XXIX

THE NUMERALS

"The numerals present the most compact system of synoptically harmonious words that comparative Philology discovers."

The numerals afford us one of the most striking evidences of the unity of the race divided as it now is into so many nations. Men to this day use everywhere the same way of counting.-M. SCHELE DE VERE.

The words that express number are grouped by one or two ancient grammarians as a separate part of speech; and there is certainly sufficient unity and peculiarity in them to make it desirable sometimes to speak of them together as constituting a special class of words. Yet their functions vary and they may be found occupying the places of nouns, pronouns, adjectives and adverbs. Their primary function, how ever, seems to be that of adjectives.

Number words are very numerous. Indeed, they may be said to be numberless since there is no limit to the extent to which counting may be carried. Yet after the first ten, our decimal system expresses new number ideas, not by new words, but by ingenious variations and combinations, with the occasional introduction of a new term, as hundred, thousand, million.

The number words used in counting, or to express simply how many, are called the cardinals. These are adjective pronouns in their nature; that is, they may be used as adjectives, or, like pronouns, they can take the noun office without the use of an article.

The number words which express the order in a series are called the ordinals, as, the first, the second, the last, etc. These may be adjectives, or they may be used as nouns, usually having the article prefixed.

Some numerals express repetition, or number of component parts, as three-fold, double. These are sometimes called multiplicatives, but the name seems less valuable than the terms cardinal and ordinal.

There are a few numerals which are primarily nouns, such as pair, couple, score, dozen, triplet, trio. Many of the indefinite adjective pronouns have a kind of numeral character, as few, several, many, some.

Once and twice are common numeral adverbs. Thrice is a similar word, now little used. To express the higher numbers adverbially such phrases as three times, four times, are employed.

The place of the numeral is usually before the noun. In old English and in poetry it sometimes follows the noun, as, "soldiers three."

When the cardinal and ordinal numerals are used together there is a difference of opinion among English scholars as to which should stand first. Some place the ordinal first, as, "The first three stanzas," and justify this usage on the ground that only one can be really first. Other grammarians have contended that it is

illogical to speak of a first three unless there are other successive threes; also that a plural idea in first and last is recognized both by old English and by the grammar of some other languages, as, “There are first that shall be last." The point does not seem to be conclusively settled, either by invincible argument or uniform usage, but there is a growing sentiment in favor of putting the cardinal numeral first. If it were incorrect to say three first" it would be difficult to justify such expressions as, "The first hours of infancy,' "The last days of Pompeii." Mätzner tells us that "In connection with first and other the cardinal number is found before or after"; and gives these illustrations: "The first four acts."-SHERIDAN. "For the first ten minutes.' COOPER. "Four other children."

LEWES. "Other seven days."-GENESIS.

The number form of the verb for certain idiomatic numeral phrases, as, "Three times four," has also been a subject of dispute among grammarians. But it is now generally agreed that the singular is most consistent with the idea to be conveyed. Thus, "Three times four (taken collectively) is twelve." In a similar way, "Five dollars is a large price."

XXX

THE INTERROGATIVES

"It is easier to ask questions than to answer them." A wise questioning is the half-way toward knowledge.BACON.

Interrogation is expressed in several ways. One of these is by a change in the order of the parts of the sentence, usually placing the verbal auxiliary before the subject. In the present and past tenses, where the common form of the verb has no auxiliary, the progressive or emphatic form of the verb is usually adopted, thus gaining an auxiliary, as, “Is he going?" "Does he think so?" The older English used the common form of the verb in these tenses as is still done in poetry, as, "Know ye the land where the myrtle blooms ?"

Another way of expressing interrogation is by the use of interrogative words. Many of these are adverbs, as, how, why, where, when, whence, wherefore, and whither. Others belong to the pronoun or the adjective group. The interrogative pronouns are who, which and what. Which and what are also interrogative adjectives, as, “What book did you bring?" In old English whether, meaning which of the two, was also an interrogative pronoun, as, "Whether of the twain did the will of his father?" The interrogative pronoun who has three case forms, the others are indeclinable.

In the sentences, "I asked who came," and "He has decided which he will take," who and which are interrogative pronouns which have acquired also a conjunctive office by the incorporation of an interrogative clause into another sentence. Such pronouns are to be distinguished from the relatives, which require an antecedent. Yet there is a close historical connection

between the two.

Interrogative adverbs may take a similar conjunctive office, as, “He is wondering where it may lead."

Compound pronouns formed from who, which and what are occasionally to be found with an interrogative

use, as,

"Whoever would have thought it?"

In spoken English, even among well-educated persons, who sometimes introduces a question where the grammatical relation is objective, as,

Who does this dreadful place belong to?-MRS. HUMPHREY WARD.

In literary English and in the conversation of persons who have a strong feeling for grammatical consistency this is generally avoided. Yet where the governing word is far removed, the tendency of the language seems to be to ignore the restrictions of case, as, “Who do you think the committee will decide to give it to ?"