[17] The same fact may be observed in other languages, for all people form language alike, in a way to correspond with their ideas. The following hasty examples will illustrate this point.
_Agent._ _Verb._ _Object._ _English_ Singers Sing Songs _French_ Les chanteurs Chantent Les chansons _Spanish_ Los cantores Cantan Las cantinelas _Italian_ I cantori Cantano I canti _Latin_ Cantores Canunt Cantus
_English_ Givers Give Gifts _French_ Les donneurs Donnent Les dons _Spanish_ Los donadores Dan o donan Los dones _Italian_ I danatori Dano o danano I doni _Latin_ Datores Donant Dona
_English_ Fishers Fish Fishes _French_ Les pecheurs Pechent Les poissons _Spanish_ Los pescadores Pescan Los peces _Italian_ I pescatori Pescan I pesci _Latin_ Piscatores Piscantur Pisces
_English_ Students Study Studies _French_ Les etudiens Etudient Les etudes _Spanish_ Los estudiantes Estudian Los estudios _Italian_ I studienti Studiano I studii _Latin_ Studiosi Student Studia
[18] Mr. Murray says, "These compounds," _have_, _shall_, _will_, _may_, _can_, _must_, _had_, _might_, _could_, _would_, and _should_, which he uses as auxiliaries to _help_ conjugate _other_ verbs, "are, however, to be considered as _different forms_ of the _same_ verb." I should like to know, if these words have any thing to do with the _principal_ verbs; if they only alter the _form_ of the verb which follows them. I _may_, _can_, _must_, _shall_, _will_, or _do love_. Are these only different forms of _love_? or rather, are they not distinct, important, and original verbs, pure and perfect _in_ and _of_ themselves? Ask for their etymons and meaning, and then decide.
[19] Diversions of Purley, vol. 1, p. 77.
[20] Dr. Edwards observes, in a communication to the Connecticut Society of Arts and Sciences, from personal knowledge, that "the Mohegans (Indians) have _no adjectives_ in all their language. Altho it may at first seem not only singular and curious, but impossible, that a language should exist without adjectives, yet it is an indubitable fact." But it is proved that in later times the Indians employ adjectives, derived from nouns or verbs, as well as other nations. Altho many of their dialects are copious and harmonious, yet they suffered no inconvenience from a want of contracted words and phrases. They added the ideas of definition and description to the things themselves, and expressed them in the _same_ word, in a modified form.