HO THE ADJECTIVE.
11 181. This construction is now scarcely ever used except in set speeches, the genuine* Colloquial preferring either to end each clause by the form in i, or (oftener still) to turn the sentence some other way. What the Colloquial has retained in full vigour is a secondary use of the form in kit, prefixed to verbs ; and it has become usual, having regard to this use alone, to call the form in question the " adverbial form," because the European equivalents of Japanese adjectives in kn are often, though by no means invariably adverbs, thus :
Omoshiroltu kikoemasu. It sounds amusing. Osoku k aeri fiiasliita. I came home late.
Yoku dekita. It is well done.
Okiku nariniaslilta koto ! How big he has become ! N. B. For koto thus used, see bottom of p. 34. Naru-take hayaku o }
As., a* possible quickly honourablel Please COme as
ide nasai. f quickly as possible.
exit deign )
IT 182. The verb "to be" is no exception to the rule whereby verbs must be preceded by the adverbial or indefinite form in ku. It is therefore correct to say, for instance :
Ano yamd ga takaku gozainiasu. That mountain is high.
Kaze ga samukn gozaiinasho. The wind will probably
be cold.
But Colloquial usage sanctions and indeed prefers the dropping of the k of the termination in such contexts. Moreover, after the k has been dropped, a crasis of the remaining vowels of the termination ensues. By this series of changes,
