Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-08-07
LATIN WITH REFERENCE to ENGLISH
ETYMoLoGY.

There seems to be wrong impression or
idea among certain people that the study Of
Latin is most important, or even indispensa-
BILE, to good knowledge OF English etymolo-
gy There can be but one cause for such an
idea, viz /: ignorance of the history and de-
velopment of the English language and
want of knowledge of languages generally.
That the parent of the English language is
the Anglo Saxon even the illiterate will
admit. The Anglo-Saxon itself is entirely
German. The Jutes, the Saxons and the
Angels, three German tribes, invaded Great
Britain in the middle of the fifth century,
subjected or drove out the Cymris, whose
language disappeared and gave way to the
language of the former. The dialects of
the three tribes consolidated and the An
glo-Saxon language sprang into life. The
Celts and Romans could not exert direct
influence upon it, they having preceded the
Teutonic race into Great Britain before the
language was formed. After the CONVEX
sion of the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity
the Latin was introduced by the clergy and
certain class of erudites, but the great
mass of the people were ignorant of it, and
its influence upon the Anglo-Saxon Ian
guage was Insignificant. The Anglo-Saxon
continued to exist almost without altera-
ton up TO the time of the Norman con-
quest, 1866. The invasion of the French
put it to severe test. 1t resisted this
pressure, however, as it was tho language
of the immense majority of the inhabitants.
Casing to be cultivated literally, it de-
composed gradually, and it may be said
that less than two centuries later the old
English began. Becoming literary, the
English drew near to the Romance or Re-
man languages (not Latin, but principally
derived from it,, and a large number OF
French words were introduced. The Re-
Nuisance brought its contingent OF CLASH
cal words, and it was principally during
the reigns of Elizabeth and James |. that
theologians and philosophers introduced
Latin in the words and construction but
the effect this Latin introduction had upon
the English was hardly greater than that
which it had formerly upon the Anglo
Saxon. During more than century after
the Restoration of 1860 the influence of
French literature was considerable. and
had the effect of polishing the English
language and giving it more simplicity,
clearness and eloquence. In the eighteenth
century, however, reaction took place lat
guage back to its Saxon sources. This
much for brief reference to the origin of
the English language. As to its etymol-
Languages" the most complete work OF its
kind, gives the following figures: "Of
the 10000 words composing the English
language about So per cent. are derived
from the Anglo Saxon, and As per cent.
from other languages. Among the latter
the French contributed by far the greater
perhaps about two.thirds." But
the question may be asked Are the
words of French origin not really of Latin
origin?" Why certainly, just as much as
the words in the vocabulary of all Euro
pean languages, the English, French,
Dutch, German, Spanish, Russian, Swe-
dish, Danish, Polish, Italian, Flemish,
Hungarian. as well as of their parents, the
Siavonic, Magyar, scandinavian, Celtic,
Gothic. Gaelic, Greek and Latin are of
Indo- European origin hence we might as
well look to Asia for English etymology.
This reasoning appears to me as rational
as the constant allusion to ones ancestors,
whilst ignoring ones parents. The French
itself did not proceed directly from the
Latin any more than other Neo-Latin lam
guages, but from the Romance, which was
composed of corrupted Latin and a mix
ture of Celtic, Germanic, Greek and other
languages. Therefore, if a considerable
number of English words are traceable to
the Latin, they have come to us by means
of the French and before it, the Romance.
Webster, speaking of the English language,
says: with all its mixture of foreign
elements, it is still Teutonic language"
Vapereau, the celebrated French linguist,
says The Anglo-Saxon Itself entirely
Germanic) dramatically considered, stands
in relation to the modern English like the
Latin to the italian" A knowledge of
German and French will give the student
q more correct and a far greater insight
into English etynology than that which
he might gain from the Latin, 4 Eulen-
spiegel,