The Galicians Dwelling m Canada 

 and Their Origin 



At a late meeting of the Manitoba Historical Society, Mr. Michael 

 Sherbinin, a graduate of St. Petersburg University, and the possessor of some 

 six or seven European languages, read a most interesting paper on our Galician 

 people. Mr. Sherbinin, who is a new member of the Society, is engaged in 

 teaching a number of Galician students in the city. A hearty vote of thanks, 

 moved by Mr. W. J. McLean and seconded by Mrs. (Dr.) Bryce, was pre- 

 sented to Mr. Sherbinin. The following is Mr. Sherbinin's interesting lecture: 



In studying a new people it is good to know both wherein they differ from 

 us and also wherein they are like us. 



It seems to me that although both methods of studying a nation are useful, 

 the second one or the one where we look into the common ground that a people 

 has with us, is more interesting and gratifying. By beginning a study from all 

 points of similiarity between us and a new people, we will see that the points 

 wherein that people is unlike us will gradually be reduced and partly even 

 vanish away. 



We would dwell on the people commonly called here Galicians, known 

 also under the more scientific name of Ruthenians (or Little Russians). 



The Ruthenian language belongs to the same family of languages as Eng- 

 lish, French, Latin, Greek, Gaelic and Welsh, that is to the Aryan family of 

 languages. The Encyclopedia Britannica tells us that Aryan means honorable 

 and noble. 



If we were to imagine the Aryan family as a tree with many branches, 

 then the English language would proceed from the same branch as German, 

 Dutch, Swedish and Icelandic, and the Ruthenian tongue would proceed 

 from the same branch as Bohemian, Polish, Russian and a dozen of other 

 Slav languages, whereas Latin would belong to the Italic subdivision and 

 Greek to the Hellenic. 



SIMILAR TO ENGLISH. 



In travelling over a settlement of Slavic people we would be astonished 

 to find from 5 to 800 words which have some similarity with English, Latin 

 French and Welsh. 



