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Show 50 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OP INDIAN LANGUAGES. rated in the verb as explained above, and thus constitutes a part of its conjugation. Again, adjectives are used as intransitive verbs, as in most Indian languages there is no verb " to be" used as a predicant or copula. Where in English we would say " the man is good," the Indian would say " that man good," using the adjective as an intransitive verb, i . e t a s a predicant If he desired to affirm it in the past tense, the intransitive verb " good " would be inflected, or otherwise modified, to indicate the tense; and so, in like manner, all adjectives when used to predicate can be modified to indicate mode, tense, number, person, & c, as other intransitive verbs. Comparison of adjectives may be effected by inflections, by the use of incorporated particles, by the use of independent words, or by paraphrastic expressions. Adverbs are used as intransitive verbs. In English we may say " he is there"; the Indian would say " that person there," usually preferring the demonstrative to the personal pronoun. The adverb " there " would, therefore, be used as a predicant or intransitive verb, and might be conjugated to denote different modes, tenses, numbers, persons, & c. Verbs will often receive adverbial qualifications by the use of incorporated particles, and, still further, verbs may contain within themselves adverbial limitations without our being able to trace such meanings to any definite particles or parts of the verb. The comparison of adverbs may be effected by inflections, by incorporated particles, by the use of distinct words, or by paraphrastic expressions. Prepositions are transitive verbs. In English we may say " the hat is on the table "; the Indian would say " that hat on table"; or he might change the order and say " that hat table on"; but the preposition " on" would be used as an intransitive verb to predicate and may be conjugated. Prepositions may often be found as particles incorporated in verbs, and, still further, verbs may contain within themselves prepositional meanings without our being able to trace such meanings to any definite particles within the verb. But the verb connotes such ideas that something is needed to complete its meaning, that something being a limiting or qualifying |