VERBS CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO MEANING AND USE.
TRANSITIVE AND INTRANSITIVE VERBS.
[Sidenote: _The nature of the transitive verb._]
202. By examining a few verbs, it may be seen that not all verbs are
used alike. All do not express action: some denote state or condition.
Of those expressing action, all do not express it in the same way; for
example, in this sentence from Bulwer,--"The proud lone _took_ care to
conceal the anguish she _endured_; and the pride of woman _has_ an
hypocrisy which _can deceive_ the most penetrating, and _shame_ the
most astute,"--every one of the verbs in Italics has one or more words
before or after it, representing something which it influences or
controls. In the first, lone _took_ what? answer, _care_; _endured_
what? _anguish_; etc. Each influences some object, which may be a
person, or a material thing, or an idea. _Has_ takes the object
_hypocrisy_; _can deceive_ has an object, _the most penetrating_;
(can) _shame_ also has an object, _the most astute_.
In each case, the word following, or the object, is necessary to the
completion of the action expressed in the verb.
All these are called transitive verbs, from the Latin _transire_,
which means _to go over_. Hence
[Sidenote: _Definition._]
203. A transitive verb is one which must have an object to complete
its meaning, and to receive the action expressed.
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