The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-07-26
The Universal Language.

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 an almost idola-
trous veneration. Notwithstanding the
difficulties presented by it's indistinct and
Grabbed type, its intricate and half illegible
script its arbitrary genders, its highly ar
tificial inflectional system and its illogical
syntax, its study is extoled not only as
means of mental culture and discipline, but
as an impulse to originality of thought and
expression.
These facts render all the more note
worthy leading article in Professor Hans
Delbruck' IS "Preussiche Jahrbucher," per-
haps the most prominent of German litera-
ry reviews. 1t is from the pen of DR.. A.
Schroer, professor of philology at the Uni
versity of Freiburg, and its subject is the
Importance of introducing into the schools
The study of universal language welt
sprache).
The writer begins by condemning all at
tempts, however scientific to construct an
artificial language, like Volapuk. No Ian
guage which possesses neither literature,
historical development nor linguistic rela-
tions can ever serve as medium of general
communication, for the reason that no one
will take the trouble to acquire it merely as
tool of trade" until it becomes universal
therefore it 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 universal language
j. G., language which by its spread over
the whole earth and by the ease with which
it may be learned has already gained such Ii
long step in advance that neither natural
nor artificial means can deprive it of its as
sured position as 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 25000,000 at its commence
ment to at least l25 600 ut its close. No
other language has ever been so rapidly de-
velopcd; 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
English colonial system, the marvellous
growth of the United States and the facil-
ity with which it absorbs every foreign Gle
ment bear witness to this great fact.
Therefore Professor Schroer advocates
making the study of the English oblga-
tory, not necessarily to the exclusion of
Latin and Greek, but at least in conjunc-
ton with them. This" says he, lis not
question of taste or of rivalry between
the 'moderns' and the 'ancients;' it is sim
ply historical necessity"
Professor Schroer is careful to warn his
leaders not to set their aim too high, for to
Larn to speak and write huently and cor
ectly language which holds so high a
ace in the scale of culture and refinement
the English is "monstrously difIicult;"
ut for the average man this is not neces-
ry, for even the average Englishman has
t limited command of his mother
lgue, and the daily intercourse of life re-
Tres but a small and easily acquired vo-
bulary. This is true of every language,
the absence of puzzling genders and in
tons and syntactical forms render the
sish easy in comparison with others.
ne English" concludes Professor Schro-
lis the world speech and will to all APP
rance become more and more so every
r."-PhHadelphia Ledger.