39— ITERATION AS A FACTOR IN LANGUAGE. 

 By Wm. Ritchie, M.A. 



The question has often been discussed whether the study of 

 Language can be classified as a science, and, as usually is the case 

 in such discussions, the question itself turns upon a point of language 

 — the meaning of the word science. We are apt to regard science 

 as limited to what may be called the exact sciences — such as 

 Chemistry or Physics — in which our knowledge of certain facts and 

 principles leads to the further knowledge of what will at any time 

 happen when these facts and principles are applied. The chemist 

 knows for a certainty that when he combines two or more substances 

 the same definite result will follow. His scientific knowledge enables 

 him to predict future results. In like manner the astronomer can 

 predict the future position of the various heavenly bodies from the 

 definite facts and laws he has ascertained in regard to them. To 

 limit the name science however to such sciences would be to exclude 

 all the Natural Sciences. The Zoologist carefully collects his facts 

 regarding all the phenomena of life upon the earth ; — he traces the 

 course of development from the most rudimentary forms to the most 

 highly organized, and forms his theories regarding the principles at 

 work which have led to the results we see. But no zoologist would 

 venture to dogmatise on what will be the result of any cross-breeding 

 of animals or to lay down infallible rules for farmers on this subject. 

 So too the Botanist collects his facts and forms his theories and 

 reduces his knowledge to order. He takes the evidence afforded him 

 by the forms of plant life which the rocks have preserved and 

 ransacks the world for new specimens, and on these facts he inevit- 

 ably founds theories of the causes of development at work in this 

 sphere. But he will refuse to prophesy with certainty on the results 

 of cross fertilization, and will not make his fortune by the creation 

 of new varieties of attractive blossoms. He will know far more than 

 the market gardener of the principles at work, but his knowledge 

 will not enable him to- dogmatise as to the future. Now, the study 

 of Language stands in many ways just in the same position as Zoology 

 and Botany. It has its array of ordered facts of obsen-ation, partly 

 fossilized in the remains of languages which have ceased to exist as 

 living organisms in the earth, partly living in the languages still 

 existing and spoken by the various races of mankind. These 

 phenomena it proceeds to- study and reduce to order, and there gener- 

 ally emerges a classification of languages into genus and species based 

 as in all the natural sciences on definite affinities and resemblances. 

 In the process of classification there inevitably appear certain prin- 

 ciples or laws — so'me coextensive with language itself, some more 

 limited in range. Yet we can never reach such exactness of know- 

 ledge as will enable us to prophesy with certainty. Take one prob- 

 lem to exemplify our meaning. Given the fact that two languages 

 meet on the same soil, what will be the result? Will the one destroy 



