Page:A grammar of the Bohemian or Cech language.djvu/56

 ﻿the several classes of verbs, it will be as well to quote his analysis of the Slavonic verb generally.

Each verb has two stems, firstly, the infinitive stem, and secondly, the present stem. It is upon the principle of the infinitive stem that the verbs are here arranged.

(i) The Infinitive Stem.

In this the verbs are divided into two classes, according as they add verbal suffixes immediately to the root, or add them to a root or a nominal or verbal stem by means of one of the following suffixes (connecting vowels): ng1, i, i, a, ua (ova). Putting these two together we may say that verbal stems are divided into six classes:—

(a) Stems without a connecting vowel.

(b) «a-stems.

(c) /-stems.

(d) z'-stems.

(e) tf-stems. (/) wa-stems.

We thus have the verbs divided into six chief classes. These again may be regarded from the point of view of—(i) those which have no preposition prefixed; (2) those which have a preposition prefixed. With reference to their aspects, the verbs are thus arranged under the six classes :—

I. Without the prefix of a preposition—

(a) As a rule imperfective, some durative. There are a few perfective, which must be learned by practice.

(b) Perfective, a few inchoative-durative (i. e. expressing the beginning of an action which lasts).

' The q, borrowed from the Polish, is here adopted from Miklosich as a means of expressing the nasal, which originally existed.