Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-02-04
Especial Boston Letter.1


Popularity of the Language.
Especial Boston Letter1
Much good-natured fun has been
poked at this strange word and what it
stands for, which those interested have
borne with patience. knowing that all
new things are ridiculed. A few have
denounced the idea, generally those
who knew the least of the subject,
while almost all who have taken the
trouble to study it thoroughly are warm
in its favor.
Still there are many as yet unac-
quainted with its real purpose who will
be glad to read brief account which
will answer the Output question: ''What
IS VolapIk?" and give such information
about it as cultivated person should
possess. We think this can be made
interesting even to those who have
formed no plan to study the subject
deeply.
Volapuk is a language, in one sense
that is, it is q means of communication.
But it is not intended to do the work or
to take the place of any one of the ex-
isting languages Of the earth. French
men will continue to talk French, Ger
mans will converse in German and
Americans will still use the English
language after Volapulz is firmly estab-
1ished in its own proper sphere. They
will no more interfere or clash than do
the symbols of algebra with those of
chemistry.
What, then, is the sphere of the new
language, Volapuk? Its sphere is in
ternational; it is common ground on
which all the peoples Of the earth can
meet, though ignorant of each others
languages, and exchange ideason equal
terms. It is bridge over the chasm
which now divides nation from nation,
race from race.
''But why not use English" says
some critic, ''for such an International
1anguage?" "Pourquoi ne pas Sc servir
du Francais?" says, on the other hand,
a French objector, and the Italian ex-
claims: LA linqua Italiana sarebbe
piu bella!' We need not answer either
of these at present, but allow them to
answer each other, while, instead Of
proving that neither of these will serve
the purpose, even if agreed upon by all,
we show what our proposed interna-
tiona1 language is like.
In the first place it is regular The
Irregularities are what trouble the
learner of languages; the rules are easy
enough, but the exceptions are the puz-
cling part. If we speak of houses, why
not of naouses instead of mice? Why not
gooses and not geese? We have rule
that the plural Of English nouns is
formed by adding s to the singular; in
Volapuk there is precisely the same
rule, ''to form the plural add to the
singular" but this rule is a rule; it ap-
plies in every instance, and if you have
learned to form the plural of one noun
you have learned the process for every
noun there is or ever will be. You may
dismiss the subject of plurals from your
mind in the calm assurance that you
will never need any further in
struction in it. But consider the long
and annoying experience necessary be-
fore one can feel sure of the plural of
every German word, to say nothing of
the gender.
Again, Vo1apuL's pronunciati is
regular and easy. When you have
learned the sounds of the letters, most
of which are the same as in English,
you can. by remembering that the &C
cent is always on the last syllable, pro
nounce correctly any word, though you
never saw it before, and spell correctly
any word you may hear. You will en-
counter no such puzzles as that which
confronts the poor foreigner when he
tries to read such line as this:
Though the tough cough and hiccough plough
me through"
1t is this regularity and simplicity,
extending all through Volapulz, which
makes it far easier to learn, easier to
read and easier to write than any
natural language, so much SO that COM