4. The word his itself must be accounted for; and that cannot be done by assuming it to be he + his.
5. The -s in father's is the -is in patris, and the -ος in πατέρος.
[§ 438]. The preceding examples illustrate an apparent paradox, viz., the fact of pleonasm and ellipsis being closely allied. The king he is just, dealt with as a single sentence, is undoubtedly pleonastic. But it is not necessary to be considered as a mere simple sentence. The king—may represent a first sentence incomplete, whilst he is just represents a second sentence in full. What is pleonasm in a single sentence is ellipsis in a double one.
CHAPTER V.
THE TRUE PERSONAL PRONOUNS.
[§ 439]. Personal pronouns.—The use of the second person plural instead of the second singular has been noticed already. This use of one number for another is current throughout the Gothic languages. A pronoun so used is conveniently called the pronomen reverentiæ.
[§ 440]. Dativus ethicus.—In the phrase