PART II. CONTAINING THE SYNTAX OF THE GERMAN LANGUAGE, DIVIDED 66 INTO CHAPTERS," RULES," AND "REMARKS," ARRANGED NUMERICALLY. THE DEFINITION OF SYNTAX. Syntax teaches (A) The concord and the government of the various parts of speech. (B) The formation of sentences. CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION TO SYNTAX.* RULE 1.—In the first part of this book (the Grammar) the learner has been made acquainted with every part of speech separately, and has had explained their various changes and inflexions. In the Syntax, the * Supposing that the pupil, who has carefully studied and tolerably mastered the preceding twelve chapters, can fairly translate at sight a short sentence, explained by rules, I have thought it proper and more advantageous to the learner not to put the English to any of the examples illustrating the Rules of the Syntax. student will have to consider the particular functions as to the GOVERNMENT, which some parts of speech impart to, or receive from others, and the respective relation (CONCORD) which one word in a sentence bears to another. Thus, for instance, we can say: der Sohn liebt seinen Vater, der Sohn folgt seinem Vater, der Sohn steht vor seinem Vater, der Sohn spricht für seinen Vater. In every one of these four sentences sein and Vater stand in different cases (at least differently governed): thus in the first, it is the accusative (absolute); in the second, it is the dative (absolute); in the third, it is the dative (governed by vor); and in the fourth, it is the accusative (governed by für). We can also say with an adjective: der Sohn ist seines Vaters würdig, der Sohn ist seinem Vater ähnlich. Here again sein and Vater stand in different cases, governed by the adjectives würdig and ähnlich. For these reasons we cannot put indiscriminately the same case after every substantive, verb, adjective, or adverb; for it would be very wrong and ungrammatical to say: der Sohn liebt seinem Vater, der Sohn ist seinen Vater würdig. as lieben requires an absolute accusative; folgen an absolute dative; and würdig an absolute genitive. Hence it results that there are GOVERNING and GOVERNED words or parts of speech. The governing parts of speech are four in number : (1) the noun; (2) the adjective and adverb;1 (3) the verb; (4) the preposition. The governed parts of speech are: (1) the noun and personal pronoun; (2) the infinitive. The governed cases are three: (1) the genitive; (2) the dative; (3) the accusative. Before proceeding to the study of Chaper II. read well Remark 2. CHAPTER II. OF SUBSTANTIVES. RULE 2.-If two or more nouns follow each other in the same sentence, they are: (A) Either in the same case, as -Vater und Sohn sind abgereist, Geld und Freunde hat er nicht, REMARK 1.-I have found it necessary to follow Dr. T. Heinsius' system of contracting in the Rules of Syntax the adjective with the adverb, as the adverbs to be treated upon are all derived from adjectives; consequently a sort of adverbial adjectives. REMARK 2.-The following are a few observations on the use of the article: (a) The definite article is used: (1) To point out a noun in the whole extent of its meaning; as, der Mensch ist sterblich; die Sonne scheint hell; die Blumen blühen, &c., &c. (2) To point out a particular person or a thing; as-der Herr des Hauses: die Stadt Bury; die Hauptschule der Stadt. (B) Or, in different cases, as-der Garten meines Freundes, eine Summe von zwanzig Thalern. RULE 3. They are in the same case under similar circumstances; viz.— (A) When enumerating several nouns that govern or are governed by the same verb; as→→ Glück, Ehre und Ruhm erwarten Dich. Wägen, Pferde, Hunde, alles ist veräuszert worden. Er verlor nicht nur Geld und Freunde, sondern auch seine Ehre. (B) When used in apposition, that is when one (3) Before proper nouns, to point out a sect or class of men or individuals, or a certain thing done by certain individuals; as— den Schiller lesen (Schiller's Werke); den Kant studiren (Kant's Philosophie). (4) In speaking of persons with contempt; as-der Haynau, der Nero, der Windischgrätz. (b) The definite article is omitted: (1) Before proper nouns; as-Martin Luther, Johann Knox, Isack Newton. But in the genitive, dative, and accusative cases euphony demands the article; as-des, dem, den Martin Luther. (2) Before titles and dignities of celebrated men and well-known persons: as-König Wilhelm von England; Fürst Lichtenstein; General Garibaldi, &c., &c. (3) Before several nouns following one another, and being of the same gender and number; as-Wahrheit, Gerechtigkeit und Liebe sind die Pflichten eines jeden guten Christen. (4) Before collective or abstract nouns, taken generally; as— mit Blut bespritzt, Wein trinken, Obst essen, Wasser kochen, Brod backen, Papier kaufen. (c) The indefinite article is used: (1) Before proper nouns used in a common sense; as-ein Wellington, ein Cäsar, ein Diogenes, &c., &c. (2) With a common noun, taken generally; as-ein Buch kaufen, einen Apfel essen, &c., &c. noun or adjective (with a noun understood), being of the same case, serves to complete the meaning of another ;3 as .3 Solon, der Gesetzgeber Athens. Der Schlaf, der Befreier von Beschwerden. Unter Cäsar, dem römischen Kaiser. Ich spreche von Johann, dem alten Schulkameraden. Ich verlor in ihm einen Freund, meinen besten. RULE 4.-Two nouns are put in different cases (the second always in the genitive) if they are used under different circumstances; viz. (A) To indicate property or possession ; as Der Schöpfer des Weltalls, Dem Bekerscher dieses Landes, Der Vater Alexander's. (B) To indicate the country, sex, age, or situation of a person, in which case the genitive generally precedes the nominative; as Seines Handwerks ein Schmied, Ihrer Natur eine Löwin. REMARK 3.-A proper noun completing the meaning of another noun remains always invariable, notwithstanding the case of the noun to which it stands in apposition; as H Die Grösze des Königs Johann Sobieski. |