The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-26

described. and, although then not under
standing word, was charmed with the
CosmOlangue is much softer and pleasan-
ter 10 the ear than the ,purest Tuscan
falling from the lips Of q refined Roman.
1t has all the dulcet qualities of the
tongue Of Ariosto, and none Of its asperi-
ties.
The. doctor has almost completed a
translation Of the book Of Matthew. He
has chosen the Bible for translation, he
says, because IL is the best example we
have of plain and vigorous English.
Il have taken the Bible 90 said he. mot
as my model, but the model upon which
TO make vast improvement. In M opln-
ion the Scriptures furnish the best eX-
ample of the possibilities Of simple una
dorned and unhampered language, and
not few valuable hints have 7 obtained
from 1t IN the matter of breyity and clear
cut expression and economy of words.
There are many writings that excel in
simplicity and strength. but after an eX-
tended research through the literature
OF several modern languages. l decided TO
adopt the Bible as my guide.
The doctor here took up a copy Of the
New Testament, and, opening II at the
ninth cha1ter of Matthew, began count
ing the words.
Now, in this chapter he continued,
there are at rough count S25 words.
Was ever an equally graphic story told by
any OLner writer IN four times that num-
Der Of words! 1 think not
To give YOU an idea Of the extent to
which carry the principle of word econ
omy IN Cosmolangue | can produce the
same story in that language with less
than $50 words including repetitions of
course, or with 1856 separate words. So
you see, have many words the better of
such an epigrammatic and venerable con-
denser as St. Matthew. How do | accom-
pllsh it, An, you have not given the sub
ject sufficient study to understand that.
1t would not satisfy you if l told you
that dozens of words are left out
entirely as being unnecessary. But it
would not take you long to understand it
about week study would be enough.
I am preparing grammar and dictionary
combined, with the aid OF which think
the average adult will be able to master
the principles of Cosmolangue in a week.
The acquisition of the vocabulary de-
ponds of course on the quality of the stu
dents memory. But before producing my
book l intend to get rid of certain snags
by which my system is still beset."
What are the snags ~
Technical terms. AS YOU know, their
name is legion. l could go through Web
ster's or Worcester's unabridged and con-
struct a Cosmolangue word for every
word IN those leXicons. But that would
be a departure from my plan of verbal
curtailment. Some technical terms are,
of course, indispensable to intelligent dis
course, but / believe, only a comparative
few. The task is todetermine those which
are alone indispensable and leave all the
others out. I have found it to be a gil
gantic task, and one which when once
undertaken, leads me into a labyrinth of
perpleXities. Proper names are another
snag, which 1 don't think l shall be able
to clear away. They cannot be expressed
on the staff in the diatonic scale, but in
oral expression could, OF course, be pro
nounced as they stand. according to the
language of the country in which Cosmo-
langue might be employed"
what do you consider the advantages
Of Cosmolangue over VOlapuk!'
''Volapuk contains sounds which only a
very small portion of humanity can pro-
duce There is not a single sound in
Cosmolangue that does not come naturally
to every human tongue. young or old
Cosmolangue is the only language in the
world constructed according to unvarying
rules. There is not single exception to
any of its grammatical rules. COsmo-
langue has written form with which
every civilized people is already familiar
the music score. No one would have TO
grapple with the requirement of a strange
text in learning this language. 1t would
be familiar alike, tothe English, the Ger
man, the Russian, the Greek, the Ara bian
and Chinese. A great advantage is the
rapidity with which it can be written
With little practice the words of the
average talker can be taken down in
Cosmolangue as fast as they are uttered.
For rapid writing there is a modified
form, which dispenses with the quavers.
the words of more than one syllable hay
ing the particles Joined by waving line
drawn over the dots on and between the
lines
Not the least of Cosmolangue's advan-
tages is its principle of word economy, or
the pruning out Of every word not abso-
lutely essential to clearness. When per
fected l think it will enable one to talk
well on any subject with vocabulary Of
less than thousand words. The simplicity
gifts grammar is another featuce in which
it is superior to Volapuk. Its scheme of
verb coujugatiOn can be learned in fifteen
minutes, and the rest of the grammar in
an hour Volapuk grammar is as difficult
as the German or Latin. The rule for
Cosmolangue pronunciation has no ex-
Ceptions. There are only seven sounds in
he entire language-and they are always
the same. II. WILTON THOMAS.
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