Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24
Replies to Statement
On Origin of Words

To the Editor Of The Star:
hate to be jumping into prfn. 18th
out serious cause, but just to get busy
when read Prof. Magoffin's statement
in your editorial section last Sunday to
the effect that three-fourths of English
words are of classic origin. This may
apply if one includes all technical terms
built up from the Greek and Latin by
modern science, but the fact remains
that most of the common. indispensable
English words of everyday life are from
the German or from the Anglo Saxon
through that source. Household objects,
articles of food and wear and many
verbs in constant use are not Of classic
origin. Take such Germanic words as
life, death, sleep, wake, house, water,
milk, bread, flesh. hand, foot, let, speak,
live, love, hate, fear. hope, the numer-
ais. propositions and hosts of other words
that are not of classic origin out o.
English, and what would we have left /?
The Sanskrit is back of many classic
words. Where will we start?
OF course, the argument of Prof.
Magoffin Is in favor of more attention
to the study of Latin and Greek in our
schools and colleges. This in the face
of constant and serious increase in the
number of subjects croWding them
selves upon our young students through
new scientific discoveries and inven-
lions as we'll as political changes and
theories and a growing literature. This
is practical, workaday age, when pres
ent interests largely outweigh past per-
formances. Which is the most essen
tial: Einsteins theory of relatively. or
Xenophon's Anabasis? The history OF
! our recent wars, or Caesars Com
mentaries? Good translations give us
all we really need of classic literature,
backed up by superb English dlctlon-
aries. And who really learns Latin or
Greek nowadays, outside OF the priest
hood or a few professors?
There is inexcusable neglect of such
languages as German, French and
Spanish in our schools today. Ten
wears after the close of the war with
Germany, where are our German
classes, and where are the German
books on display in our libraries? Is
this fair or right? No! The writer
would not for any consideration deprive
himself of the pleasure gained from
reading the glorious original work OF
Goethe, Schiller and a host CT lesser
German lights in book bought recent
ly for 10 cents at store on street,
to say nothing of French and Spanish
books also to be had very cheaply at
secondhand stores. How much 1t would
have added to the pleasure of our excel
lent President-elect, Herbert Hoover. II
before making his memorable trip to
Central and South America he had
had the opportunity to become familiar
with the native language of his distin-
guished hosts, the beautiful Spanish,
fairest daughter of the Latin, ard now
so important in our business and social
relations with our neighbors to The
south!
There is a story of an African tribe
who carried around with them the
bones of their dead ancestors. This be-
came burdensome after while, and
so it will prove harder with time to keep
up with the classic ancestry of English.
We have troubles and studies of modern
making without imposing the relics of
Caesar and Xenophon, with their be-
wildering haZes of words, declensions
and conjugationS, upon the growing
mind of young America.
LINDSAY S. PERKINS.