INFLEXION (from

See also:

• LAT

Lat. inflectere, to

See also:

• BEND

bend)  , the action of bending inwards, or turning toiards oneself, or the condition of being bent or curved . In optics, the term " inflexion " was used by Newton for what is now known as " diffraction of light " (q.v.) . For inflexion in geometry see CuRvE . Inflexion when used of the voice, in speaking or singing, indicates a change in tone, pitch or expression . In grammar (q.v.) inflexion indicates the changes which a word undergoes to bring it into correct relations with the other words with which it is used . In English grammar nouns, pronouns, adjectives (in their degrees of comparison), verbs and adverbs are inflected . Some grammarians, however, regard the inflexions of adverbs more as an actual change in word-formation .