The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-03-19

OUR LANGUAGE
T f,ot,fl7.fed from 0ur lar tsFz1a !

LIOhthHHfo JTotF oAF t~et NsAu~l
THE ESaLIsH-TLese people were however
either direct immigrants from Gaul or their de
soendsnts. and the aboriginal inhabitants were
all Southern Europe. Att time Of Julius C@ssT
the language Of Gaul was Celtic, gather
Although the language OF early Britain was Gel
tic. modern English does not derive its origin nom
II. II remains, however, in dialect TO the present
in Wales, and only very lately II extinguished
in Cornwail-the mountainous nature Of those re-
suage As sis Away. the case kt the time of Julius
Caesar the Celtic too. was spoken in Ireland which
~ s PnD,c t py
researches prove that IL was peopled much earlier
and at several epochs BY divers peoples who were
invaders. These invaders, as rule were Celtic
too, and hence the continuance Of the language in
Others say thai the most original inhabitants
were PartholRnus and his people. descendants of
Japhet, son Of Noah. One thing, however, must
not be passed unnOttced and that s tn at the most
ancient Inscriptions found in Ireland are in tho
Ogham charscter-a language Immediately con-
70 the parent Of Aryan. which lie almost certain to
have been that spoken by our first parents. Hence
the antiquity Of the Celtic In fact, many philOlo-
gists have satisfactorily proved that the Celtic Is
the parent Of languages. The Celtic of the West
eTn Isles had two branches, viz, the British and
the Erse or Irish This language had little or no
inheIions, these being denoted by afhIes and pre-
nxes.
Now TO speak Of the English Of the present day.
The first mixture with the ancient language Of
the Roman Invasion, remnants OF which remain
in names Of places, as Chichester, &c. The Ian
Hudko WAS tOiupdIAllNelg pure llll the saxon IN
vasion I'm the NTH century About this period dis
order prevailed throughout Europe The Huns
and ana Roths WTenshed Prognee aitet province rom
the laws, customs and language. They corrupted
Gauls previously had largely introduced Latin, or
II WAS Imposed upon them by the conQuering Ro-
mans, and now gave way TO another lsnguage.
All the classical languages Of Europe-ItAlian, d,
French, Spanish and Portuguese-arose IN this
rs e n Se ssr eessseS sEes n uaT s9
invaded IL towards the close OF the fourth century
The chief invaders were the Saxon. They seiHed
upon the whole Island IN conjunction with the
Angles, another warlike race. Hence the name
AngIe-iGnd-Englsnd. This invasion caused .
great change In the language Of Britain BY It's be
Ing superseded By Gothic dialect which the in
vaders spoke. The Gothic language is very an
cient and is supposed 70 have originated in South
western Asia or Persia HerOdOtus mentions the
German tribes among those Of India, on this side
Of the Gsuges. The Gothic has two branches, 70
wit: the Scandinavian and Teutonio. The former
includes the dialects or Iceland, Denmark, Scan
dnaviA and parts OF Northwestern Russia, aud the
latter that OF Germany, Switzerland and England
with the pstois Of Alsace and Lorraine. 70 which
may be added the now distinct dialect of the
EleminEs and Dutch
Another change il the English language took
place after the Danish invasion IN the ninth cen
tury We cannot possibly decide how much tho
present English owes 10 this language both u Q
Saxon and Danish languages were derived from
the same parent stOck-namely. tho Gothic This
mixed language WIS that spoken IN the Island till
1850 when commenced the Norman invasion BY
William the ConquerOr. Edward had previously
sought 70 introduce the French language At court
as ne was prejudiced in It's favor, because be was
.
verted the Saxon as he no sooner became eomplete
master than he introduced French into all the
schools The people were ready to receive IL, but
were not in favor Of abOlishing the Saxon CD sipe
Hence q blended language was manufactured, and
thus was formed the present English. This occur
red in the twelfth century and as all manner o.
society spoke the new language, English literature
/ began st this time. The earliest English book
/ were Wicklene's Bible ChRucer's Writings etc.
Now we find the English language com posed o
| the following elements:
1. The ancient Celtic which is stlll used II
Wales, and remnants Of which remain In many
English words.
! II. The Latin, first at the Roman invasion, snt
Afterwards through the Nornau-Fre
] French itself, OF which Latin Is the parent.
III. Saxon, in the fifth century being introduced
/ By the invasion OF the Saxon.
| ". Scandinavian, introduced By the Danish in
yasion in the ninth century.
! V. Tho Norman, being introduced by the Nor
| man invasion and imposed on the people in tn
| eleventh century.
| The greatest elements IN the language therefor
are those above mentioned, and are five in mum
! Many words have been introduced from Orienta
! languages and few from the Indian tribes Of tn
/ New World. but these do not suffer any chang
! and therefore need no comment
| T. O'GOREAB, Professor.
| St. Francis College. Loretto.