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XX
[Language in general includes the following parts:- Letter, Syllable,
Connecting word, Noun, Verb, Inflexion or Case, Sentence or Phrase.
A Letter is an indivisible sound, yet not every such sound, but only one
which can form part of a group of sounds. For even brutes utter
indivisible sounds, none of which I call a letter. The sound I mean may
be either a vowel, a semi-vowel, or a mute. A vowel is that which without
impact of tongue or lip has an audible sound. A semi-vowel, that which
with such impact has an audible sound, as S and R. A mute, that which
with such impact has by itself no sound, but joined to a vowel sound
becomes audible, as G and D. These are distinguished according to the
form assumed by the mouth and the place where they are produced;
according as they are aspirated or smooth, long or short; as they are
acute, grave, or of an intermediate tone; which inquiry belongs in detail
to the writers on metre.
A Syllable is a non-significant sound, composed of a mute and a vowel:
for GR without A is a syllable, as also with A,--GRA. But the
investigation of these differences belongs also to metrical science.
A Connecting word is a non-significant sound, which neither causes nor
hinders the union of many sounds into one significant sound; it may be
placed at either end or in the middle of a sentence. Or, a non-
significant sound, which out of several sounds, each of them significant,
is capable of forming one significant sound,--as {alpha mu theta iota},
{pi epsilon rho iota}, and the like. Or, a non-significant sound, which
marks the beginning, end, or division of a sentence; such, however, that
it cannot correctly stand by itself at the beginning of a sentence, as
{mu epsilon nu}, {eta tau omicron iota}, {delta epsilon}.
A Noun is a composite significant sound, not marking time, of which no
part is in itself significant: for in double or compound words we do not
employ the separate parts as if each were in itself significant. Thus in
Theodorus, 'god-given,' the {delta omega rho omicron nu} or 'gift' is not
in itself significant.
A Verb is a composite significant sound, marking time, in which, as in
the noun, no part is in itself significant. For 'man,' or 'white' does
not express the idea of 'when'; but 'he walks,' or 'he has walked' does
connote time, present or past.
Inflexion belongs both to the noun and verb, and expresses either the
relation 'of,' 'to,' or the like; or that of number, whether one or many,
as 'man' or 'men '; or the modes or tones in actual delivery, e.g. a
question or a command. 'Did he go?' and 'go' are verbal inflexions of
this kind.
A Sentence or Phrase is a composite significant sound, some at least of
whose parts are in themselves significant; for not every such group of
words consists of verbs and nouns--'the definition of man,' for example -
-but it may dispense even with the verb. Still it will always have some
significant part, as 'in walking,' or 'Cleon son of Cleon.' A sentence or
phrase may form a unity in two ways,--either as signifying one thing, or
as consisting of several parts linked together. Thus the Iliad is one by
the linking together of parts, the definition of man by the unity of the
thing signified.]
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