New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-02-28
NRR pURLICAWONS.

y
L. ;l,no,rotior Of the English language wmch nave
.nneared within o few years past, none "lioiuS T"
mar omr.stic proof that the study Oh wOrds Is 'he
,rav If things" than the present admirable volume
Ar Scbele De We're engages in the discussion OF ms
snbieet with equal knowledge and enthusiasm lie
evidently possesses genius for pathological dsqusl-
a. hut has trained his favoTite hobby to habits OF
Ocnrate research rather than to indulgence in theva-
aaries offancy He has fondness for subtle theories
In regard to the formation of language, and the
origin Of words but adheres rgidy to the method OF
scientific induction, without pressing the principle
Of otymology and analogy to an unwanantable eX-
treme His book though showing the fruits OF varl-
Gus eruditiOn is not intended exclusively for
scholars. 1t may be read to advantage by all who
have any respect for conscience in the use OF
words, and who believe that business of thought is
closely connected with prOpriety of expression.
With regard to the question, which is not yet
settled of the relation of the English language to the
ancient Anglo-Saxon, the author maintains that
while it is the direct and legitimate descendant OF
Che Anglo-Saxon it combines the elements OF all the
sationalities Of Europe with the single exception OF
Che SclavOnic. 1t is not however, mere farrago OF
discordaDt materials or even continuation Oh any
of the parent stocks but new and living individual
organism. The heart of the language is indeed
AngloSaxOn, but this was not simple ldlom' but
mixture of various dialects belonging to different
settlement of the British Isles by number of sue
cessiye and totally distinct bodies of invaders from
Germany representing III unknown proportions all
ihe races and tongues which are found between the
Elbe and the Elder, with contributions from other
tribes dwelling on the Atlantic and the Baltic
Among these elements three were prominent at the
first invasion and have left their unmstakable I'M
press on the character aHd the language OF the En-
plish people. These were the Jutes from Southern
tho moIpTn lmplV
Of Hostein and the Angles from thatpart of Sleswic
which stn bears their name, between the Elder and
an arm of the Baltic
The native BritOns did not succumb until after
contest of nearly three centuries When the struggle
was over the Saxons were masters of the land but1t
was more by stubbOmness and energy than by Prov
ess on the battle field that they had conquered the
fierce Celt. For a time the two races lived apart,
and vet alongside of each other the BiitOn under
the shelter Of his fortified towns the legacy of his
Roman masters the Saxon in the open country,
where he loved to hear the lark sing. Scanty as
their intercourse was it led to gradual minglng Of
races and exchange of words Saxon princes appear
nnder Celtic names and Celtic tools became known
by Saxon titles. But with the growth of the Saxon
rule the few Celtic words that had been grated on
the foreign stock withered. away and soon Saxon
stood alone as the national tongue of England.
Anew element was introduced into the language
Che Church, French that of the Court, and Saxon
alone that of the people. They guarded the tongue
of their fathers as sacred Inheritance. Not word
was heard around the hearth that could remind them
of the hated conquerOr. But in the lapse of a few
centuries the two races sat side by side in the House
Of Commons, and new language was formed which
already gave signs of its future greatness. 1t may
now be said that every foreign element has its own
domain in English. Latin still furnishes theological
toll,
tire Of physical science French helps us to phrases
OF fashion and of war, while mathematics borrow
alike fSOm Latin, Greek, French and Arabic. We
cannot agree with the author that the majority of
metaphysical terms are derived from Greek while we
find such signal exceptions as the words God, Soul
Reason, Understanding UiR, Mind, Intellect, COnctp
tiOn Existence Beauty VirtHe Truth, Cause, Space, and
Tine in which well in in host of others, the
Latin and German etymology is predominant.
The orthography of the English language, in its
present incOherent and chaotic state is Justly de
scTibed by Mr. De We're the most anomalous on the
face of the earth. No other tongue makes sucA a
wild and extrayagant of letters in its written
form. To spell English, it has been truly said is the
most difficult of human attainments and this diff
Guilty is the most serious impediment to its ever be-
coming the language of the earth The fault is
Of long standing We have reooived 1T from our
earliest ancestors. The Anglo-SaxOns wrote badly.
The Norman French wrote worse. The influence of
the Danish occupation on the OTthOgTaphy or English
was pernicious in the extreme The very resemblance
Of the two languages led TO a boundees confusion
between kindred words. The evil was aggravated
by the fact that both Danes and Anglo-SaxOns were
accustomed great license in their earliest mode of
writing. The vOxels were all interchanged with each
other, and in many cases, the cOnsOnants Hence the
English presents more remarkable cases Of mis-spell
ing than anyother language. On the famous tapes
try Of Bayeux, six different ways occur of spelling
the name of William the ConQueror. Shakespeares
name is written in not less than thirtyfour ways by
various members of his family The name Of the
ilastrio1s family of Viers is spelt in fourteen diff
ferent ways Names seem to have been written down
rs they seized by the ear, like Rawlie for Ra-
leigh. The Duke of Marlborough could not spell;
nor his terrible Sarah; nor Queen Anne herself Even
tho young Protender wrote bis fathers name Gems
instead of James
The subject of proper names, always a favOrite
theme of antiquarian research is illustrated with
variety of curious lore and in the hands of the au-
thor proves sely ana entertaining it is instruct
i've The Saxon names of persons were all signifi-
cant of some peculiar quality and were doubtessfTe-
qnenty gwen to children with the idea that the mean
ing Of the word mghteXeft some mysterious influence
on the future destiny Of the bearer. Thus Alfred is
saJl-peace; EgbGt, eye-bnght; Bernard the great
bear; Biddslph, the slayer Of wolves; Edtcard the
guardian of truth, like Gertrude which has the same
meaning; and Bertha tia bright. Our English
names, most of which have arisen subsequently TO
Che Norman Conquest, derived from almost all
nations aud languages the face of the earth. The
Hebrew is largely represented in its ancient Ben,
which means son. IL has given us Benjamin, Benson,
BtadleO and BeHOa. The corresponding Syriac word
klar ia of less fre0nent occurrence, and mostly