Evening star., 1939-10-25
WiIfred Stevens, Ex-TronsIotor
For State Department, Dies
Invented Language
And Was Master
Of 30 Others

Wilfred Stevens, 65, former princi-
pal translator of the State Depart
ment, died Saturday of apoplexy in
Providence Hospital, it was learned
today.
In retirement on his farm near
Oak Hill, Md, since 1881, Mr..
Stevens, who had a working knowl-
edge OF more than 80 languages,
became Ill about two weeks ago.
Mr.. Stevens apparently kept his
illness secret because only few
close friends knew of his death
until today.
Born in Shakopee, Mimi, May
16, 1874, Mr.. Stevens received his
early and only formal education
there.
He came to Washington in 1894
to work as a proofreader in the
Government Printing Office. He
held the Job three years, and then
went to the War Department as
librarian and translator in the
office of the Adjutant General.
Retired First in 1924.
He was there seven years before
transferring to the State Depart
ment, where he worked as a trans
lator until 1924. He retired that
year to engage in private studies
and pursuits, but was induced to
return in 1890 to take the place of
John S. Martin, jr., chief translator,
who died.
About 10 years ago his unusual
accomplishments came to light.
Along with his abilities as a lin
guist, it was found he had passion
for nature. and often wondered
barefoot through the countryside
indulging his hobby as a naturalist.
People sought him out in his
office on the fifth floor of the old
State, War and Navy Building.
There at desk Uttered with
strangely lettered manuscripts and
dictionaries in many tongues, they
found Mr.. Stevens, mild bearded,
preoccupied man.
His associates were loud in their
praise OF him. At their urging he
was prevailed on to tell something
Of his work.
Invented New Language.
He invented a new language
new universal tongue that had its
source in the mumbled jargon of
the men of earliest civilization.
Resembling Chinese in its sing song
flow of monosyllables, Mr.. Stevens
designed the language as a means of
international communication and
substitute for every known tongue.
In a newspaper interview, Mr..
Stevens described the new language
and its origin.
After studying all the most i'm
portant forms of polysyllabic
speech" he said, Il took up the
worlds principal monosyllabic Ian
guage, Chinese, and was delighted
to discover that, although suffering
from the defects inherent in nat
ural speech in general, it was never
theless cabable of expressing all
human thoughts with remarkable
degree of precision without the aid
of so-called 'accidence' BY that ]
mean without its words undergoing
any change of form or adding any
pref1xes or suff1xes.
II gradually achieved the au-
dacious idea of molding all modern
speech on the pattern Of this most
ancient representative of what in
all likelihood was the original form
of thought manifestation of mankind
after emerging from the missing
link stage of development
After much work he produced q
dictionary of his magic alphabet
comprising 1,716 pages of monosyl-
labic vocabulary. In it he had en-
bodied all the consonants and vowels
found in any of about 80 varieties OF
modern speech.
Favored Simplicity in Spelling.
He had a theory about the alb
surdities and superfuities of modern
speech. He said a man who won q
spelling bee deserved less credit than
the man who reproduced phonetic
spelling that made the words appar-
ent. He called the best spoilers par
rots," and insisted that English
spelling was a disgrace"
French, he said, was the language
most euphonius and beautiful.
His profound, and, to him, re-
markably simple magic alphabet
has achieved no more, if as much
success than Esperanto, or any
other of the international tongues
His associates say the reason lies
perhaps, in the inability of the lay
man to grasp its meaning.
Despite his accomplishments with
the written and spoken word, Mr.
Stevens adamantly minimized his
work. If can translate 80 Ian
guages," he once said. what IL
that? There are about $500 Ian
guages in all, so you see that &c
languages is not even a drop ir
the bucket"
And though recognized as the
outstanding linguist of this country
If not of the world, Mr.. Stevens
worked for an annual salary OF less
than $1,000.
He retired December 81. 1881, t
devote his time to naturalism, Ian
guages and the travel he had alway!
yearned for. Never having attended
college. Mr.. Stevens was entirely sell
taught. He had found little time
for leisurely pursuits.
| About two weeks ago he dropped
in at the State Department, as wal
his habit, to talk with and advis.
the men in the translation division
II am going to China soon," h.
said.
According to his own wishes, hi
body will be cremated tomorrow. Hi
only relatives are cousins, the near
est living in Iowa. Word of wher,
he will be buried has not been re-
ceived.