Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-07-10

Hrof Granger changed their Language, rehgon and ha-
bits until they regarded by Saxons and Danes
actually different race The old historians Of Denmark
it is said speak of the Norman oonqusrors Of England
peopleof the Roman race and deplore the conquest
a triumph Of the Roman blood and language over the
Teutonic And many modern times, not accurately in
formed on this subject doubtless labor under the
But practically the influence of the Nor
mans ON our tongue that Of colony of Frenchmen
speaking corrupt dialect of the Court Gallo.
From the Latin few words introduced into Eng
lish time of Cesar and still during the
reigns of the Christanzed Saxon sovereigns relating
chiefly to ecclesiastical matters. What proportion Of
Latin wordswas introduced directly from the Latin Ian
guage in the period between the battle of Hastings and
the revival of literature has been ascertained
much indirect Latin was, of course introduced by the
Norman French Since the revival of literature until the
present time language has been making constant
though gradual importatons from the Latin and Greek
tongues being chiefly the of objects and ideas for
which the increasing range Of science required special
nomenclature. The English being eminenty CONNER
and colonial people, it is naturally to be expected that
their language should draw contributions from the va
rious tongues with which in contact According
y, find scattered through language, to greater
less degree, words derived from Arabic Persian Turk
sh Tartar, Hindoo, Chinese, Malay, Polynesan, Sibe
rian North American Indian, Peruvian, Caribbean and
the old Nubian, Egyptian, Syrian Lycian, and Lydan
tongues. Words says the Rev. Matthew HARRISON which
sprang up at Agra and Delhi, and Bcnares four thou
sand years ago, but scaling the Rocky Noun
tans of America thus serving to indicate the continuous
tide of human population which has been rolling the
esrth's surface with the progress of time
The evolution Of the English language from Anglo Saxon
was exceedingly gradual, insomuch that Mr.. Hallam
justly observes nothing be difficult except by
than 1pfpr
because in of materials, but rather from
an opposite reason-the possibility Of showing very
gradual succession of verbal changes that ended in
change linguistic denomination. For, when compare
the earliest English of the thirteenth century with the
AngloSaxon Of the twelfth it seems hard to pronounce
why should pass for separate language rather than
modification simp6caton of the former. 1t is proof
of this difficulty that the best Of ancient Ian
guage have lately introduced the word Saxon which
is to cover every thing from A. d. 1850 to 1850 The
principal change which the AngoSaxon underwentn its
conversion into English is observable in the omission of
many Infections especially those of the noun, and in the
smpfcation of its syntax. Mr.. Latham to think
that this modification of the Anglosaxon would hive
taken place without the influence and cooperation of
exraneous elements introduced into the language by the
Norman conquest. What the present language of Eng
land would have been." he says had the Norman con-
and of many other countries, enables determine
would have been much it is at present Now in this
assertion think he has overlooked very important
fact in the consideration of the question and that is
though in Norway, Sweden, Holland, sc. conquest
took place like that of the Normans in English, yet the
practical effect much the by of that
mixture and confusion of dialects resulting from the
nomadic habits of the early Germanic and Scandna-
Wan tribes Mr.. Latham argues that the natural pro-
gress Of every language is towards rejection ofnfexons
and smpfcaton of its syntactical arrangement We do
not think this observation is borne out by facts are
not that grammarans have marked such changes
in any language which left to develop itself al a
without the complication of extraneous elements In the
ancient Sancrit, Greek and Roman ogues, presume
viii assert the existence of tendency simpif
cation long these languages kept free from the
infusion Of foreign dialects. whentw languages
dialects brought into collision the natural and in
evitable effect is to break down all conventional nexons
and to break all inversion in the structure of
to verify this have but listen to the conversation
of two men, each only partially skilled the language Of
the other Their mutual ignorance OF the diversions and
infexons peculiar each others tongue compes them to
make of the elements Of Speech and to arrange
their words in the simplest possible Their lingo
very likely to resemble the jargon Of the lively priest
Jemeno, whom Mr. Coleridge met at Dominica: ssComo
osta, mohseu cspere qu usteu sc porte vary we'll
LIE Latin est good ting mails good knowledge sin Ell Latin
rien to be done" 1t is very that all modern tongues
have eyinced progress stage by stage, towards the
simpler and natural forms they possess butw
persuaded has arisen solely from the mixture and
Interpretation, were of different languages and
Of different dialects in the language, resulting from
that great outbreak which the German historians and
ehnologiss call the pdnderings Of The nations" thus
bringing one tongue into contact, with anotherthe
Turkish and Gothic in Greece the speech of the Vanda
and the Hun in Italy, of the saracen and Goth in SPAIN
the Frank in Gau Of the Saxon and Norman in England
and one Germanc Scandinavian dialect with another
in Holland, Norway, and Denmark In view Of this ire
fragabe fact, think the statement alike unhstorica
uncritica and improbable when 1t is asserted that the
Norman conquest did not accelerate" that modi6
cation which has tended make the English tongue less
complex in its structure and grammatical forms
We had intended to enlarge the advantages and
disadvantages Of composite tongue compared with
homogeneous one like the German but the length TO
which our remarks have already grown warns us for
bear. We close with the words Of old Camden on this
point, contained in his /" Remains" adding as sort
Of appendix some specimens illustrative Of the changes
which the English language has undergone at
periods:
"The Italian" says Camden ais pleasant but with
ont sinews like still heeting water the French deli
cate but ever NICE as daring TO open her
lips for fear Of marring her countenance the Spanish
majesca but fulsome, running too much on the O. and
terrible, like the dwell in play the Dutch manlke but
withal very harsh ready every word TO pick
quarrel Now we, in borrowing from them Give the