The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-02-01
WOULD RESTORE
ANCIENT TONGUE
Scientist, Assisted by Self.
Taught Indian, Seeks Key to
Language of QuiChes.
NEW METHOD BEING EMPLOYED
Aepes to unraveI Secrets of Maya
HIsroclyphio Writings and Inscrip-
ficns Which Have Baffled Sci
ence for Centuries.

Charlottesville, Va.-Restoration of
m almost forgotten language with the
nld OF IN uneducated, nearly i%lliterate,
nslf-t2ught. full-blooded Indian from
khe highlands Of Guatemala, Is being
undertaken by DIR. William Gates of
Charlottesville. The Indian is Quiche,
and his language, which heretofore
had been thoroughly studied.
bears the same name. The race and
6enxue . re offshoots Of the ancient
Nayas, whose high civilization, the
raosk advanced Of any early American
people, iourished before the Spanish
arrived In South and Central America.
The Mayas built, marvellous cities,
palaces and temples, the ruins of
which dot Yucatan and Guatemala.
Their descendants are the Indians and
poem class which inhabit that region
esday. Only the mountain tribes have
escaped the advance OF civilization.
viii Use New Methods.
Through the application of a new
scientific method which reaches to the
root Of language, Doctor Gates expects
- restore the decadent tongue, de-
cipher ne hitherto ~unraveled secrets
IL the ancient Maya hieroglyphic writ
lngs and inscriptions which have baf-
ned Psychologists for centuries, COM
ria besks for the instruction of the In
dams anc eventually restore the litera-
tuze.
In his experiments the scientist has
bean recording on a smoked paper
@4inder me vibrations of a stylus ac-
fuated by the Indians words spoken
knte q mouthpiece. These records are
preserved for study Of the intricate
variations Of pronunciation, and al
ready. working with manuscripts writ
ton In the Indian tongues by the earli-
- spanish missionaries, Gates has
found q remarkable preservation of the
Gnc1ent speech.
The instrument he used is known as
Ne "kymagraph," or wave-writer, and
was invsnted by an eminent French
ethnologist for language study. Doctor
Gates was aided by John P. Harring-
On. ethnolog1st Of the Smithsonian in
se6aution. who has studied practically
m North American Indian languages.
indian Teaches Himself.
Probably the most interesting fea-
fure Of Doctor Gates work is the In
dian, Cipriano Alvarado, who assisted
him. He neve had written or read a
wsrd until he taught himself at the
age Of twenty-five. He lives in the al
nost inaccessible mountains Of Central
America, and is Of the purest blood
descended from the Maya empire build
ara
Doctor Gates, who is director gen.
eKai Of the national museum of Guate-
mala, has been studying the Maya In
scriptions and ruins for more than
twenty years. AS a result Of his pres
ent studies he expects shortly to be
abIe t translate the entire writing
system, and reveal the knowledge and
attafnments Of the Maya civilization.
Already several of the cabalistic SYM
bels have been read, and 1t is expected
that an announcement concerning the
decfphering, Of great Importance to
ethnoiogists and Psychologists. will be
made shortly.
The final success OF his extended In
xestfgation, Doctor Gates said, was due
not only to the use of the ~kymagraph
III his research. bur to study OF the
grammar Of the present tongues and
Replication Of the rules thus worked
Dut to the writing found In the In
Dczipttons.