PRINCIPLES OF LINGUISTIC SCIENCE. 103 



are of closest and. most evident relationship, and gradually to extend our scheme 

 till we have done all which the nature of the case permits ; tift the evidence on 

 •which we found our classification fails us. 



That the slightly distinguished Ibrms of speech prevailing in the different 

 sections of our own country, and even the more notable dialects which are to 

 be found among the lower orders of population in the British isles, constitute 

 together a single language, is too evident to call for proof. Let the man most 

 ignorant of history go alDout the world, from British colony to colony, finding 

 here and. there, on coast and island, in fortress and city, communities of Englith- 

 speakiug people, and he will not think of doubting that they v/ere all scattered 

 thither from a common centre, and have their common language by community 

 of linguistic tradition. A like conclusion is almost equally palpable when we 

 seek after kindred for our language on the continent of Europe. There is a 

 large class of evidently related dialects, occupying the Netherlands, Germany, 

 Denmark, the Scandinavian peninsula, and Iceland, which a very little study 

 shows us to be akin with the more important half of our own tongue, tiiat 

 which comes to us from the Anglo-Saxon. There is another large class in 

 southern Europe, comprising the French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Rhato- 

 Komanic, and Wallachian, which exhibit an equally clear connexion with the 

 non-Saxon part of our familiar speech. If Ave say true, Avhilc the Dutchman 

 says trouw, the German tmi, the Swede and Dane tro, Sec, it is because vvo 

 have all received the same word in the same sense by uninterrupted tradition 

 from some community which tised a form coincident Avith one of these, or nearly 

 resembling them all. So, also, if we say verity, while the Frenchman says 

 rerite, the Italian verita, the Spaniard verdad, &c. Recorded history, in fact, 

 fully explains the descent of this latter class of languages from a single mother, 

 the Latin, as it also makes clear why our English is composed of materials 

 derived from both classes. What recorded history does not explain is the 

 more recondite, but not less undeniable evidence of relationship Avhich Ave dis- 

 cover between these two classes themselA'es, as well as between them both and 

 most of the other languages of Europe, together Avith some of those of Asia. 

 These are, namely, the Greek, ancient and modern ; the SlaA'onic, occupying 

 Russia, Poland, Bohemia, Servia, and other provinces in the eastern part of 

 Austria and the northern of Turkey ; the Lithuanic, around the southern shore 

 of the Baltic; the Celtic, of Avhich the scanty remains are now found in Ireland, 

 the Scotch highlands, AVales, and Brittany; and, outside of Europe, the tongues 

 of Iran, as the Persian, Avith its ancient and modern congeners, and its remoter 

 kindred, Kurdish, Armenian, Afghan, and Ossetic ; and, finally, the languages 

 of India, the Sanscrit and its descendants. 



These \'arious branches go together to make np the great family of related 

 languages Avhich'Ave call the Indo-European. Their relation to one another is 

 the same in kind Avith that of the various Germanic dialects, or the Romanic, 

 and differs only in degree. The resemblances and coincidences Avhich they 

 exhibit are explainable only upon the hypothesis of a common linguistic tradi- 

 tion ; their differences are fully accounted for by their diA^ergent groAvth and 

 development during the ages Avhich haA'e passed since their separation. A fcAV 

 selected specimens of their accordance Avill be enough to give here, as their 

 relation is noAv a matter of general knowledge, and feAV or none are found to 

 doubt or deny it. Examples of Avords corresponding in all or nearly all the 

 branches are as follows (the equivalent words in tAvo or three unconnected 

 languages are also added for the sake of more fully exhibiting the value of the 

 coincidences) : 



