The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-04-24
THE NEW DICTIONARIES THE WONDER.
PUL GROWTH OF LANGUAGE.

PUL GROWTH OF LANGUAGE.
We received last evening from the pub
fishers copy of the new "Webster's I'm,
abridged Dictionary" wherein 1t Il stated
that there have been added some 1900 new
words beyond what is contained in the pre-.
viou' one. la the forthcoming edition of
Worcester's, a very much larger number has
been Incorporated. This appears on its face
avery simple announcement, yet 10 the re.
flecting mind 1t is prolific Of food for much
thought, for despite the saying Of Talleyrand
that language WAS given TO man to conceal
thought" the fact is that the improvement
ola language is an evidence of healthful
rise in the Intellectual barometer of nations
progress. As language of itself dillerenti-
ates intelligence from instinct, SO its i'm
provement diifarentiates the degrees of that
intelligence. Begun in its rudest shspines
from the primitive cry aRd toe groan, the
laugh and the grunt, it is progressing to-
ward the perfect, to the clearest expression
"hu WshoSs ioNciasioh VI tho uulOsb boul,
the externization Of our most complete con.
sclousness. Its production is continu-
Gus process in the cultural growth of social
life, for like living organisms it is
in a state of continual fux.
The lower down we 60 in the order of civil
ization, tho more poverty stricken and weakly
homogeneous do We fad the language of u
people. Passing beyond this stratum, We
note in tho inferior intelligence of the savage
corresponding paucity of words until
finally va witness the degeneracy to gesture
signs bac,ming requisite to give some
Conference to the few word signs in use; and
1t is only by their facial contortions, bodily
gesticulation that the Bushmsn and
Arapahoes, for instance, arc able to make
themselves understood by each other. being
unable, therefore, to converse in
the dark. Among others in the Same
SCALE as the Damaras and the Bengoes,
the only means of expressing comparatives
and suporlativss is by the raising of the
voice, and pushing out their mouths, for
example and saying "wood--go," for II will
50 into the wood" Lower down still, come
classes whose grading is SO low that nouns
and verbs ara their only elements. At the
bottom of tho round,it is we'll authenticated
fact, that man in solitude is as spaechless as
the brutes.
On the other handy have to remark here,
progress in language is co'ordinated with
progress, in intelligence, and hcre again its
own increasing completely aud increasing
social completely arc almost equivalent
expressions for the development of thought
and the development OF words and sentences,
each 10 turn furthoring and being fuythered
by the other. We cannot admit for moment
thu! au iibIo Intelligent speecn is a faculty
as Is sometimes urged or that language is
anything else than an arbitrary, u conven-
tional ins!rumentality. II is no. an imme-
date exertion of the thinking power, but
mediate product, just as arc mechanical tools
or other implements Of labor or of art. The
thinking apparatus in our make up, Is one
thing, the artculaling apparatus, another,
and hence the voice, although given to US for
the purpose of speech Is only so given MS were
the hands to write with. Bat nevertheless
ithas become so perfected tina! II has actual.
ly increased mans intellectuality and puts
him to-day, in tho scale of the geological
chart no occupio, as the only existent being
using language.
Language ia its tolality, every fibre Of It, is
asymbol of mental activity, tho acme of all
human exertions Having its basis, lis germs
10 tho emotional nature of the man, 1t is
becoming so improved under tho guidance of
his intellectual. that we but formulate u truth
when we say that the voice i, the echo of the
soul. Itsprings exclusively from tho social
desire to communicate ones feelings and
thought, to his fellow men. And it is this
Accommodation that increases our stock
acknowledge, by not only cryslalzng the
momentum of the mind. but by reducing
confused expression. 10 order. and
bringing them under tho distinct review of
consciousness, and within reach of reflection
and inspection In every shade Of feeling, la
this manner itmsy DO said that tho homo
genoity ofgeueral thoushtin passing to the
hetcrogcncity Of individual thought, Is verg,
ing toward clearer and moro comprehen-
slve unity.
SO far as we know, man then Is tho only
one Of Gods creations that can talk, as no Is
likewise tho only ono that can mako a fire,
tho only ono that dresses, beyond tho coats
hstmotbS nature furnishes direct, e,c., but
when aud whore and how no frat talked are
questions yet unsolved by the most diliront
oftho philologlsss We arc told in tho
scriptures that Adam gsvo names to tho
beasts and tho fowls, ETC., and hence Il Is
conteuded BY one class Of Investigators, ths,
word lsnguagois as much Of divine origin
% Il the faculty Of speech, thu. II 10 an in
strument for the conveyance OF thought and
feeling that csmo perfect from the heads of
the makers; but this Is the purc,t speculation
II Il quite generally assumed
however. that before tho dispersion Of those
who, while endeavorins 70 build tho tower
Of Babel, wcro struck with q confusion of
a. a 4