ADJECTIVE PRONOUNS, PRONOMINAL ADJECTIVES, or, more properly, SPECIFYING
ADJECTIVES, are a kind of adjectives which point out nouns by some
distinct specification.
Pronouns and adjectives are totally distinct in their character. The
former _stand for_ nouns, and never belong to them; the latter _belong
to_ nouns, and never stand for them. Hence, such a thing as an
_adjective-pronoun_ cannot exist. _Each, every, either, this, that,
some, other_, and the residue, are pure adjectives.
Those specifying adjectives commonly called Adjective Pronouns, may be
divided into three sorts; the _distributive_, the _demonstrative_, and
the _indefinite_. They are all known by the _lists_.
I. The _distributive adjectives_ are those that denote the persons or
things that make up a number, each taken separately and singly. _List:
each, every, either_, and sometimes _neither_; as, "_Each_ of his
brothers is in a favorable situation;" "_Every_ man must account for
himself;" "_Neither_ of them is industrious."
These distributives are words which are introduced into language in its
refined state, in order to express the nicest shades and colors of
thought. "_Man_ must account for himself;" "_Mankind_ must account for
themselves;" "_All men_ must account for themselves;" "_All men, women,_
and _children,_ must account for themselves;" "_Every man_ must account
for himself." Each of these assertions conveys the same fact or truth.
But the last, instead of presenting the whole human family for the mind
to contemplate in a mass, by the peculiar force of _every, distributes_
them, and presents each separately and singly; and whatever is affirmed
of one individual, the mind instantaneously transfers to the whole human
race.
_Each_ relates to two or more persons or things, and signifies either of
the two, or every one of any number taken separately.
_Every_ relates to several persons or things, and signifies each one of
them all taken separately.
_Either_ relates to _two_ persons or things taken separately, and
signifies the one or the other. "_Either_ of the _three_," is an
improper expression. It should be, "any of the three."
_Neither_ imports _not either_; that is, not one nor the other; as,
"_Neither_ of my friends was there." When an allusion is made to more
than _two, none_ should be used instead of _neither_; as, "_None_ of my
friends was there."
* * * * *
II. The _demonstrative_ are those which precisely point out the subject
to which they relate. _List: this_ and _that_, and their plurals,
_these_ and _those_, and _former_ and _latter_; as, "_This_ is true
charity; "_that_ is only its image."
There is but a slight shade of difference in the meaning and application
of _the_ and _that_. When reference is made to a particular book, we
say, "Take _the_ book;" but when we wish to be very pointed and precise,
we say, "Take _that_ book;" or, if it be near by, "Take _this_ book."
You perceive, then, that these demonstratives have all the force of the
definite article, and a little more.
_This_ and _these_ refer to the nearest persons or things, _that_ and
_those_ to the most distant; as, "_These_ goods are superior to those."
_This_ and _these_ indicate the latter, or last mentioned; _that_ and
_those_, the former, or first mentioned; as, "Both _wealth_ and
_poverty_ are temptations; _that_ tends to excite pride, _this_,
discontent."
"_Some_ place the bliss in action, _some_ in ease;
_Those_ call it pleasure, and contentment, _these_."
_They, those_. As it is the office of the personal _they_ to represent a
noun previously introduced to our notice, there appears to be a slight
departure from analogy in the following application of it: "_They_ who
seek after wisdom, are sure to find her: _They_ that sow in tears,
sometimes reap in joy." This usage, however, is well established, and
_they_, in such constructions, is generally employed in preference to
_those_.
* * * * *
III. The _indefinite_ are those which express their subjects in an
indefinite or general manner. _List: some, other, any, one, all, such,
both, same, another none_. Of these, _one_ and _other_ are declined like
nouns. _Another_ is declined, but wants the plural.
The indefinite adjectives, like the indefinite article, leave the
meaning unfixed, or, in some degree, vague. With a slight shade of
difference in meaning, we say, Give me _a_ paper, _one_ paper, _any_
paper, _some_ paper, and so on. Though these words restrict the meaning
of the noun, they do not fix it to a _particular_ object. We therefore
call them indefinite.
These adjectives, or adjective pronouns, frequently belong to nouns
understood, in which situation they should be parsed accordingly; as
"You may take _either_; He is pleased with _this_ book, but dislikes
_that_ (book;) _All_ (men) have sinned, but _some_ (men) have repented."
The words, _one, other_, and _none_, are used in both numbers; and, when
they _stand for_ nouns, they are not adjectives, but indefinite
_pronouns_; as, "The great _ones_ of the world have their failings;"
"Some men increase in wealth, while _others_ decrease;" "_None_ escape."
The word "ones," in the preceding example, does not belong to a noun
understood. If it did, we could supply the noun. The meaning is not "the
great one men, nor ones men," therefore _one_ is not an adjective
pronoun; but the meaning is, "The great _men_ of the world," therefore
_ones_ is a pronoun of the indefinite kind, representing the noun _men_
understood, and it ought to be parsed like a personal pronoun. The word
_others_, in the next example, is a compound pronoun, equivalent to
_other men_; and should be parsed like _mine, thine_, &c. See Note 4th,
page 100.
I will now parse two pronouns, and then present some examples for you to
analyze. If, in parsing the following exercises, you should be at a loss
for definitions and rules, please to refer to the compendium. But before
you proceed, you may commit the following