CHAPTER XXXVI.
PREPOSITIONS AND CONJUNCTIONS.
[§ 442]. Prepositions.—Prepositions, as such, are wholly unsusceptible of inflection. Other parts of speech, in a state of inflection, may be used with a prepositional sense. This, however, is not an inflection of prepositions.
No word is ever made a preposition by the addition of a derivational[[59]] element. If it were not for this, the practical classification of the prepositions, in respect to their form, would coincide with that of the adverbs. As it is, there are only the prepositions of deflection, and the absolute prepositions. On another principle of division there are the simple prepositions (in, on, &c.), and the complex prepositions (upon, roundabout, across).
The prepositions of deflection, when simple, originate chiefly in adverbs, as up, down, within, without, unless, indeed, we change the assertion, and say that the words in point (and the others like them) are adverbs originating in prepositions. The absence of characteristic terminations renders these decisions difficult.
The prepositions of deflection, when complex, originate chiefly in nouns, accompanied by an absolute preposition; as instead of of substantival, between of adjectival origin.
The absolute prepositions, in the English language, are in, on, of, at, up, by, to, for, from, till, with, through.
[§ 443]. Conjunctions.—Conjunctions, like prepositions, are wholly unsusceptible of inflection. Like prepositions they
are never made by means of a derivational element. Like prepositions they are either simple (as and, if), or complex (as also, nevertheless).
The conjunctions of deflection originate chiefly in imperative moods (as all save one, all except one); participles used like the ablative absolute in Latin (as all saving one, all excepting one); adverbs (as so); prepositions (as for); and relative neuters (as that).
The absolute conjunctions in the English language are and, or, but, if.
[§ 444]. Yes, no.—Although not may be reduced to an adverb, nor to a conjunction, and none to a noun, these two words (the direct affirmative, and the direct negative) are referable to none of the current parts of speech. Accurate grammar places them in a class by themselves.
[§ 445]. Particles.—The word particle is a collective term for all those parts of speech that are naturally unsusceptible of inflection; comprising, 1, interjections; 2, direct affirmatives; 3, direct negatives; 4, absolute conjunctions; 5, absolute prepositions; 6, adverbs unsusceptible of degrees of comparison; 7, inseparable prefixes.