This matter of vocabulary is a matter, too, that is exceedingly practical. It means success or failure to us in the work which we would like to do in the world. A command of words means added power and efficiency; it means the power to control, or at least affect, our environment; it means the power over men and things; it means the difference between being people of ability and influence and being obscure, inefficient members of society.
So feel when you are spending your time in increasing your vocabulary that you are not only adding to your enjoyment of life but that you are doing yourself the best practical turn; you are increasing your efficiency in putting yourself in a position where you can make your influence felt upon the people and circumstances about you. This effort upon your part will bear practical fruit in your every day life.
Yours for Education,
THE PEOPLE'S COLLEGE.
A GROUP OF WORDS
299. We have studied about the independent parts of speech, that is, the nouns and pronouns and verbs. These are independent because with them we can form sentences without the help of other words. And these are the only three parts of speech which are so independent—with which we can form complete sentences. Then we have studied also the words that modify,—that is, the words that are used with nouns and pronouns and verbs to describe and explain more fully the ideas which they express. So we have studied adjectives, which modify nouns and pronouns; and adverbs, which modify verbs or adjectives or other adverbs.
300. The adjectives and adverbs which we have studied thus far are single words; but we find that we may use little groups of words in about the same way, to express the same idea which we have expressed in the single adjective or adverb. For example, we may say:
- Strong men, or, men of strength.
- City men, or, men from the city.
- Jobless men, or, men without jobs.
- Moneyed men, or, men with money.
These groups of words like, of strength, from the city, without jobs, and with money, express the same ideas that are expressed in the single adjectives, strong, city, jobless and moneyed.
You recall that we defined any group of words used as a single word as a phrase; so these groups of words are phrases which are used as adjectives. The phrase, of strength, modifies the noun men, just as the adjective strong modifies the noun men. So we may call these phrases which modify nouns, or which may be used to modify pronouns also, adjective phrases, for they are groups of words used as adjectives.