The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-12

The Development aud Destiny orour Language

Destiny Of the English Language and literature
by JonN A. WEissr. NJ. d. Tho snopc of the au-
thor's undertaking is almost encyclopTlic. for
1t contemplates nothing less than minute and
exhaustive analysts Of our Enci- h speech
and lis literary monuments. from tho epoch Of
King Ethelbert. or the close oi the sixth century
TO- tho Victorian era. Not only ia the survey to
be prosecuted from historical AMI Pathological
points Of view. but the analysis puruor,s to be
cumulative rs regards the constituent elements
Of OUR modern speech. The writer's capital
object to which he has devoted uuremiuinR i'm
dustry. and. II not altogethcr adequate. consider
able linguistic requirements. is To- enforce upon
the English speaking populations ia both hem
isphcres tho superiority Of their idiOm over
others in the refinement. vigor. and plonitude
OF its vocabulary. in its ccarucss OF diction.
grammatical simplicity. and direcinass OF con-
struction. lie has in Wow. moreover q sup
Elemental aim. namely. 10 stimulate tho Eng
lish-spcaking millions 20 90 simplify the utter
ing writing. and printing OF their language as
to commend II for the purpose @. u universal
medium. Indeed. he prints upon his title page
rs key 10 his controlling motive. a romark hy
Dr. Rapp. the wcli-knoWn German plilolOgist.
that the other nations Of Europe may esteem
themselves fortunate that the English have not
discovered the fitness Of their tongue Tor uni
versal adoption"
The prolonged and patient Investigations here
recorded aro distributed under three distinct
periods-od English. Franeo-En-iish. and
modern English In the fist era which is
made to covor the seven and "a half centuries be-
tween the landing OF IIcngist and A. h. 1900.
DIR. Weisse traces the formation 81 the old Eng
lish alphabet, examines the first manuscripts,
and estimates the respective share OF cirrum-
stances and pers0nages .u tho proceas by which
the German colonists OF Great britain absorbed
Christianity and civilization. Ia this compre-
hensive review. events. facts. md documents.
many OF which had remained Isolated or un-
noticed. are so combined as 90 interest the gem
alreader. Especially striking are the chapters
in which. by Il collation. and translation OF pas
sages from various authors. we are reminded
Of the important truth that the English setticra
In Britain had evolved vernacular literature
before Italy, France. Germany. cor any other
medieval nation. And here Or. Wesse is care-
fulto demonstrate q fnct pertinent 10 the lead
ing object Of his inquiry. He points out that
his extracts from Cacdmon. Alfred the Great.
and other authors OF our primitIye history
show % per cent. OF Goiho-Gormanic or early
English Tor. to use. once for all, term CONE
monty taboocd by scholars. Anclo-SGXonl. s per
cent Of GrWco-Lat.n. and traces OF Srm.,i,
words that had doubtless orcpt into tho idlom
OF the islanders through the Bible.
DR.. Weisse does wcl 90 speak OF Villains
invasion as substantially French aggression.
and TO repudiats as misleading tine phra-.
Norman French rs applied % the idiom OF ,he
conquerors. OF course there wcre mo- less than
three distinct dialects in Franco north OF tho
Loire up 10 tho cnl 81 the thirteenth century,
Just as there were i'm England unil he middle
Of tho fourteenth three dialects tus southern.
Northern. and Midland. the Nuer owing It's
final supremacy TO CAaurcr's influence. Bat 10
IL.