The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-19

tefnattdnai fanguaEs - tnat OF M
Z Leon BolIack, OF Paris. He calls IL
fhs "Tavs Language" because the
- sky appears blue to all people who
can see IT. barring those. of course. VINO
are color blind. and hence the term Blue
is typical Of the new languages univer-
salty
An Abridged grammar OF the new LAM
guaec has Just been published in Paris.
This work purports TO give clear and
concise exposition OF the theory on which
the Blue ianguage-which. by the way, is
to be called "B" for short, and so desig-
mated In all written or printed references
20 it-is constructed. The task of giving
10 the world the English version OF the
abridged grammar" was con1ded to Prof.
Fischer. with the result that the professor
has produced translation OF the book into
about az fine a specimen OF English as
she IL spoke az has been produced since
the eminent Portuguese linguist contrib
uted 80 much 20 the gayety OF the English
gpcaking nations by the work without
which no comic library IL now considered
complete. In fact, Prof. Fischer has Gre
ated a sort OF yolapuk OF HIS own which
the English reader will have to master be-
forethe can get even TO the portal OF the
Blue language mysteries. For instance.
here IL Prof Fischer's calculation of the
four ''basis-rules." as he calls them. on
which the '1Biue Language" Is construct
cd.
..Firrs Tasis-Rule. One letter. one sound
one understands easily that, IL sign
has but n sound for expression. and that,
II a sound ia represented but by one let
ter, we get CONCESSION, precision and clear
ness This is not an idle fancy. as the
Spanish language Is written as II is pro-
nounced.
SECOND Basis-Rule: One word. one
sense--it n difYicult not TO give but one
sense 10 word. considering. however. the
aim OF the Blue Language, II II easy TO
understand that dictionary voluntarily
limited compound with the Indispensable
words 10 express the daily wants. will
succeed to give at every one Of Its words
q precise and definitive sense.
'srhird Rnsis-Rule. One class fof words)
one aspect-This rule contains the true in
novation brought by the Blue language;
the value Of II could not be appreciated,
but after the study OF this book.
"An example can show the Importance
OF 1t.
IAN EngIishmsn hears or reads the
words, pain. hrod. pan. pane. bulka,
which mean In French. German. Spanish.
Italian, Russian, tho word bread al
low me to ask which grammatical notion
furnish these words to him?
ssThese words, are they nouns or verbs.
propositions or adverbsr No classinca-
tion can be made priori.
"Otherwiso said, tho sense OF these
words cannot he learned but by their
sonorousness, because their structure does
not give any indication about their gram
NAUTICAL nature.
s.on the contrary. In the Blue language,
the word pan (which IL pronounced as in
Ensitsh,, will give a frst grammatical
Identification by it's structure. and that be-
cause II begins with = consonant, no mat
ter which. and II finishes with conso-
nanf, aud this structure constitutes the
charscteristicai aspect Of the substan-
tives OF the Blue language
'sThis first definition makes evidently
enry this research OF tho sense of this iso-
lated word. as well as TO it's addition as TO
lts vision tsqual between them according
10 tho frst basis-ruiel This comprehen-
dion will become more easy In whole
,ilrase where all words must figurata In
d definite order In fact:
Fourth Basis Rule: One phrase. one
construction, Ths unity Of construction
will give not only great precision to the
rpcach. but It WIN facilitate. too. the ac-
acknowledgement OF the Specification OF each
word IN the different parts OF speech"
II. after this luminous exposition of the
subject there sttll be ans fog lingering
over the broad. general principles In
which the Blue language Is constructed,
the author. as refracted through Prof,
Fischer. gives assurance that the gentle
reader will easily be aware that the cham
ges made" lin the arbitrary divisions OF
the usual grammarl ARE not very impor-
tsnt, and that they are inspired by the
law Of the least effort"
With II. !. q and w omitted. the AL
phahet ~ the Blue language IL the same
as the English alphabet, with the excep-
ton that In place OF c there is curious
letter which looks like small q turned
upside down and Is pronounced by a
snaexp~-not "A sneexe with nourishcS. be-
ginning with the Introductory zach" and
ending with the melodinus and prolonged
"who-o~o," but plain, difhdent little
''tchn" of sneexe. All the other letters
are easily pronounced. and anybody who
can snecza with the proper reserve can
manage the alphahets third letter. tho
one that takes the place OF c. A is pro-
nounced like In fat; + Is like In
bod: 1 like | TN at. q like gu In
'laasue". Is very aihilant as In less
aud 'kiss" Is pronounced like 90 In
'ioon."
Aud so there you arc with all the ain
cufsiss OF pronunciation cleared away.
NJ Bollack SAYS only three minutes are
sufficient 60 learn how 90 "doeipher' tho
blue language; three hours 60 know how
to translate g. and three weeks ia learn
however, who tackle the Blue language
through Prof. Flschefs translation wll
have 10 add 20 the above time estimate
something like a year 60 master the learn
ea professors she-is-speke Engllah, 80
the eucssinn will arts. whether Il would
not be hattor for them TO begin with an
abridged grammar written IN the Blue
language itself. and SO mako a short cut
81 a.
Having presented the Rlue language
alphabet che abridged grammar clears
the ground by dividing the ne~ lnterna.
ti0aai tongue into two grand divisions
the short wafasf ana tho long words. "
81 EQilaek. as he n FisehSFiksd. SAYS
In the advertisement 81 has besn vx.
pased that she condition sine qua non o.
tho saecess ~ an artiNrial language Is
the facility % acquiring,
The method. e WAS said. which could
offer sueh facility So thc most efecs.
cloas way " that witch wo8l1 forward
a practical process Of classification % ths
Language permitting az first sight and ~
nrat addition 10 share grammatlcaily
each word into ons 90 the parts ~ speash
la the IsiuN tas sNREe this process "A