A Brief Reply to Herbert Lederer
Stuart A. Gallacher · The German Quarterly · 1958
Mr. Lederer's case for the strong endings is the same case Gustav Wustmann supported. As I pointed out, Wustmann realized little success for his effort. If simplicity is what we are seeking, as Mr. Lederer apparently regards it, then the answer has been suggested in the original article-let us treat attributives with the weak -en endings after any in the plural. My students are not confused by my consistent naming of the words in question as adjectives. I have had remarkable success with this procedure in my classes. To call einige one time a descriptive adjective and another time an indefinite numerical does not make it less confusing for the student, for it is not a pronoun in the instances cited. It is at best a pronominal and in any event is a limiting one. At no time did I refer in einige dieser Biicher, etc. to the effect that einige and dieser in this case were attributives. Mr. Lederer should read my statement a little more carefully and then he would not be involved in-a different kettle of fish altogether.