The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-06-28
THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE.
Tho Question Already Settled, Says Noted
German Authority.

Tho Question Already Settled, Says n Noted
German Authority.
The Germans not only look upon their
language as an integral and essential part
OF the national life, but the more cultivat-
ed classes revere it with All almost idola-
troiis vcncrttuu. Notwithstanding the
difficulties presented by its indistinct and
Grabbed type, It's intricatr and half illeSiblc
script. its arbitrary gci,crs, its highly ar
tiiiclal inficctional system and its illogical
syntaX it's study is eXtolled not only as a
means Of mental culture and discipline, but
as an impulse 10 originality of thought AMI
expression.
These facts render all the smore note
worthy a leading article in Professor Hans
Delbruck's "Prcussiche Jahrbucher," per-
haps the most prominent of German liter;l-
ry reviews. 1t is from the pen of DIR. ~
Schroer, professor of pathology at the Uni
versity Of Frciburg, and its subject is the
importance of Introducing into the schools
the study of n universal language Welt
sprachc).
The writer begins by condemning all at
tempts, however scientific to construct an
artificial language, like Nolapuk. No Ian
guage which possesses neither literature,
historical development nor linguistic rela-
tions can ever serve rs Il medium of general
communication, for the reason that no one
will take the trouble to acquire it merely as
tool of trade" until il becomes universal:
therefore it never can become universal
Such attempts, however, are not only idle
and aimlcss because they can never obtain
the general consent of mankind, but they
are useless, for, says Professor Schrorr,
there exists already n universal language
|. c., language which by its spread over
the whole earth and by the ease with whicE
ht,l nnt tn1h pS
long step III advance that neither natural
nor artificial means can deprive it of its as
sured position rs the future medium of
international intercourse, and this language
is the English
1t is interesting to find this fact acknowl-
edged and promu' gated by one of the fore
most of German periodicals During the
present century the English speaking pop
ulation of the world has increased fivefold
from possibly 5000 600 at it's commence
ment to at least 125, 000. 600 at it's close No
other language has ever been so rapidly de
vcloped; no fact i'll 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
English colonial system, the marvellous
growth of the United States and the facil-
ity with which it absorbs every foreign Gle
mcnt bear witness To this great fact
Therefore Professor Schroer advocates
making the study of the English obiga-
tory, not necessarily to the exclusion of
Latin and Greek, hut ut least in conitnc-
ton with them. This says he. lis not
IL question of taste or of rivalry between
the moderns' and the ':Incien;s;' it is SIM
ply historical necessity
Professor Schrocr is careful to warn his
readers not to set their aim too high, for to
learn to speak and write tluently and cor.
rectlya language which holds SO high a
place in lie scale of culture and refinement
rs the English is ''monstrouslv tlin;cult:'
but for the average man this is not nccrs-
sary, for even the average Englishman has
but Il limited command of his mot her
tongue, and the daily intercourse OF life re-
qurcs but Il small and easily acquired vo-
cabulary. This is true of every LANGUAGE.
but the absence Of puzzlinS gcndcrs and ill.,
Elections and syntacticnl forms render the
English easy i'll comparison with others.
The EnGlish,' concludes Professor Schro-
er, lis the world speech and will to all ap-
pcarance become more ard more so every
year y Philadelphia Ledger.