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198
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(AUGUST, 1899.
and subordinate. Therefore, because of such relation, words fulfil functions. The functions of the principal words are to indicate the subject or predicate, and of tbe subordinate words to illustrate the predicate, or to explain the subject or to illustrate that explanation. Again, as the predicate is the discussion or communication on the subject, it is capable of extension or completion by complementary words, which form that part of a sentence recognized in the Grammars as the object.'
This completes the first stage of the argument leading to a direct and simple definition of grammatical terms; but speech obviously does not stop here, because mankind speaks with a purpose, and the function of sentences is to indicate that purpose, which must be one of the following in any specified sentence : - (1) affirmation, (2) denial, (3) interrogation, (4) exhortation, (5) information.
Now, purpose can be indicated in a sentence by the position of its components, by varia tion of their forms, or by the addition of special introductory words. Also, connected purposes can be indicated by connected sentences, placed in the relation to each other of principal and subordinate, which relation can be expressed by the position of the sentences themselves, by variation of the forms of their components, or by the addition of special words of reference. And a word of reference can act in two ways, either by merely joining sentences, or by substitoting itself in the subordinate sentence for the word in the principal sentence to which it refers. Further, the inter-relation of the words in a sentence can be expressed by the addition of special connecting words, or by variation or correlated variation of form.
These considerations complete what may be called the second stage of the argament leading to clear definitions of grammatical terms. The argument thereafter becomes more complicated, taking us into the explanation of elliptical, i.e., incompletely expressed, forms of speech, and into those expansions of sentences known as phrases, clauses, and periods. But to keep our minds fixed for the present only on that part of it which leads to plain grammatical definitions, it may be stated now that funotionally a word is either -
(1) An integer, or a sentence in itself. (2) An indicator, or indicative of the subject or complement (object) of a sentence. (3) An explicator, or explanatory of its subject or complement. (4) A predicator, or indicative of its predicate. (5) An illustrator, or illustrative of its predicate or complement, or of the explanation
of its subject or complement. (6) A connector, or explanatory of the inter-relation of its components (words). (7) An introducer, or explanatory of its purpose. (8) A referent conjunctor, or explanatory of the inter-relation of connceted sentences
by joining them. (9) A referent substitute, or explanatory of the inter-relation of connected sentences by
substitution of itself in the subordinate sentence for the word in the principal
sentence to which it refers. These, then, are the terms I concocted and the arguments out of which they grew. Of course, grammarians will know that all this is syntax, and I will now explain why I consider that it is far more important to study function than form as essential to the correct apprehension of words, and how to my mind accidence arises properly out of syntax and not the other way round, as we have all been taught.
It is obvious that any given word may fulfil one or more or all the functions of words, and that therefore words may be collected into as many classes as there are functions, any individual word being transferable from one class to another and belonging to as many classes
