SECTION 27. APPLICATION. 385 



(Notes on Politics and History, 1913, p. 92.) Indeed, according 

 to our methodological criterion, it is incumbent on the philo- 

 logist to concern himself with the practical as well as with the 

 theoretical aspects of his studies. Methodologically, he has no 

 option in this matter, and no doubt these practical investiga- 

 tions will beneficially react on his theoretical views. 



With the metric system as his model, we shall assume that 

 he will desire to re-fashion language in its entirety, in con- 

 formity with ideals not less exacting than those which inspired 

 the French' commission adverted to. Familiar with the struc- 

 ture of a multiplicity of tongues, and conversant with every- 

 thing material which has been written on this topic, he will, 

 in a generalised and rationalised form, incorporate from those 

 sources whatever is of permanent value. Moreover, true to 

 the methodological ideal, he will devote his whole life to this 

 enterprise, seek the counsel and co-operation of the most com- 

 petent authorities, and succeed, we trust, in inducing some 

 international academy to assume the main responsibility for 

 the inauguration and execution of the monumental task. Prob- 

 ably the goal can only be reached by generations of scholars 

 collaborating. If so, the sooner the work is undertaken, the 

 better. 



In the circumstances it will not be expected that we shall 

 here attempt more than the faintest adumbration of this project. 

 That is, in all important respects we shall only be able to 

 touch on the methodological aspects, and, even in this connec- 

 tion, much will be necessarily left unsaid or obscure because 

 of the present writer's painfully deficient philological equipment. 

 Only this should be added prefatorily that once an approxi- 

 mately satisfactory system is evolved, temporary and partial 

 applications may be made relating to existing languages, whilst 

 the very construction or existence of a scientifically elaborated 

 medium of lingual communication first naturally employed in 

 scientific work will indicate the path of lingual advance and 

 encourage its being trodden. 



1. First, a few words anent the sounds of the language. In 

 this respect economy and euphony would be aimed at. Each 

 character would represent one distinctive uncompounded con- 

 sonantal or vowel sound, and wealth of elementary sounds 

 would be favoured, rather than reducing their number or keep- 

 ing them at a minimum. Approximately forty uncompounded 

 sounds are met with in European languages, perhaps twenty 

 consonants and twenty vowels. Assuming them to be expressed 

 in visible characters on the principle illustrated below, appreci- 

 ably more than half the time at present occupied in mere 

 writing would be saved, whilst a single alphabet could serve 

 for writing, printing, and other purposes. Capital letters would 

 be only employed initially, in the case of proper nouns, and 

 for emphasis and ornamentation. These capitals might be 



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