POSITION OF THE RELATIVE. 754. The relative is generally placed after its antecedent. 755. To prevent ambiguity, the relative should be placed as near its antecedent as possible, and so that there can be no uncertainty respecting the word to which it refers. 756. In most instances, the sense will be a sufficient guide in this matter; thus, "They removed their wives and children in wagons covered with the skins of animals, which formed their simple habitations." Here the sense only can determine to which of the three words, wagons, skins, or animals, the relative which refers But 757. When the antecedent can not be determined by the sense, it should be determined by the position of the relative, which, as a general rule, should belong to the nearest antecedent. Thus "We walked from the house to the barn "We walked to the barn from the house which had been erected." S Here the relative which, as determined by its position, refers, in the first sentence, to burn, and in the second to house. 758. So also when the antecedents denote the same object, the one being in the subject and the other, in the predicate, the relative takes the person of the one next it; as, "I am the man who commands you"'-not "command you." If the relative refer to I, the words should be arranged, "I who command you am the man." Hence 759. A relative clause which modifies the subject should not be placed in the predicate; thus, "He should not keep a horse that can not ride," should be, "He that can not ride, should not keep a horse." EXERCISES TO BE CORRECTED. In the following sentences, which are the relatives? What is the antecedent to which each refers? Correct those which are wrong, and give the rule, or the reason for the change: (744) Those which seek wisdom will certainly find her. This is the friend which I love.-(745) That is the vice whom I hate. The tiger is a beast of prey who destroys without pity. The court who gives currency to such manners should be exemplary. The nations who have the best rulers are happy. Your friend is one of the committee who was appointed yesterday. The family with whom I lived has left the city.-(747) His father set him up as a merchant, who was what he desired to be. If you intend to be a teacher, who you can not be without learning, you must study. That man was (748) It is the best situation which can be got. the first who entered. This is the same horse which we saw yesterday. Solomon was the wisest king whom the world ever saw. The lady and the lapdog, which we saw at the window, have disap peared. The man and the things which he has studied have not improved his morals. I who speak unto you am he. No man who respects himself would do so mean an action. (749) O Thou who hast preserved us, and that wilt still preserve us! The man whom we met to-day, and that was at our house yesterday, is the same. O Thou that art, and who wast, and that art to come! (752) I have sent everything what you ordered. All whosoever came were made welcome. Everything whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. He whoever steals my purse steals trash.-(753) I can not believe but what you have been sick. It is not impossible but what you are mistaken. (755) The king dismissed his minister without inquiry, who had never before committed so unjust an action. (759) He needs no spectacles that can not see, nor boots that can not walk. Those must not expect the sympathy of the diligent, who spend their time in idleness. THE SUBJECT NOMINATIVE. 760. RULE VI.—The subject of a finite verb is put in the nominative; as, "I am"-" Thou art"- "He is". They are"-" Time flies." 66 761. A finite verb is a verb in the indicative, potential, subjunctive, or imperative mood. It is called finite, because in these parts it is limited by person and number. In the infinitive and participles, it is not so limited. 762. The subject of a finite verb (315) may be a noun, a pronoun, an infinitive mood (394), a participle used as a noun (462), or a clause of a sentence. All these, when the subject of the verb, are regarded as the nominative. 763. Every nominative, not absolute (769), or independent (773-775), or in appo sition (668), or in the predicate (796), is the subject of a verb, expressed or understood. 764. The following sentence is wrong, because the nominative who has no verb to which it is the nominative, viz.: "These evils were caused by Catiline, who, if he had been punished, the republic would not have been exposed to so great dan gers Better "If Catiline, by whom these evils were caused, had been purished, &c. Hence 765. It is improper to use both a noun and its pronoun as the nominative to the same verb; thus, "The king he is just," should be, "The king is just." Except when the compound pronouns are added to the subject for the sake of emphasis (249); as, The king himself has come." 766. The nominative, especially in the answer to a question, and after than or as, often has the verb understood; as. "Who said so ?"-" He [said so]."—"Janes is taller than I [am]; but not so tall as you [are]." POSITION OF THE SUBJECT. 767. The subject is commonly placed before the verb. But in imperative and interrogative sentences, and in sentences inserted for the sake of emphasis in euphony, the subject is often placed after the verb; as, "Go thou."—"Did he go?""May you be happy!"-" Were I he."-" Neither did they."-"Said I."-" There was a man," &c. Under this rule there is liability to error only in the use of pronouns, and in leaving a nominative without its verb. EXERCISES TO BE CORRECTED. Which nouns or pronouns in the following sentences are the subject of a verb? If not in the proper case, change them, and give the rule, or a reason for the change: (760) Him and me are of the same age. Suppose you and me go. Them are excellent. Whom do you think has arrived? Them that seek wisdom will find it. You and us enjoy many privileges. (766) John is older than me. You are as tall as her. Who has a knife? Me. Who came in? well as me. Her and him. You can write as That is the boy whom we think deserves the prize. (765) Virtue, however it may be neglected for a time, yet men are so constituted as to respect genuine merit. THE NOMINATIVE INDEPENDENT. 768. RULE VII.-A substantive whose case depends on no other word, is put in the nominative. This occurs under the four following SPECIAL RULES. 769. RULE 1.—A substantive with a participle, whose case depends on no other word, is put in the nominative absolute; as, "He being gone, only two remain." 770. In this construction, the substantive is sometimes understood; as, "His conduct, viewing it even favorably, can not be commended;" that is, we, a person viewing it, &c. 771. Sometimes being and having been are omitted; as, "Her wheel [being] at rest"-" He destroyed or won," &c., that is, "He having been destroyed or won," &c.-" This said," that is, "This being said." 772. In this construction, the substantive with the participle is used to express an assumed fact in an abbreviated form, and is equivalent to a dependent clause, connected by when, while if, since, because, &c. (650), as, "He having gone, his Drother returned;"" Since or because he went, his brother returned." 773 RULE 2.—A person or thing addressed, without a verb or governing word, is put in the nominative independent; as, "I remain, dear sir, yours truly"—" Plato, thou reasonest well." 774. RULE 3.—A substantive, unconnected in mere exclamation, is put in the nominative independent; as, "O, the times! O the manners!" 75. RULE 4.-A substantive, used by pleonasm before an affirmation, is put in the nominative independent; as, “The boy, oh! where was he?"-"Your fathers, where are they?—the prophets, do they live forever?" Under this rule, a mistake can be made only in the case of pronouns. EXERCISES TO BE CORRECTED. Point out the noun or pronoun whose case depends on no other word-put it in the case required by the rule, and give the special rule requiring it. Me being absent, the business was neglected. He made as wise proverbs as any body, him only excepted. All enjoyed themselves very much, us excepted. Whom being dead, we shall come. Whose gray top Shall tremble, him descending. The bleating sheep with my complaints agree; Her quick relapsing to her former state. Then all thy gifts and graces we display, THE VERB AND ITS NOMINATIVE. 776. RULE VIII.—A verb agrees with its nominative in number and person; as, "I read," "Thou readest," "He reads," "We read," &c. [Respecting the nominative or subject, see (493). This rule, and the special rules under it, apply to an infinitive mood or clause of a sentence, when the sub ject of a verb (762), as well as to nouns and pronouns.] SPECIAL RULES. 777. RULE 1.—A singular noun used in a plural sense, has a verb in the plural; as, "Ten sail are in sight" (160). 778. RULE 2.—Two or more substantives, singular, taken together, have a verb in the plural; as," James and John are here." 779. Substantives taken together are connected by and, expressed or under. stood (355), as in the example. 780. A singular nominative and an objective, connected by with, sometimes have a plural verb; as, "The ship with the crew were lost." This construction is incorrect, and should not be imitated. A mere adjunct of a substantive does not change its number or construction. Either, then, the verb should be singular, "The ship with the crew was lost," or, if the second substantive is considered as belonging to the subject, it should be connected by and; as, "The ship and the crew were lost." But, 781. When substantives connected by and, denote one person or thing, the verb is singular; as, "Why is dust and ashes proud?"—" The saint, the father, and the husband, prays."—Burns. 66 782. Singular nouns, preceded by each, every, no, though connected by and, have the verb in the singular; as, Each book and each paper was arranged"— "Every paper and every book was arranged"-" No book and no paper was arranged." 783. When a verb, having several nominatives connected by and, is placed after the first, it agrees with that, and is understood to the rest; as, "Forth in the pleasing spring Thy beauty walks, thy tenderness, and love."-Thomson. 784. When the substantives connected are of different persons, the verb in the plural prefers the first to the second, and the second to the third. This can be perceived only in the pronoun (730-1). 785. RULE 3.-Two or more substantives, singular, taken separately, or one to the exclusion of the rest, have a verb in the singular; as, "James or John attends”—“Neither James nor John attends”— "John, and not [but not] James, attends"—" John as well as James attends"—" Not John, but James attends," &c. &c. 786. Nouns taken separately, are connected by or, nor, as well as, and also, A noun taken so as to exclude others, is connected with them by such phrases as and not, but not, not, &c. In such, the verb agrees with the subject affirmed of, and is understood with the others. NOTE.-Singular nouns connected by nor, sometimes have a plural verb. In that case, the verb denies equally of all, and nor is equivalent to and, connecting the nouns, and a negative which is transferred to, and modifies the verb as, "Neither Moses, nor Minos, nor Solon, nor Lycurgus, were eloquent men,' Acton." Moses, and Minos, and Solon, and Lycurgus, were not eloquent men," or, "were neither of them eloquent." This construction has not been generally noticed, but it often occurs in the best writers. 787. But when two or more substantives, taken separately, are of different numbers, the verb agrees with the one next it, and the plural subject is usually placed next the verb; as, "Neither the captain nor the sailors were saved;" rarely, "Neither the sailors nor the captain was saved." |
