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Par. I95-197.] IRREGULARITIES.

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I95 Irregularity of Words.
The " confusion of two constructions," or rather
the " reduplication of constructions," affects the
formation of words, as well as of idioms. It is very
common for an Inflection to become obsolete and
forgotten, and then to receive a second Inflection as
an appendage, the two being blended or " confused"
together.
I96 I:or example (1) the old Genitive in 's, which is
now retained only in our " Possessive Inflection,"
had once a 'wider use, so that it represented our
" at" or " by," and was used for an Adverbial
termination. Ience were formed:
(1) "One-s" or " once; " " unaware-s; " " dbor-s;"
"day-s;" i.e. " by (lay."
In time, the Adverbial use of the Inflection becoming obsolete, a Preposition was inserted, but the
old useless Inflection was retained:
(2) "At once;" "at unawares" (Spenser); "in
doors; " now-a-days." 1
Ig7 In the same way (1) "near " was recognized as a
Comparative form, from "neah " nigh: (2) "' songster" was recognized as a Feminine, with the old
Feminine termination -ster. But, as the sense of
1 Occasionally there is found "by littles and littles."
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