ADJECTIVE PRONOUNS.
Function of adjective
pronouns.
131. Most of the words how
to be considered are capable of a double use,—they may be pure modifiers
of nouns, or they may stand for nouns. In the first use they are adjectives; in
the second they retain an adjective meaning, but have lost their
adjective use. Primarily they are adjectives, but in this function, or
use, they are properly classed as adjective pronouns.
The following are some examples of these:—
Some say that the place was bewitched.—Irving.
That mysterious realm
where each shall take
His chamber in the silent halls
of death.
—Bryant.
How happy is he born or
taught
That serveth not another's
will.
—Wotton
That is more than any martyr can stand.—Emerson.
Caution.
Adjectives, not pronouns.
Hence these words are like adjectives used as nouns, which
we have seen in such expressions as, "The dead are there;" that is, a
word, in order to be an adjective pronoun, must not modify any
word, expressed or understood. It must
come under the requirement of pronouns, and stand for a noun. For
instance, in the following sentences—"The cubes are of stainless ivory,
and on each is written, in letters of gold, 'Truth;'" "You needs
must play such pranks as these;" "They will always have one bank to sun
themselves upon, and another to get cool under;" "Where two men ride on
a horse, one must ride behind"—the words italicized modify nouns
understood, necessarily thought of: thus, in the first, "each cube;" in
the second, "these pranks," in the others, "another bank," "one
man."
Classes of adjective
pronouns.
132. Adjective pronouns are
divided into three classes:—
(1) DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS, such as this,
that, the former, etc.
(2) DISTRIBUTIVE PRONOUNS, such as each,
either, neither, etc.
(3) NUMERAL PRONOUNS, as some, any,
few, many, none, all, etc.
DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS
Definition and examples.
133. A DEMONSTRATIVE
PRONOUN is one that definitely points out what persons or things are alluded to
in the sentence.
The person or thing alluded to by the demonstrative may be
in another sentence, or may be the whole of a sentence. For example, "Be
that as it may" could refer to a sentiment in a sentence, or an argument
in a paragraph; but the demonstrative clearly points to that thing.
The following are
examples of demonstratives:—
I did not say this in so many words.
All these he saw; but what he fain had seen He
could not see.
Beyond that I seek not to penetrate the veil.
How much we forgive in those who yield us the
rare spectacle of heroic manners!
The correspondence of Bonaparte with his brother Joseph,
when the latter was the King of Spain.
Such are a few isolated instances, accidentally
preserved.
Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow
wickedness, reap the same.
They know that patriotism has its glorious opportunities
and its sacred duties. They have not shunned the one, and they have well
performed the other.
NOTE.—It will be noticed in the first four sentences
that this and that are inflected for number.
Exercises.
(a) Find six sentences using demonstrative
adjective pronouns.
(b) In which of the following is these a
pronoun?—
1. Formerly the duty of a librarian was to keep people
as much as possible from the books, and to hand these over to his
successor as little worn as he could.—Lowell.
2. They had fewer books, but these were of the
best.—Id.
3. A man inspires affection and honor, because he was
not lying in wait for these.—Emerson
4. Souls such as these treat you as gods
would.—Id.
5. These are the first mountains that broke the
uniform level of the earth's surface.—Agassiz
DISTRIBUTIVE PRONOUNS.
Definition and examples.
134. The DISTRIBUTIVE
PRONOUNS are those which stand for the names of persons or things considered
singly.
Some of these are simple pronouns; for
example,—
They stood, or sat, or reclined, as seemed good to
each.
As two yoke devils sworn to other's purpose.
Their minds accorded into one strain, and made
delightful music which neither could have claimed as all his own.
Compound.
Two are compound pronouns,—each other, one
another. They may be separated into two adjective pronouns; as,
We violated our reverence each for the
other's soul. —Hawthorne.
More frequently they are considered as one pronoun.
They led one another, as it were, into a high pavilion
of their thoughts.—Hawthorne.
Men take each other's measure when they react.—Emerson.
Exercise.—Find sentences containing three
distributive pronouns.
NUMERAL PRONOUNS.
Definition and examples.
135. The NUMERAL PRONOUNS
are those which stand for an uncertain number or quantity of persons or
things.
The following sentences contain numeral
pronouns:—
Trusting too much to others' care is the ruin of
many.
'Tis of no importance how large his house, you quickly
come to the end of all.
Another opposes him with sound argument.
It is as if one should be so enthusiastic a lover
of poetry as to care nothing for Homer or Milton.
There were plenty more for him to fall in company
with, as some of the rangers had gone astray.
The Soldan, imbued, as most were, with the
superstitions of his time, paused over a horoscope.
If those [taxes] were the only ones we had to
pay, we might the more easily discharge them.
Much might be said on both sides.
If hand of mine another's
task has lightened.
It felt the guidance that it does not
claim.
So perish all whose breast ne'er learned to
glow
For others' good, or melt for others'
woe.
None shall rule but the humble.
Some inflected.
It will be noticed that some of these are inflected for
case and number; such as one other, another.
The word one has a reflexive form; for
example,—
One reflexive.
The best way to punish oneself for doing ill
seems to me to go and do good.—Kingsley.
The lines sound so prettily to one's self.—Holmes. |
