The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-02-12
DIALECT-ICS.

considerable degree of attention in the schools q
Germany. There only, we believe, is the study o,
| language pursued, not means to an end, but
! for itself alone. Philology in academic impor.
tance ranks with philosophy, with the llghe,
physical sciences, and the more adv anced of the
professional Studies. The pursuit is o laborious
one, exacting unwearied application and continued
and industrious research. For its exhaustive
treatment, were such possible, every branch Of
! human knowledge is laid under contribution; and
it in turn pays back with interest," to every art and
science, what has thus been borrowed. BY the
aids Of comparative philology, history and chro-
| nology are slowly emerging from the regions OF
doubt to the gratifying certainty of the exact sci
enccs 5thnology may be said to owe its very ex-
istence 20 this kindred study. Archaeology, pain
fully grcping in the dark heretofore, now steps
forth with some degree Of confidence, having a
sure canon,-a compass by which it can find its
reckoning anywhere and at any time.
MAX MULLER "a German by birth,) the distin-
guishcd professor Of Snhskrit at the University Of
Oxford, in the introduction to one Of his recent
works, beautifully remarks s'There is science OF
language as there is science Of the earth, its
flowers md its stars; and though, MS young
science, it s very far yet from that perfection
which-thanks to the efforts Of the intellectual
giants Of SO many ages and many countries has
oSSAA ASo~AAO0 y, III
geology, it is perhaps for this very reason, all the
more fascinating. It is young and growing
science, that puts forth new strength every yeur,
that opens prospects, new fields Of enterprise
every side. and rewards its students with richer
harvest than could be expected from the exhaust
ed soil OF the old sciences The whole world is
open, as it were, to the stndent of language.
There is virgin soil close to our door, aud there
ore whole continents still to conquer if step be-
yond the frontiers Of ancient civilization We may
select small village in our neighborhood to pick
mp dialectic varieties and to collect phrases pro
verbs and stories, which will disclose fragments,
almost ground to dust, it is true, yet undeniatle
fragments Of the earliest formations of Saxon
speech and Saxon thought"
It was by such industry, though for other pur-
poses, Sir WALTER ScoTr gathered his wealth of
ssauld stales," which stood him in such good
stead in his writings, both Of prose and verse
MUsEus and the Brothers GRIMM thus went to
work to rescue from oblivion the thousande Of
popular tales and traditions, the superstitions
local. religious and NATIONAL Of the primitive deni-
zens Of the forests and mountains of Germany
Hundreds Of others, less known to fame, perhaps
havs since emulated their example, and have
renped rich rewards, both in the fascination of the
pursuit itself, and in the proper appreciation and
favor awarded to the result Of their 1abors.
In America the field is more contracted. True,
Indian archaeology has it's fascination and has at
tracted the attention of many scholars, who have
devoted their lives to the elucidaEon Of the many
problems connected with that mysterious race OF
men. The early history Of the European settlers
Of this country has received, perhaps, more than
it's due share Of attention from the scholars and
historians OF the country. The field is exhausted,
and farther cleaning can only be rewarded with
chaff the grain having long since been gathered.
Comparatively little labor, however, has been be-
slowed on the collection, examination digesting
and classification Of local peculiarties Of speech
or dialects. Specimens abound in the works Of
felton, but more especially in our humorous Itera-
ture. There have also been partial essays at col
lection, in the forn OF so-called Dictionaries Of
Americanisms. But we remember no systematic
effort by competent hand, at a scientific classia-
cation. This is, perhaps because the subject is
TOO new, is too near to u.s. and so intimately 1850
ciated with vulgarity, in the minds Of all educated
men, that we presume it has always hitherto been
considered beneath the dignity Of science.
The same holds good, even to greater degree
Of the African dialect English as spoken BY
the negroes Of the Southern States. Indeed this
furnishes the only real illustration to our people of
what is meant by dialect. In Germany, France,
and even in England, these ingual differences are
great and striking, and marked as with the sharp
outline of latitude and longitude; and usually
almost every dialect has it's literature. This is not
the case this continent There is, indeed, even
to the most obtuse ear, marked difference be-
tween the English as nasaly pronounced by
down east Yankee,-as jerked out by the New
Yerker or Jersey manor as spoken By the half
civilized hoosier Virginia again has her pro-
nunciation, differing widely not only from the fore
going, but in many respects also from the more
recognized standards Of Oxford and Cambridge.
North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, each
again has its own accent, modes Of expression,
and peculariies Of pronunciation. Arkansas and
Texas likewise lay claim to individuality; and IN
vestigation, we doubt not will in every case ascer
tain ample cause for these several differences !;
whether from descent, contiguity to other tribes
and other tongues, climate and other physical
agencies, or commercial and political relations
We see here q wide field opened, where there is
room for hundreds Of laborers. II is only by the
help Of such speci Il cleaners and regional anti
qnarians and philologists that the n,ug7auas op,s
here proposed can ever be accomplished.
The negro dialect would seem to be easier of
elaboration. The area is more restricted, and a
comparative survey proportionately easier and
more feasible The importance Of the subject can
scarcely be overestimated. This dialect is one Of
the essential elements Of the history Of this inter
esting people, and now that education and civil
and political rights menace lovelling process q,