51. All sentences belong, constructively, to one or other of three classes- ASSERTIVE, INTERROGATIVE, and IMPERATIVE ;- -as

(1.) I am coming. (2.) Are you coming? (3.) Come!

The following Principles deduced from conversational usage regulate the closing inflexion of each form of sen

tence.

I. Assertive Sentences.

52. Assertive sentences have a falling termination when they state facts of which the hearer may be presumed to have been previously uninformed. When they cannot be supposed to communicate information they have a rising termination, as in appeal to the hearer's consciousness.

53. To pronounce with a falling termination an assertive sentence, the fact stated in which should be as well known to the hearer as to the speaker, would be to pay the former a very poor compliment, as if assuming his previous ignorance of the fact. Thus,

The sun rises in the east; (implying "does it not?")
The end of life is death; (implying "is it not?")

II. Interrogative Sentences.

54. Interrogative sentences have a rising termination when they inquire as to facts respecting which the speaker may be presumed to be in doubt or ignorance; when they cannot be supposed to ask for information they have a falling termination, as in assertion of what the hearer's consciousness must corroborate.

55. To pronounce with a rising termination an interrogative sentence respecting a fact of which there can be no doubt, would be to do injustice to the speaker's judgeThus,

ment.

Is virtue to be commended? (implying “you know it is.”)
Does rain fall from the clouds? (implying "you know it does.")

III. Imperative Sentences.

56. Imperative sentences have a falling termination when they express the speaker's will without reference to the will of the hearer, and they have a rising termination

when they solicit rather than enjoin compliance. Thus,

Remember what I have said; (implying "it is my will.")
Remember what I have said; (implying" will you?")

XIII. ANALYSIS OF SENTENCES.

57. Every assertive sentence must consist of at least two parts:-(I.) the thing, person, quality, or fact spoken of the SUBJECT;—and (II.) that which is asserted of the subject-the PREDICATE. Thus,

John is speaking.

The event is doubtful.

58. The subject usually precedes the predicate, but this order may be reversed. When both subject and predicate are ACCENTED, the former of them, in either order, terminates with a rising, and the latter, with a falling inflexion.

59. When the subject has been previously expressed or implied, or when it is a pronoun, it is pronounced without an accentual inflexion, and if it precedes the predicate, takes merely the preparatory pitch of an unaccented syllable. Thus,

60. When the predicate has been previously expressed or implied, the same principle applies, and the subject

alone receives accentual inflexion.

61. When the subject or predicate is antithetic to any other, either expressed or implied, compound, instead of simple tones, will be employed.

62. The predicate may consist of a verb only, or it may include also an object or complement. The position of the accent will vary according to the sense, but the principle of concluding inflexion is the same whether the predicate be simple or compound.

63. An assertive sentence may contain, besides the subject and predicate, a third part-the CIRCUMSTANCE; which may be either of the adjective class, as qualifying the subject, or of the adverbial class, as qualifying the predicate.

64. The circumstance may consist of a single word, of a clausular group of words, or of a subordinate sentence, adverbial, relative, conditional, or participial.

65. The subordinate clause or sentence may be complemental of the subject or predicate,— when its accentuation and inflexion must show it to be a part of the principal member;- or it may be merely explanatorywhen it must be pronounced with independent tones and Thus in the following lines :—

accents.

"Behold the emblem of thy state

In flowers, which bloom and die."

The principal sentence here terminates with the adverbial complement, "in flowers;"

"Behold the emblem of thy state in flowers!"

and the succeeding relative sentence must be pronounced as an independent explanatory addition. Thus:

"Behold the emblem of thy state

In flowers, which bloom and die.”

66. The subjects and predicates must always be so pronounced as to strike upon the hearer's mind with unencumbered distinctness among the most multitudinous assemblage of syntactically subordinate clauses or sentences. The subject and predicate are generally the most emphatic parts of a sentence; they are so always, indeed, except when either of them has been previously expressed or implied; or when some opposition or contrast of circumstantial clauses or sentences requires their comparative elevation.

67. Subordinate clauses or sentences may precede the subject, follow the predicate, or intervene between them. In the first and last cases they will generally terminate with rising, and in the second, with falling inflexionssubject to the same modifications and varieties, from antithesis, previous implication, &c., as the subjects and predicates themselves.

68. The predicate may be either an absolute or a conditional assertion: in the former case it will take the falling inflexion, but in the latter, it will require a compound rising tone to modify its assertiveness and connect it with the conditional member or sentence that follows.

XIV. VARIETIES OF INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES.

69. When we pronounce any sentence in doubt or ignorance, and with the desire of assurance or information. we naturally terminate the utterance with a rising inflexion, more or less strong, in proportion to the degree of our eagerness to be assured or informed. By the tone of voice we APPEAL to the hearer for a satisfactory response; and this, without reference to the syntactical form of construction we employ. The declarative, or even imperative form of composition, may be pronounced with an equally interrogative effect to that which is more commonly associated with the interrogative construction. In reading, we must not be guided by the mere arrangement of the words; for we often meet with the form of interrogation when the sentence is not interrogative in meaning. but, on the contrary, strongly assertive: as when Cassius says to Brutus,

"I said an elder soldier—not a better

Did I say better? (.)"

And we frequently find the declarative construction employed when the intention is not assertive, but emphatically interrogative: as when Cassius further says,

66

"You do not love me, Brutus. (?)

We must in all cases be guided by the intent of the utterance, and in no degree by its rhetorical form.

66

66

In

70. Directly interrogative sentences usually have the verb preceding the subject; as, "will you go?" “when will you go?" went you not with them?" why went you not with them?" does any one accompany you?" "who accompanies you?" These questions are of two kinds-VERBAL, and ADVERBIAL or PRONOMINAL. the verbal class, will you? went you?" &c., the query has reference to the FACT in the sentence; and the concluding tone is generally rising, as expressive of doubt or solicitation. In the adverbial or pronominal class, the fact is not called in question, but the query has reference to some circumstance attending it-"WHEN? WHY?

WHO? HOW?" &c., and the concluding tone is generally falling, as expressive of the assumed certainty as to the fact.

71. Adverbial and pronominal questions are in fact assertive or imperative in their nature. Thus, "when will you go? who will accompany you?" imply, “Understanding that you are going, I ask, (or "tell me") when? Expecting that some person will accompany you, I ask, who?" But if we are very solicitous to gain the information, or are in any doubt as to the fact itself, we terminate the question with a rising tone, and it then strongly appeals for a response, or becomes both a verbal and adverbial question. Thus, "when will you go," implies "Do tell me," or "Are you really going, and, if when?"

So,

72. The rising or falling inflexion may frequently be used indifferently on a question of this kind, which is not marked by emotional emphasis.

The rising inflexion is, however, more deferential than the falling, and is that which would generally be used in addressing a superior, while the latter is that which the superior would probably himself employ.

73. It is to be observed also, that when a question of this kind, uttered with a falling inflexion, has not been distinctly apprehended, or, from any cause, is echoed by the person to whom it was addressed, it receives, in this repetition, the rising inflexion.

Example.-"Whence arise these forebodings, but from the consciousness of guilt."

· Whence arise these forebodings?"

From the consciousness of guilt?"

}

(implying, "Did you say?")

This is generally the case also when we have not heard or understood with certainty the answer returned to our question, and consequently repeat the interrogative word.