Rev. Mr. Gurstarr’s Remarks on the Siamese Language. 2905 
All the religious instructions are delivered in Pali, which is now and then 
explained by the priests; so that the people hear Pa words constantly 
. recurring, and become familiar with the use of them. All these circum- 
stances co-operate to enrich the Siamese language, by borrowing from a 
foreign tongue, which in other respects is heterogeneous to itself. It is thus 
that the Siamese language has lost so much of its monosyllabic character, 
and has become so dissimilar to the Chinese. 
The attention paid to the acquirement of the Siamese language is very 
great: scarcely has a boy reached his fifth year than he is entrusted to the 
care of a priest, who thinks it a point of honour to instruct his pupil. A 
love of the vernacular language is early instilled into the minds of the 
children, and this operates very favourably by making them read as many 
books as they can procure for themselves. When they afterwards enter the 
priesthood, they generally bestow a good deal of time on perfecting them- 
selves in their native tongue: hence there are very few individuals who are 
not pretty well versed in reading and writing. ‘The females, destined in 
Siam to the management of every important business, share frequently in 
the benefit of a liberal education, as far as this term is applicable to the 
manner in which Siamese children are trained ; a considerable knowledge, 
therefore, of the language is diffused among all ranks, and is maintained 
by great stores of ancient literature. 
The Siamese language is euphonous, expressive of the subjects spoken 
of: it unites in itself the simplicity of a monosyllabic with the advantages 
of a polysyllabic language. It wants that strength which gives it dignity 
when spoken, but is better adapted to the expression of tender feelings. 
Rich as it is, it abounds more in words of a practical nature than in a 
variety of expressions for the uses of common life. The system of sounds 
which pervades the whole, produces, when it is spoken, a musical cadence, 
which might be more agreeable to the ear if there were not so many 
diphthongs in the language. If all the treasures which the language pos- 
sesses were used, it might be a very excellent medium of communication ; 
but the words used in conversation are so few that it has the appearance of 
monotony. The Cambgjian has many rough sounds ; the Pegwan is remark- 
able for harshness, the Laos for clumsiness, and the Burman for an abun- 
dance of nasals; while the Siamese maintains among them all the same 
character as the Italian among the Roman dialects. ‘The reason why it has 
not spread to regions beyond the Siamese frontiers, must be sought for in 
Voz. III. 2Q 
