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Notiers on Chinese Grammar
JUNE,
by examples. But of the nominative nothing is said. Remarks on gender and number close this chapter.
The adjective is treated of in chapter 2d, and a large collection of examples is given to illustrate its forms and uses. The positive, com- parative, and superlative, are noticed in three separate sections. In the first paragraph of this chapter the compiler says: "The remark, previously made, that Chinese words do not exactly belong to one par· ticular class, applies also to the adjective," meaning simply to say, that many Chinese words may be used, according to circumstances, as nouns, adjectives, verbs, &c.
In chapter 3d, the pronouns-personal, reciprocal, demonstrative, relative, interrogative, distributive, indefinite, and collective,—are severally treated of and illustrated. The compiler says, in commenc- ing the chapter, We may here premise, as a general remark, that each personal pronoun, when put before the substantive, or whenever it is followed by chi, or ti, the genitive particles, becomes possessive." Having said thus much, he anon forgets to consider possessive pronouns as a distinct class of words. He also speaks of "the declension of pronouns," and of "their oblique cases," with- out even intimating what he means by these phrases. In like man- ncr he says,
"Chinese verbs often imply the pronoun," meaning, as his examples show, that the pronoun is often omitted. So likewise he repeatedly speaks of "the third personal pronoun;" and uses might for may, thus: "as demonstratives, might also be consider- ed words of the following class." After enumerating what he consi- ders "collective pronouns," properly so called, he adds a few others, which "are frequently used to denote multitudes, though it would be not exactly proper to consider them in the light of collectives.”
In chapter 4th, the numerals are treated of; but "an idiomatic peculiarity, which the Chinese language has in common with the Japanese, in the addition of a generic term to various nouns, for the sake of enumeration," is omitted under this head, though alluded to, and partially illustrated, in another part of the volume.
In chapter 5th, on the verb, are collected a great variety of good phrases and correct observations, illustrative of Chinese grammar. The want of perspicuity, however, is very great, both in the phraseo- logy and in the general method of arrangement. We are told in the irst paragraph of the chapter that the language is "devoid of moods and tenses," and "that, unless the distinction becomes necessary, none of the grammatical particles or auxiliaries arc enumerated and illustrated by examples: substantive verbs are next considered. then