Mafc. Nephew - Prince Prophet Poet Patron Ram Son Stag Shepherd Fem. Niece Prophetess Ewe + Vilcountess Aunt Widow Widower' Wizard Whoremonger 18. Nouns have two Cafes; the Nominitive, and the Genitivet. The genitive Cafe is formed by adding s, with an Apoftrophe, to the Nominative: as, Men, Men's; Ox, Ox's. *From nominativus (à nomino), naming + From genitivus (à gigno), natural or belonging to, and therefore fome Authors have called it the poffeffive Cafe. NOTE 18. In the Formation of this Cafe, I have complied with a late Refinement, and what I really think a corrupt Cuftom. The genitive Cafe, in my Opinion, might be much more properly formed by adding s, or, when the Pronunciation requires it, es, without an Apostrophe: as Men, Mens; Ox, Oxes; Horfe, Horfas; Afs, Affes. This Cafe undoubtedly came from the Saxon; and the best English Writers after thè Norman Conqueft, even down to the Time of Chaucer and the Reformation, formed it just in the fame Manner they did the plural Number, viz. by the Addition of s, es, or is, and were rather fparing in the Ufe of it. After that the is and es were difcontinued by Degrees, though the latter, in a few Inftances, is retained to this Day in the Verfion of the Bible. As to the Apostrophe, it was feldom used to diftinguish the genitive Cafe till about the Beginning of the prefent Century, and then feems to have been introduced by Mistake. At that Time the genitive Cafe was fupposed to have had its Original from a Contraction; as, John's Book, for John his Book: But that Notion has been fufficiently exploded: And therefore the Ufe of the Apoftrophe, efpecially in those Inftances where the Pronunciation requires an additional Syllable, is, I prefume, quite indefenfible. To write Ox's, Afs's, Fox's, and at the fame Time pronounce it Oxes, Afles, Foxes, is fuch a Departure from the original Formation, at least in Writing, and fuch an inconfiftent Use of the Apoftrophe, as cannot be equalled equalled perhaps in any other Language; and though it may be faid that the Apostrophe has fome Propriety as a Note of Diftinction, yet no one, I think, who has any Knowledge of Grammar, can well mistake the plural Num ber for the genitive Cafe. However, it appears to me, at prefent, to be a Distinction of very little Importance. Formerly there were Notes ufed to diftinguish the ablative Cafe fingular of Latin Nouns of the firft Declension, and the genitive of the fourth, which are now laid afide by correct Writers; and I cannot but think that, fome time or other, this will be the Fate of the Apostrophe in the genitive Cafe. 19. Of an ADJECTIVE*. A N Adjective is a Word that fignifies the Quality of any Perfon, Place, or Thing: as, a good Man; a great City; a fine House. 20. Most Adjectives have, at leaft, two Degrees of Comparison; which are commonly called the Comparative and the Superlative. * From ad, to, and jacio, to put. 21. The 21. The Comparative is formed, for the most Part, by adding er to the Pofitive: as, long, longer; short, shorter : The Superlative, by adding : as, long, longest, &c. 22. These Degrees of Comparison are frequently formed by the Adverbs,very, infinitely, more, moft, lefs, leaft: as, more fhort, very, moft, or infinitely fhort; lefs common, leaft common, &c. 23. There are a few Adjectives pe-culiar in their Comparison: as, good, better, beft; bad, worse, worst, &c. Of a PRONOUN*. 24. A Pronoun is a Word used in ftead of a Noun, to avoid the too frequent Repetition of the fame NOTE. 21. Long is the pofitive State of the Adjective; and therefore, as many Authors obferve, cannot be properly called a Step or Degree. *From pro, for, and Nomen, a Noun. Word: "The Man is merry, he Word: as, laughs, he fings." 25. The following Promuns (it only excepted) have three Cafes, Nominative, Genitive, and Accufative*, in each * From accufo, to accufe, because this Cafe receives the Force or Accufation of the Verb. NOTE 25. Some Grammarians would have mine, thine, ours, jours, &c, to be the only ge nitive |