'round to the sea, I am lord of the fowl and the brute.

74. RULE II. A subject noun, which is not emphatic, must follow the emphatic word of the sentence; hence, in exclamative, in interrogative, and in imperative sentences, the subject noun must follow the verb.

NOTE II. In these sentences, if a principal verb only be used, it must, of course, be emphatic and the subject noun must follow it; if an auxiliary be emphatic, the subject Noun must follow the auxiliary; if an adjunct word be emphatic, the subject Noun must follow the adjunct and its verb.

2. Principal verb emphatic. Laughest thou, Lochiel? Said he so?

3. Auxiliary verb emphatic. Dost thou laugh, Lochiel? Did he say this?

4. Adjunct of the verb emphatic. When said he this? Why dost thou laugh?

75. RULE III. A first object noun must follow its verb; but, when a first object noun is emphatic, it must be placed at the

beginning of the sentence, if this can be done without its losing the means of knowing the noun's attributes.

5. The harp, the monarch minstrel swept. The harp, which harp the monarch minstrel swept.

76. RULE IV. A second object noun must follow a first object noun, if there be one; but, when emphatic, a second object noun and its relator may be transposed.

77. RULE V.

Generally, an appellative noun should precede the address; but, an exclamative noun may be placed in any part of the sentence.

6. Appellative. Mr. Jackson, is that apple sweet?

Error. Is that apple sweet, Mr. Jackson?

7. Exclamative. Hast thou a charm to stay the morning star! So long he seems to pause above thy bald and awful head, O sovereign Blanc !

Rules for the Attributes of Nouns.

78. RULE VI. A noun, whose Gender is readily distinguished, must have the modification, if there be one, belonging to that Gender.

To this Rule, many Exceptions exist.

79. RULE VII. A noun, having the attribute, Plural Number, must have a modification, if there be one, to show its Plural Number.

For Exceptions to this Rule, see Modifications showing Number. 8. Here are ten pounds. Twenty rods of stone wall.

Errors. Here are ten pound.

Twenty rod of stone wall.

80. RULE VIII. The subject noun of an independent sentence, of an independent clause, or of a dependent clause joined by a subordinate connector, or by a relative adjunct, must have the Nominative Case.

Exception. The subject Noun of a subject clause, not preceded by for, apparently has the Nominative Case; while, in reality, it has the Objective Case.

9. Saturn is said to have come.

He is said to have come.

10. It is wrong for him to be idle.

wrong.

For him to be idle, is

81. RULE IX. The subject noun of a first object clause, dependent in form, must have the Objective Case.

11. They desired the man to conceal the matter. They desired him to conceal the matter.

12. Let the horses run, if they wish to run. run, if they wish to run.

Let them [to]

82. RULE X. The subject nouns of second object and, also, of adjunct clauses, have either the Objective, or the Possessive Case.

13. Did you hear of any person finding a pocket book? 14. Did you hear of any person's finding a pocket book? 15. Did you hear of the boy's killing the bear?

83. RULE XI. An object noun must have the Objective Case.

NOTE III. In the Latin and Greek languages, first object Nouns have the Accusative Case. In Latin, a second object Noun has the Dative, Accusative, or Ablative; in Greek, the Genitive, Dative, or Accusative.

84. RULE XII. An exclamative or appellative noun must have the Vocative Case, when its real Case cannot be determined.

85. RULE XIII. An adjunct noun must have the Possessive Case.

86. RULE XIV. Two or more nouns in apposition or used synonymously, must have the same Case.

NOTE IV. This rule depends upon the principle, that the Case of a Noun depends upon its use or office in the sentence; hence, two or more Nouns, having the same use or office, whether they be in the same or in different sentences, must have the same Case.

16. Thomas, the Doctor, pursues his profession very successfully.

Doctor has the same use or office in the sentence as Thomas hence, it must have the same (Nominative) Case.

17. The child was named Henry.

Child and Henry are both subjects of a simple sentence; hence, both must have the same (Nominative) Case.

18. They named the child, Henry.

19. Is sugar a solid substance?

20. Is this plant "the Lily of the Valley?"

87. RULE XV. A sentence, which is quoted, must be taken as it was constructed by its narrator; and, its nouns must be parsed accordingly.

21. After his victory, Perry wrote, "We have met the enemy, and they are ours."

NOTE I. Since the Grammatical Analysis or Parsing of a Noun depends so much on its Logical and Rhetorical Analyses, it follows that the student should always be able to give the three Analyses; and, especially should the student be required to produce the Logical and Rhetorical Analyses, when he hesitates in giving the Grammatical Analysis.

When students are required to analyze a Noun, they should give its Logical, its Rhetorical, and its Grammatical Analyses; but, when required to "Parse a Noun," they should give its Grammatical Analysis only.

Analyze the following Nouns.

EXAMPLES.

1. The son's greatest care was exercised for the health and for the happiness of his parents.

General Analysis. TSf+tS F. Translation; T the son's greatest care; S: =was exercised for the health [of his parents]; += and; t [the son's greatest care]; S [was exercised] for the happiness of

=

his parents; f = [by him].

་

A small letter is used to represent a part of the thought, of which part, no idea is expressed; but, if any idea belonging to that part of the thought be expressed, a capital letter is used.

Special Analysis. Logically, son's, is an idea, subordinate to the receiver, care; rhetorically, son's is used as or has the office of an adjunct、 of the subject, care, to which its relation is shown by the apostrophe; THEREFORE, grammatically, son's is an adjunct common word Noun. It

has the attributes, masculine gender, third person, singular number, and the possessive case. It has this case, because, in the English, all adjunct Nouns have the possessive case.

It is declined; Singular, Nom., SON; Obj., SON; Voc., SON; Poss., SON'S (Here!); or, OF SON. Plural, Nom. and Obj., SONS; Voc., SONS; Poss., SONS'; or, oF SONS.

NOTE II. In giving the Declension, when the Noun, which is parsed, is found, the student should say, "Here!," to show that he knows why he is declining the Noun, or that he has found it. This practice secures attention to the Declension.

-; possessive

-

NOTE III. Students who have become familiar with Parsing, may give the adjunct words only of the different kinds of attributes; as, masculine -; third -; singular They may also omit naming the classifications of the Noun; thus, son's is a noun; instead of, son's is an adjunct common word Noun. Parse the Nouns in the following examples.

2. "Dust thou art," was not spoken to the human soul by its Creator.

Parsing. Dust thou art is a subject common clause Noun; or, a clause Noun. It is neuter, third, singular, nominative. It is in the nominative; because, etc. Rule.

Dust is a subject Noun; neut., third, sing., nom. It is in the nominative case, because it is the subject of a subject clause, which is quoted. It is declined; Sing., Nom., DUST (Here!); Obj., DUST; Poss., DUST's; or, OF DUST. Plural, etc.

NOTE IV. At the option of the teacher, the Vocative case may be mentioned in the Declension, or it may be omitted.

NOTE V. When the superiors are used to denote the uses or offices of words in sentences, they may very easily be translated into the names of the Grammatical classes of words. Thus;