COMPARATIVE PIIILCLOGY. 259 



concerned. But there is no basis for such an assumption, 

 either in the physiology or the psychology of mankind. On 

 the contrary, if we look to the nearest analogue of the case, 

 namely, the growing child, we may find abundant evidence of 

 the fact that the earliest attempts at articulate utterance may 

 occur on different types, as we saw so strikingly proved by 

 quotations from Dr. Hale in a previous chapter. 



In this connection I would like to conclude the present 

 chaj^tcr by giving prominence to an interesting and ingenious 

 hypothesis, which has been suggested by Dr. Hale on the 

 basis of the facts just alluded to. 



In order that the merits of this suggestion may be 

 appreciated, it is desirable to remind the reader that the 

 languages now spoken by the native tribes of the American 

 continent present so many and such radical diflferences 

 among themselves, that, with regard to a large proportion of 

 them, philologists are unable so much as to suggest any 

 philological classification. Thus, to quote Professor Whitney, 

 "as regards the material of expression, it is fully confessed 

 that there is irreconcilable diversity among them. There are 

 a very considerable number of groups, between whose 

 significant signs exist no more apparent correspondencies 

 than between those of English, Hungarian, and Malay ; none, 

 namely, which may not be merely fortuitous." * And, what 

 is most curious, these immense differences may obtain 

 between neighbouring tribes who are to all appearance 

 ethnologically identical — as, for instance, the Algonkin, 

 Iroquois, and Dakota groups. Moreover, this diversity of 

 language-structure in some cases goes so far as to reach the 

 very roots of language-growth ; "the polysynthetic structure 

 does not belong in the same degree to all American 

 languages : on the contrary, it seems to be altogether effaced, 

 or originally wanting, in some." f Nay, even the isolating 

 type of language has gained a footing, and this in its pn^pcrly 

 monosyllabic and uninflective form. 



• Life and Grtxzith of Lan^pia^f, \i. 259. t /^'</m P- 262. 



