THE ANALYSIS OF SENTENCES BY HENRY B. BUCKHAM, A. M., PRINCIPAL STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, BUFFALO, N. Y. "The Grammar of a Language is sometimes to be studied by a JOHN LOCKE. "There is the same reason for the study of language that there NEW YORK .: CINCINNATI CHICAGO AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY PREFACE. HIS book is not meant to be in any sense a new gram THIS mar-Di talem terris avertite pestem-but an application of grammar to sentences, or a book of grammatical praxis. The aim is to present a thorough and exhaustive discussion of the English sentence and its structure, on the assumption of an ordinary knowledge of etymology and syntax previously acquired, and of some elementary analysis and parsing. It is not intended to be a book for beginners, but to be such that, if its contents are mastered, no further study of grammatical elements should be needed. The study of grammar and analysis is not here defended but is assumed to be useful, and the work proceeds on the basis that, if useful, it is worthy of this patient and thorough study. No new system of nomenclature is attempted, nor any new code of grammatical rules; all the principles of analysis which are given are derived from sentences found in good writing, and they are applied to such sentences, not to those manufactured for the purpose. A notation for presenting the composition of sentences to the eye is given, but its use is not essential to the teaching of the book. As just intimated, acquaintance with some grammar is necessary in the study of these lessons, as frequent reference to one may be; but the grammar may be any of the dozen good ones in use in different places. More use of good sentences will be made, however, than of the text or the rules of grammars, the lessons being rather a succession of studies in language, than a formal treatise on etymology and syntax. The author, as a matter of course, does not expect that his disposal of all the grammatical elements will be wholly satisfactory to all students, to the rigid exclusion of all other views; that, in such a subject as is here treated, would be impossible, if it were desirable; but it is hoped that necessary departures from the doctrines here taught will be few, and that no dangerous grammatical heresies would follow from acceptance of the entire teaching of the book. |