TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION G. 353 



the histories of Greek, Egyptian, Babylonian, Persian, Roman, 

 Kelt, and Saxon, are but reflections visible on its topmost 

 surface. What we shall ever know of our most ancient pro- 

 genitors lies embalmed in these apparently foolish but priceless 

 and almost indestructible traditions passed on from ' mouth to 

 ear' through innumerable centuries." 



2. Graphic Symbols. 



By E. CouPLAND Haeding, Wellington. 



The tendency of English grammarians of the present century, 

 and more especially in recent years, has been towards the 

 restriction of the use of arbitrary symbols in writing and print- 

 ing ; and, professedly, towards the exclusive use of those 

 twenty-six signs which may (by a figure of speech) be called 

 phonetic. It is my purpose to show that arbitrary signs, 

 though unsystematic and habitually misused, have a more 

 important place in written language than is generally con- 

 ceded ; that in fact they hold at least an equal place in 

 modern English with the so-called phonetic signs ; and that 

 to an appreciable extent they have exerted and still exert a 

 reflex influence on the language itself. 



The objection to arbitrary signs is in certain respects well 

 founded, and might even be carried to much greater lengths 

 with advantage. It becomes necessary therefore at the outset 

 to discriminate between the classes of arbitrary signs. The 

 result will show that, w^hile one class is falling into disfavour, 

 and may in time even become obsolete, another class is be- 

 coming more widely used, and its value better appreciated. 



For convenience, arbitrary signs may be divided into three 

 classes: (1.) Those which express definite ideas, simple or 

 complex, apart from the words of any given language. Such 

 are the ten digits, and the familiar arithmetical and astro- 

 nomical signs. (2.) Signs of punctuation, accents, and other 

 diacritical marks. (3.) Grammatical and rhetorical marks. 

 These are peculiarly arbitrary, and vary not only in each 

 language, but with the usage of every individual writer. In 

 this class are comprised not only signs like the note of exclama- 

 tion, but the whole usage of italics, small capitals, and of 

 capitalisation. 



It is true that the latter distinctions, though they are set 

 forth more or less minutely in every grammar, are not usually 

 placed in this category : nevertheless they rightfully belong to 

 it. When we look into the forms of our alphabetical symbols, 

 we find that at least half of them are arbitrary, having a cer- 

 tain loose grammatical application instead of their primary 

 2.3 



