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metamorphoses Parenthesis parentheses Phenomenon phenomena Radius radii _or_ radiuses Stamen stamina Seraph seraphim _or_ seraphs Stimulus stimuli Stratum strata Thesis theses Vertex vertices Vortex vortices _or_ vortexes [2] Genii, imaginary spirits: geniuses, persons of great mental abilities. [3] Indexes, when pointers or tables of contents are meant: indices, when referring to algebraic quantities. CASE. Case, when applied to nouns and pronouns, means the different state, situation, or position they have in relation to other words. Nouns have three cases, the nominative, the possessive, and the objective. I deem the essential qualities of _case_, in English, to consist, not in the _changes_ or _inflections_ produced on nouns and pronouns, but in the various offices which they perform in a sentence, by assuming different positions in regard to other words. In accordance with this definition, these cases can be easily explained on reasoning principles, founded in the nature of things. Now, five grains of common sense will enable any one to comprehend what is meant by case. Its real character is extremely simple; but in the different grammars it assumes as many meanings as Proteus had shapes. The most that has been written on it, however, is mere verbiage. What, then, is meant by _case_? In speaking of a horse, for instance, we say he is in a good _case_, when he is fat, and in a bad _case_, when he is lean, and needs more oats; and in this sense we apply the term _case_ to denote the _state_ or _condition_ of the horse. So, when we place a noun before a verb as actor or subject, we say it is in the _nominative case_; but when it follows a transitive verb or preposition, we say it has another _case_; that is, it assumes a new _position_ or _situation_ in the sentence: and this we call the _objective_ case. Thus, the _boy_ gathers fruit. Here the boy is represented as _acting_. He is, therefore, in the _nominative_ case. But when I say, Jane struck the _boy_, I do not represent the boy as the _actor_, but as the _object_ of the action. He is, therefore, in a new _case_ or _condition_. And when I say, This is the _boy's_ hat, I do not speak of the boy either as _acting_ or as _acted upon_; but as possessing something: for which reason he is in t
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