CHAPTER VII.

OF ADVERBS.

An adverb is that part of speech which is joined to a verb, adjective, or other adverb, to express some circumstance, quality, degree, or manner of its signification; and hence adverbs have been termed attributives of the second order.

“As the attributives hitherto mentioned,” says Mr. Harris, “viz. adjective and verb, denote the attributes of substances, so there is an inferior class of them, which denote the attributes only of attributes. If I say, ‘Cicero was eloquent,’ I ascribe to him the attribute of eloquence simply and absolutely; if I say, ‘he was exceedingly eloquent,’ I affirm an eminent degree of eloquence, the adverb _exceedingly_ denoting that degree. If I say, ‘he died, fighting _bravely_ for his country,’ the word _bravely_ here added to the verb denotes the manner of the action.” An adverb is, therefore, a word joined to a verb, or any attributive, to denote some modification, degree, or circumstance, of the expressed attribute.

Adverbs have been divided into a variety of classes, according to their signification. Some of those which denote

_Quality_ simply, are, Well, ill, bravely, prudently, softly, with innumerable others formed from adjectives and participles. _Certainty_ or { Verily, truly, undoubtedly, yea, yes, _Affirmation_ { certainly. _Contingence_ Perhaps, peradventure, perchance. _Negation_ Nay, no, not, nowise. _Explaining_ Namely. _Separation_ Apart, separately, asunder. _Conjunction_ Together, generally, universally. _Indication_ Lo. _Interrogation_ Why, wherefore, when, how. _Excess_ or } Very, exceedingly, too, more, better, _Preeminence_ } worse, best, worst. _Defect_ Almost, nearly, less, least. _Preference_ Rather, chiefly, especially. _Likeness_ or } So, thus, as, equally. _Equality_ } _Unlikeness_ or } Else, otherwise. _Inequality_ } _Abatement_ or } Piecemeal, scarcely, hardly. _Gradation_ } _To_ or _in a place_ Here, there, where. _To a place, only_ Hither, thither, whither. _Towards a place_ Hitherward, thitherward, whitherward. _From a place_ Hence, thence, whence. _Time present_ Now, to-day. _---- past_ { Yesterday, before, heretofore, already, { hitherto, lately. _---- future_ { To-morrow, hereafter, presently, { immediately, afterwards. _Repetition of } Often, seldom, frequently. times indef._ } _---- Definitely_ Once, twice, thrice, again. _Order_ First[108], secondly, thirdly, &c. _Quantity_ Much, little, enough, sufficiently.

On inquiring into the meaning and etymology of adverbs, it will appear, that most of them are abbreviations or contractions for two or more words. Thus, _bravely_, or “in a brave manner,” is probably derived by abbreviation from _brave-like_, _wisely_ from _wise-like_, _happily_ from _happy-like_[109]. Mr. Tooke, indeed, has proved, as I conceive incontrovertibly, that most of them are either corruptions of other words, or abbreviations of phrases or of sentences. One thing is certain, that the adverb is not an indispensable part of speech, as it serves merely to express in one word what perhaps would otherwise require two or more words. Thus,

Where[110] denotes In what place Here In this place There In that place Whither To what place Hither To this place Thither To that place.