At the first view, this last sentence seems unnecessary. It might seem superfluous to state, that, if there were no such primitive form as se, there could be no such secondary form as suus.
Such, however, is not the case. Suus might exist in the language, and yet se be absent; in other words, the derivative form might have continued whilst the original one had become extinct.
Such is really the case with the Old Frisian. The reflective personal form, the equivalent to se, is lost, whilst the reflective possessive form, the equivalent to suus, is found. In the Modern Frisian, however, both forms are lost.
CHAPTER VII.
THE DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS, &c.
[§ 227]. The demonstrative pronouns are, 1. He, it. 2. She. 3. This, that. 4. The.
He, she, and it, generally looked on as personal, are here treated as demonstrative pronouns, for the following reasons.
1. The personal pronouns form an extremely natural class, if the pronouns of the two first persons be taken by themselves. This is not the case if they be taken along with he, it, and she.