talking, the person or thing spoken to, and the
person or thing talked about.

This gives rise to a new term, "the distinction of _person_."

[Sidenote: Person _of nouns_.]

75. This distinction was not needed in discussing nouns, as nouns
have the _same form_, whether representing persons and things spoken
to or spoken of. It is evident that a noun could not represent the
person speaking, even if it had a special form.

From analogy to pronouns, which have _forms_ for person, nouns are
sometimes spoken of as first or second person by their _use_; that is,
if they are in apposition with a pronoun of the first or second
person, they are said to have person by agreement.

But usually nouns represent something spoken of.

[Sidenote: _Three persons of pronouns._]

76. Pronouns naturally are of three persons:--

(1) First person, representing the person speaking.

(2) Second person, representing a person or thing spoken to.

(3) Third person, standing for a person or thing spoken of.

FORMS OF PERSONAL PRONOUNS.

77. Personal pronouns are inflected thus:--

FIRST PERSON.
_Singular._
_Nom._ I
_Poss._ mine, my
_Obj._ me

_Plural._
_Nom._ we
_Poss._ our, ours
_Obj._ us

SECOND PERSON.
_Singular._
_Old Form_ _Common Form._
_Nom._ thou you
_Poss._ thine, thy your, yours
_Obj._ thee you

_Plural._
_Nom._ ye you
_Poss._ your, yours your, yours
_Obj._ you you

THIRD PERSON.
_Singular._
_Masc._ _Fem._ _Neut._.
_Nom._ he she it
_Poss._ his her, hers its
_Obj._ him her it

_Plur. of all Three_.
_Nom._ they
_Poss._ their, theirs
_Obj._ them

Remarks on These Forms.

[Sidenote: _First and second persons without gender._]

78. It will be noticed that the pronouns of the first and second
persons have no forms to distinguish gen