August 31, 1882] 



NATURE 



419 



Comparing this with the dip 70° 25' 19" to day, I find for the 

 annual decrease, 2 ,- H7. W. Doberck 



Markree Observatory, August 21 



The Gesture Speech of Man 



The valuable paper of Col. Mallery (Nature, vol. xxvi. p. 

 333) is deserving of much attention, l.ut his de-cription of the 

 relations of gesture-language and speech-language is calculated 

 to cause misconceptions, on account of the view he has taken of 

 the origin and propaga'ion of speech. Admitting the general 

 accuracy of his description of the ges ure- language or dialects of 

 man, then that descripti n is really applicable to speech. 



Setting aside all theories and looking at facts, all spoken 

 languages have psychological relations, as gesture-languages 

 have, and in their early stages are founded on the same prin- 

 ciples of having several repre-entations for one idea, and several 

 ideas for one representative 'sign. With regard to sounds 

 applied as representative signs, as a general law these are the 

 same for all languages, and the diversity observable arises from 

 the diversity of selection and distribution. 



It can be seen by the commonest observer that among the 

 remotest languages there are like words, but as it is assumed 

 they cannot be related, these identities are put down to chance 

 and disregarded. On the other hand, many are led astray by such 

 identities to set up relationships and to form schemes of classi- 

 fication between langunges, which are not justly admissible. 

 Nothing has been more ridiculed than the identities of words 

 set forth between Quichua, for instance, and various languages 

 of the old world, and yet nothing can be tnoreju-t than the 

 identities, which speak for themselves to the unprejudiced. 



A great argument against the relationship of languages has, on 

 the other hand, been derived from the diversities which are 

 equally apparent as the identities among such languages, and the 

 supposed negative evidence derived is used as conclusive against 

 any relationship. 



The phenomena are very complicated, as are the phenomena 

 of gesture-language, but the solution is to be found in those 

 remarks of Mr. A. R. Wallace, of which I have given the 

 application as the Wallace formula (Nature, vol. xxiv. pp. 244, 

 380). I repeat this, becau-e further observations and a long 

 course of investigation leave no doubt as to the facts and their 

 application. 



Proceeding on the basis of a system of sign-languages generally 

 existing in the world, we obtain the explanation of the engrafting 

 of sounds in defined series. Mr. Wallace's labial for mouth, 

 na-al for nose, and denial for tooth, provides labials for every 

 idea based on the round form of mouth, or on its opening and 

 closing, as head, face, eye, ear, sun, moon, egg, &c. The-e, 

 again, were in relation with defined my thological and numeral 

 characteristic--, affoiding abstractions. 



Thus, a whole apparatus of speech was provided, but it was 

 complicated first by the condition, imparted from gesture 

 language of plurality of signs, and next by the faculty of apply- 

 ing various labials, &c. What Col. Mallery states to have taken 

 place in ge-ture language is precisely that which took place in 

 speech language. In the process of selection, the apparatus of 

 each class was ultimately diminished so far as the common stock 

 was concerned, and each language acquiring only a por ion of 

 the common i tock, has at present the appearance of a separate 

 and indiscriminate vocabulary in relation with all, but not 

 identical with any except its own immediate congeners. 



Thus the effective comparative philology of any language 

 ultimately defends on its relationship to all, and not to one 

 family. 



As all speech languages are of common origin, so we must 

 admit a common diffusion of them over the world. The result is 

 seen in the relationships of the languages of America with those 

 of Africa, for instance, but it is attested by a community of 

 verbal forms in traditions and in mythylogy, and even in geo- 

 graphical nomenclature. It is the traditions of this diffusion 

 of speech which underlies many of the deluge legends. 



The epoch of this diffusion is sufficiently clear, for the words 

 widely distributed show that it was in an epoch of considerable 

 culture. 



Col. Mallery accurately states that there is a relationship 

 between the gesture languages and some of the ancient cha- 

 racters, and this supposes that characters may have co-existed 

 with gesture before the diffusion of spoken languages. Admitting 

 this, we have to regard not only the relations between gesture 



j and speech languages, but between the cSarae.ers and speech 

 and the manner in which characters were applied to the spoken 

 languages, and modified by them. 



Among my later investigations have been those relating to the 

 applications of Mr. Walhce's formula to character-, syllabaries, 

 and alphabets. It may be remembered that one means by whidi 

 I was enabled to apply Mr. Wallace's remark was by means of 

 previous observations on the O and + seiies in he Chinese and 

 other ancient chaiacers. Speaking c mcisely we have for labials 

 O, (D), 0, I, 0, <p, &e. ; for na-al- (which are male) 

 + . X, T, -5-, H, N, .V, &c ; for dentals, A, A, t, &c. 



If we examine a sylla'iary or alphabet, more 1 anicularly one 

 of ancient form, then we shall generally find that the labials, &c, 

 conform They are, howeve-, besides translations of the original 

 word, subject to interference, hecau-e where the general idea 

 involves a labial, the labial may have been excluded by a dental. 

 Doorway is a labial, but door, as in Engli-h, a dental, doorway 

 bein* taken from the mouth, and the door from the teeth within, 

 and although the words are distinct in many linguages, yet in 

 some one only has survived. The character for mountain, 

 country, &c, is tooth, A or AAA, but other relations for 

 mountain are navel, drum. 



In its application for the examination of characters this 

 Wallace formula is very useful. Thus the Korean conforms to 

 it, and the Vy or Vy, sup, osed to be modern, conforms to a test 

 of antiquity. 



Nothing can be rtore true than Col. Mallery's description of 

 the rapidity of gesture-language. Any one who observes the 

 mutes of the Seraglio at Constantinople, who in my opinion 

 transmit the system of the ancient pantomimes, will at once 

 perceive how quickly thrught is portrayed under conventional 

 representations. Much ot their conver.-alion is naturally on 

 political topics, and they have not only signs for each indi- 

 vidual, but it is reputed for each city of the empire, as they un- 

 doubtedly have for foreign countries. Incidentally I may men- 

 tion that they apply lip-reading for giving names, as in all pro- 

 bability they have for centuries. 



C )1. Mallery supposes that gesture-language in its pre ent shape 

 originated spontaneously and sporadically, but in legend there is 

 the su^estion of a diffusion of gesture-language, as of speech. 

 Thus we have two epochs in tradition, that of creation, and that 

 of the propagation of speech, which appears under the form of 

 the deluge traditions. Some interesting illustrations of the 

 whole matter will be found in Mr. Man's monograph of the 

 Andamanese, now being published by the Anthropological 

 Institute. 



With the great advantages of gesture-languages, Col. Mallery 

 has not explained how they have succumbed to speech-language, 

 nor is his suggestion of their value as a common language among 

 spoken dialects adequate. Where a speech-language becomes a 

 common language it also extii pates the sign-languages, and a 

 great language sw allows up the numerous smaller brood. Europe 

 was at one time as thick with languages as North America or 

 Africa, ana now a few of one family dominate. 



32, St. George's Square, S.W. Hyde Clarke 



Orange Culture in Florida 



In reply to the inquiry in your columns regarding orange 

 culture in Florida, I venture to recommi nd an agreeably written 

 account of that State, entitled " Florida : for Tourists, Invalids, 

 and Settlers ; containing Practical Information regarding Climate, 

 Soil, and Productions ; Cities, Towns, and People ; the Culture 

 of the Orange, and other Tropical Fruits ; Farming and Garden 

 ing ; Scenery and Re-orts ; Sport ; Routes of Travel, &c," by 

 G. M. Barlour (New York : Appleton and Co., 1SS2.) I had 

 this volume in hand during a stay of a few days in Florida last 

 May, and found it, so far as I could judge, fully entitled to the 

 " Testimonial " from the State officials which graces its opening 

 pages. It has a chapter, of thirteen pages, devoted especially 

 to "Orange-culture," besides constant references throughout its 

 pages to this branch of the rising industry and development of 

 that delightful sub-tropical region. In the same chapter there 

 is a note as follows: "Much the best work on the subject is 

 Rev. T. W. Moore's ' Treatise and Handbook on Orange Culture 

 in Florida,' of which a new revised and enlarged edition has just 

 been publi-hed by E. R. Pelton and Co., 25, B01 d Street, New 

 York." Mention also occurs of a "Guide to Orange Culture " 

 by "the Manville Brothers" — but I do not find a more precise 

 indication. J. Herschel 



Collingwood, Augutt 26 



