The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-06-28

------
NJ Qnsssisn Already Dsftlsd. says : Nsts<
0srnsn Authority.
The Germans not only look upon thei,
language e. an integral and essential par,
Of the national life, but tho more cultivat
ed classes revere 1t with an almost idols
trous veneration. Notwithstanding tb,
diilculties presented by its indistinct AMI
grabbed type, its intricate and half illeaibl,
script. its arbitrary genders. its highly ar
tificial infiectional system, and its illogica
syntax, it, study Is extolled not only as /
means Of mental culture and discipline, hui
as an impulse to originality Of thought an
expression.
These facts render all the more note
worthy leading article In Professor Han,
Deibruck's "Prenssicha Jahrbucher,o per
haps the most prominent Of German litera
~ reviewa It Is from the pen of DR.. A
Schroer, professor Of pathology at the Uni
versity Of Freiburg, and its subject is the
Importance Of introducing into the school.
the study Of a universal language (Welt.
sprachel
The writer begins by condemning ALA
tempts, however scientific, to construct an
artificial language, like volapuk. No Ian.
guaga which Possesses neither literature.
historical development nor linguistic reia.
lions can ever serve as q medium Of general
communication, for the reason that no one
will take the trouble to acquire 1t merely as
a tool Of trade until 1t becomes universal;
therefore 1t never can become universal.
Such attempts, however, are not only idle
and aimless because they can never obtain
the general consent Of mankind, but they
are useless, for, says Professor Schroer,
there exists already a universal language
!. e.. q language which by it's spread owe,
the whole earth and by the case with which
1t may be learned has already gained such b
long step in advance that neither natural
nor artificial mems can deprive 1t of It's as
sured position ~ the future medium Of
international intercourse, and this language
is the English.
1t is interesting to find this fact acknowl.
edged and promulgated by one of the fore
most OF German periodicals. During tn,
present century the English speaking pop
ulation OF the world has increased fivefoid
from possibly rs, 000. 900 at its commence
ment to at least 125. 900, 900 at its close. Nc
other language has ever been 20 rapidly dc
veloped; no fact in civil history is more
significant than this. In all quarters OF
the world the English language is the con.
quering tongue. The wide spread OF the
Engfish colonial system, the marvellous
growth Of the United States and the facil
ty with which 1t absorbs every foreign Gle
ment bear witness to this great fact.
Therefore Professor Schroer advocate.
making the study Of the English obliea. |
DRY, not necessarily to the exclusion OF |
Latin and Greek, but at least In coniunc
ion with them. This" says he, lis not |
. question Of taste or of rivalry between |
he 'moderns' and the 'ancients;' it il sim |
ply historical necessity"
Professor Schroer Is careful to warn his
readers not to set their aim too high, for to |
earn to speak and write Auently and cor /
'ectly language which holds SO high
'lace in the scale of culture and refinement /
's the English Is ''monstrously difficult;r |,
nut for the average man this is not neces
airy, for even the average Englishman ha. I
nut limited command of his motbe,
ongue, and the daily intercourse of life re |,
Iuires but small and easily acquired yo 4
This Is true Of every language.
nut the absence of puzzling genders and In, Il
ections and syntactioal forms render thu h
lnglish easy in comparison with others [
The English" concludes Professor Schro
r, lis the world speech and will to all an X
earance become more and more SO every II
ear. "-Phiiadelphia Ledger. |,