Econlib

The Library

Other Sites

Front Page arrow Titles (by Subject) arrow CHAPTER V.: OF THE ADJECTIVE. - The Works of Jeremy Bentham, vol. 8 (Chrestomathia, Essays on Logic and Grammar, Tracts on Poor Laws, Tracts on Spanish Affairs)

Return to Title Page for The Works of Jeremy Bentham, vol. 8 (Chrestomathia, Essays on Logic and Grammar, Tracts on Poor Laws, Tracts on Spanish Affairs)

Search this Title:

Also in the Library:

Subject Area: Economics
Subject Area: Law
Subject Area: Philosophy
Topic: Education

CHAPTER V.: OF THE ADJECTIVE. - Jeremy Bentham, The Works of Jeremy Bentham, vol. 8 (Chrestomathia, Essays on Logic and Grammar, Tracts on Poor Laws, Tracts on Spanish Affairs) [1843]

Edition used:

The Works of Jeremy Bentham, published under the Superintendence of his Executor, John Bowring (Edinburgh: William Tait, 1838-1843). In 11 vols. Volume 8.

Part of: The Works of Jeremy Bentham, 11 vols.

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


CHAPTER V.

OF THE ADJECTIVE.

An adjective is the name of a quality or relation, accompanied with an intimation of the existence of a subject in which it is, to which it belongs, of which it is a or the property. Celer puer, a boy in whom is the quality of celerity.

The corresponding abstraction—denoting substantive, is the name of the quality unaccompanied by any such intimation of such substantive existence.

Though the name of the abstract fictitious entity, the quality, be prior in the order of tradition, to the adjective name, it was not probably in the order of existence. Bonus existed before bonitas—(as its brevity imports) humanus before humanitas.

Case, gender, number: of none of these affections of the noun-substantive has the noun-adjective any need. In all these particulars its import is determined, determined with perfect clearness by the connexion it has with the noun-substantive, by the connexion which the sign of a quality has with the sign of the subject in which it is meant to be represented as inhering.

In this particular, again, the English may be seen presenting a model of perfection. In the English the adjective is everywhere altogether undeclinable.

The substantive has but two declensions, two signs of modification,—the sign of the genitive case in the singular number, and the sign of the plural number in all cases. In the adjective even these modifications are unnecessary: accordingly, in the English, they have not either of them any place.

In the Latin and Greek languages the terminations of which the noun-adjective is susceptible, are determined by correspondency with the terminations which stand attached to the noun-substantive.