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ABSTRACT NOUNS.

Work again Exercises 7 and 8.

112. This paper is smooth and white; in other words it has the qualities of smoothness and whiteness. The smoothness and whiteness cannot be separated from the paper, but in our own minds we can think of them as something apart.

Again, running is an action, but the running cannot be separated from the runner. It is only in our own minds that we can think of it as something apart.

So slavery is a state or condition that cannot be separated from the slave, but that can be thought of as something apart.

This drawing away with our minds the quality from the thing which has it, the action from the thing which does it, or the condition from the thing which is in it, is called abstracting.'

113. A word used as the name of a quality, action, or state is called an Abstract Noun,

114. Thinking about the way in which Abstract Nouns are formed greatly helps us to know them. (But some Abstract Nouns, as peace, color, joy, are not derived from any other Part of Speech.)

(1) An Adjective is the Part of Speech which shows quality, therefore many Abstract Nouns are formed from Adjectives; as :

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1 Latin abs, away from, and tract-us, drawn (p.p. of trah-ere, to draw).

(2) A Verb is the Part of Speech which tells of action, therefore many Abstract Nouns are formed from Verbs; as :

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(3) Abstract Nouns are also formed from Common Nouns ; as :—

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a. Form Abstract Nouns from

(1) The following Adjectives :

Long. Round. Regular. Black. Bright. Righteous.

Foolish.

Bold. True. Wide. Strong. Dear. Curious. Rapid. Stupid.

Prudent. Just. Simple. Pure. Good.

(2) The following Verbs:

Occupy. Relieve. Believe.

Deceive.

Elect. Prove. Revise

Please. Invert. Conceal. Sing. Erase.

(3) The following Nouns:

Knave. Rogue. Slave. Boy. Man. Friend. Child. Regent. Duke. Master. Infant. Primate.

Agent.

b. From what Parts of Speech are the Abstract Nouns given in Exercise 7 derived?

Exercise 82.

Pick out the Abstract Nouns.

The room is twenty feet in length. The baby is in a sweet sleep. Mary attends school with great regularity. Mr. Brown holds an agency for an iron manufacturer. Lazy people take most trouble. The prisoner was accused of a serious crime, but as there was no proof of his guilt, he was set at liberty. The driver behaved with cruelty. The beauty of the scene gave us much pleasure. A little learning is a dangerous thing. A little weeping would ease my heart. The quality of mercy is not strained. There was darkness over all. Honesty is the best policy. The sun gives warmth. Virtue is its own reward. Charity covers a multitude of sins. Wisdom is better than strength.

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness.

Exercise 83.

Pick out the Nouns and say of each whether it is Proper, Common, Collective, or Abstract, and give the reason for your opinion.

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The jury brought in a verdict of guilty, much to the surprise of Judge Blake. And I say to this assembly, war is a crime; the Crimean War had no justification. Gentlemen may cry Peace, peace!" but there is no peace. Mr. President, I shall enter upon no encomium upon Massachusetts.

Upon Saint Crispin's day
Fought was this noble fray,
Which fame did not delay

To England to carry.

O when shall Englishmen
With such acts fill a pen,

Or England breed again
Such a King Harry?

Yes, honor calls. With strength like steel,
He puts the vision by ;

Let dusky Indians whine and kneel :
An English lad must die.

And the widows of Asshur are loud in their wail,
And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal;
And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword,
Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord.

Barbara Frietchie's work is o'er,

And the rebel rides on his raid no more.

Over Barbara Frietchie's grave

Flag of freedom and union wave.

Additional sentences:-Exercise 9.

NUMBER.

115. Notice the difference in form between each Noun in the first column and the corresponding Noun in the second

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It will be seen that the forms of these Nouns change with the number of things spoken of. The form used when we

are speaking of one thing-a single thing-is called the Singular Number; the form used when we are speaking of more than one is called the Plural Number.

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116. The Plural Number is now most commonly formed by adding s to the Singular; as :

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Pen. Cat. Pencil. Desk. Bottle. Picture. Board. Fire. Rug. Poker. Wall. House. Garden. Tree. Horse. Colt. Gate. Door. Window. Flower. Rose. Stone. Grocer. Letter. Basket. Sob. Rock. Bud. Eye. Egg. Rook. Crow. Bird. Beast. Fig. Marble. Ring. Hoop. Friend. Servant. Frame. Vase. Metal. Hand. Leg.

b. Give fifty other Nouns which form their Plurals by the addition of s to the Singular.

117. The Plural Number was once most commonly formed by adding es to the Singular. Es is still added to Nouns ending in 8, x, z, ch, and sh; as :—

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1 Singular from the Latin singular-is, single, from singuli, one by one.

2 Plural from the Latin plural-is, more than one, from plus (genitive plur-is), more.

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