The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-22
LOOKING AHEAD.
The English Language Destined to
Be Universal.
Philadelphia ledger.

fnlIautIpnla Leugers
The Germans not only look upon their Ian
guage as an integral and essential part OF the
national life, but the more cultivated classes re-
we're ii with an almost idolatrous veneratioD.
Notwithstanding the difficulties presented by
its indistinct and Grabbed type, lis intricate
and half illegibe script, It's arbitrary genders,
its highly artificial iDfiectlonal system.
and Its illogical syntax its study is eXtolled not
only as a means of mental culture and dis
cpline, but as an impulse TO originality Of
thought and expression. These facts render
all the more noteworthy the leading article in
April numbei Just issued, OF Professor Hans
DeIbruck's Preussiche Jarbucher perhas the
II is from the pen OF DIR. a. Scbroer, professor
OF phOlOgy at the University of Freiburg. and
its subject is the importance of introducing
into the schools the study OF universal Ian
gulge (Weltsprache).
The writer begins by condemning all at
tempts, however scientific. 10 construct an arti-
fetal language, like Voapuk. No language
which possesses neither literature, historical
development, nor linguistic relations can ever
serve as 4 medium OF general communication,
for the reason that no one VIII take the trouble
TO acquire 1t, merely as TOOL OF trade" until
ii becomes universal; therefore it never can
become universal.
Such attempts, however. are not only Idle and
aimless, because they can never obtain Tie con-
sent of mankind, but they are useless, for, says
Professor Schroer, there exists already uni
versal language, /. e.. language which, by its
/
with which 1t may be learned, has already
gained such long step In advance that neither
natural nor artificial means can deprive 1t of its
assured position as the future medium of inter-
national intercourse. Aud This language Is the
English.
II is interesting TO find this fact acknowl-
edged and promulgated by one OF the foremost
of German periodicals. During The present
century the Engisb-speaking population of the
world has increased nve.fold-from possibly
100000 600 at its commencement TO at least
25,0OU.000 at It's close. No other language
has ever been SO rapidly developed; no fact in
civil history Is more significant than
English language is the conquering tongue
the wide spread of the English colonial sys-
TEN, the marvellous growth Of the United
States, and the facility with which it absorbs
every foreign element, bear witness 10 this
| great fact. Therefore Professor ShrOer advO-
Gates making the study of the English obi
| gaory, not necessarily 10 the exclusion of Latin
| and Greek, but at least In conjunction with
| them. This" says he lis not a question of
| taste or of rivalry between the 'modernS and
| the 'ancientS'; it is simply historical neces-
! sity."
Professor Schroer is careful to warn his
readers not TO set their aim too high, for TO
! learn 10 speak and write fuenJIy and correctly
! a language which holds SO high place in the
! scale of culture and refinement as the English
! is "monstrously difficult" but for the average
man this Is not necessary, for even the average
mother tongue. and the daily intercourse of
! life requires but small and easily acquired
! vocabulary. This IS true of every language,
| but the absence OF puZZling genders and iuflec-
| tons and syntactlcal forms renders the Eng ish
! easy in comparison with others. 1.-The Eng
! lisa," concludes Professor Schroer, us The
world speech, and will, to all appearances, be-
| come more and more so every year."