Heavy Construction
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ACCUSATIVE CASE.
386.
The Accusative originally served to connect the
noun more or less loosely with the verb-idea, whether expressed by a verb
proper or by a verbal noun or adjective. Its earliest use was perhaps to
repeat the verb idea as in the Cognate Accuastive (run a race, fight a battle, see §390). From this it would be a short step to the
Factitive Accusative (denoting the result of an act, as in make a table, drill a hole, cf. §273.N.1). From this last could easily
come the common accusative (of Affecting, break a table, plug a hole, see §387. a). Traces of all these uses appear in the
language, and the loose connection of noun with verb idea is seen in the
use of stems in composition (cf. §265)[1][Compare armiger, armor-bearer, with arma gerere, to bear arms; fidicen, lyre-player, with fidibus canere, to (play on) sing to the
lyre. Compare also istanc
táctió (Plaut.) [act of] touching her, with
istanc tangere, to touch her (§355. d. N. 2).]. It is impossible,
however, to derive the various constructions of the accusative with
certainty from any single function of that case.
The uses of the accusative may be classified as follows:
1. Directly affected by the Action (§387. a). Thing produced (§387. a). I. Primary Object: 2. Effect of
the Action Cognate Accusative (§390).
1. Predicate Accusative (Of Naming etc.) II. Two Accusatives: 2. Of
Asking or Teaching (§396). 3. Of
Concealing (§306. a).
1. Adverbial (§397. a). 2. Of
Specification (Greek Accusative) (§397.b.) II. Idiomatic Uses: 3. Of Extent
and Duration (§§423, 425). 4. Of Exclamation (§397. a). 5. Subject of Infinitive (§397. e).