been most
thoroughly studied, and by inference in all languages, it appears
that the few original words used in any language remain as the elements
for the greater number finally used. In the evolution of a language
the introduction of absolutely new material is a comparatively rare
phenomenon. The old material is combined and modified in many ways to
form the new.

How has the small stock of words found as the basis of a language been
thus combined and modified?

The way in which the old materials have been used gives rise to what
will here be denominated THE GRAMMATIC PROCESSES.

I.--THE PROCESS BY COMBINATION.

Two or more words may be united to form a new one, or to perform the
office of a new one, and four methods or stages of combination may be
noted.

_a._ By _juxtaposition_, where the two words are placed together and yet
remain as distinct words. This method is illustrated in Chinese, where
the words in the combination when taken alone seldom give a clew to
their meaning when placed together.

_b._ By _compounding_, where two words are made into one, in which case
the original elements of the new word remain in an unmodified condition,
as in _house-top_, _rain-bow_, _tell-tale_.

_c._ By _agglutination_, in which case one or more of the elements
entering into combination to form the new word is somewhat changed--the
elements are fused together. Yet this modification is not so great as
to essentially obscure the primitive words, as in _truthful_, where we
easily recognize the original words _truth_ and _full_; and _holiday_,
in which _holy_ and _day_ are recognized.

_d._ By _inflection_. Here one or more of the elements entering into the
compound has been so changed that it can scarcely be recognized. There
is a constant tendency to economy in speech by which words are gradually
shortened as they are spoken by generation after generation. In those
words which are combinations of others there are certain elements that
wear out more rapidly than others. Where some particular word is
combined with many other different words the tendency to modify by wear
this oft-used element is great. This is more especially the case where
the combined word is used in certain categories of combinations, as
where particular words are used to denote tense in the verb; thus, _did_
may be used in combination with a verb to denote past time until it is
worn down to the sound of _d_. The same wear occurs where particular