Shall and will are joined to the infinitive mood of a principal verb, to denote the future. 6 The original meaning of this verb is 'owe' (A.-S. sceal). So Chaucer, By the faithe I schal to God,' i.e., 'I owe to God.' And so Robert of Gloucester, 'al that to Rome sholde servise,' i.e., 'owed service.' Should, when used as an independent verb, means ought: as, 'You should be careful '—' You ought to be careful.' Will is also used as an independent verb. Hence we find the infinitive [to] will, and the participle willing. 387. Besides these, we have an auxiliary in constant use, the verb do, which is employed in various significations. 388. This verb is used as an auxiliary, 1. For emphasis: as, 'When they do agree, their unanimity is wonderful.' 2. In negations: as, 'I do not like it.' As a general rule, the negative stands between do and the dependent infinitive: as, 'I do not think.' But after neither or nor, the auxiliary do follows immediately, and precedes the subject-nominative: as, 'neither does he wish,' nor do I think.' 3. In questions: as, 'Does he say so?' 'Do they not 4. After an adverb, or an adverbial phrase, the auxiliary Once again Do I behold those steeps and lofty cliffs. Wordsworth. 5. In reply to a question with an ellipsis of the dependent infinitive: as, Portia. Do you confess the bond? Merchant of Venice, iv. 5. See Adams, Elements of the English Language, § 617. Here, when Antonio says 'I do,' he means 'I do confess.' 389. Caution. Whenever we employ any part of the verb do, in reference to some principal verb in the former part of a sentence, there is risk of error; and, in particular, the reference to an intransitive verb is open to cavil. Take this example : It is somewhat unfortunate, that this paper did not end, as it might very well have done, with the former beautiful period.-Blair, Rhetoric, xxiii. A caviller might ask, 'done what?' Surely not 'done ending.' In such constructions, it is better to repeat the principal verb; 'did not end, as it might very well have ended. Repetition is sometimes disagreeable, and tends to enfeeble a sentence; but it is always preferable to ambiguity. See Cobbett, Grammar, § 273. 390. Dr. Latham points out that we have in English two distinct words which assume the form do. In the phrase 'this will do,' meaning 'this will answer the purpose,' he considers the word do wholly different from do = act. 1. The word in common use do, meaning 'to act,' is from the A.-S. dón, and corresponds to the German thun. 2. The word do, meaning to answer the purpose,' is from the A.-S. dugan, and corresponds to the German taugen. He quotes the following passages in illustration of the second meaning. The past tense deih occurs in these lines: Philip of Flaundres fleih, and turned sonne the bak; And Thebald nouht he deih. Robert of Bourne, 133. (Philip of Flanders fled, and turned soon the back; And Thebald did no good.) The king Isaak fleih, his men had no foyson, All that time he ne deih. Robert of Bourne, 159. (King Isaac fled, his men had no provisions, All that time he prospered not.) The present I dow, in the sense of I can, occurs in Burns: I'll laugh, an' sing, an' shake my leg As lang's I dow. See Latham, English Language, § 593. IMPERSONALS. 391. When a verb is used without any apparent subjectnominative it is called an Impersonal Verb. Some grammarians contend that verbs of this kind are not Impersonal; but that they are used in the third person, and in the third person only. Hence they propose to call such verbs Unipersonal. In English we commonly prefix the neuter pronoun it before the so-called Impersonals. Dr. Lowth says: 'It rains; it shines; it thunders.' From which examples it plainly appears, that there is no such thing in English, nor indeed in any language, as a sort of Verbs which are really impersonal. The agent or person in English is expressed by the neuter pronoun; in some other languages it is omitted, but understood.' Lowth, English Grammar, p. 110. |