Observations on Language. - 1§!^ 



mdisposition to exactness, either of attention, or prac- 

 tice. From all these causes many persons pronounce 

 many words of their own language imperfectly. Of this 

 fact we ai-e almost every day witnesses. Where any 

 considerable body of people are insulated; or have little 

 intercouri^e with the rest of a nation ; an imperfect man- 

 ner of pronouncing becomes ultimately diffused through 

 that body ; and terminates in a distinct dialect of the lan- 

 guage. In this manner, it is believed, were originated 

 the dialects among the Greeks; and in the same manner 

 were formed the Yorkshire and West -country dialects in 

 England. Similar instances exist in France^ Spain, and 

 Germany. 



It has often happened.;^ that those, who have origina- 

 ted such dialectic pronunciation, are, for a long period^ 

 almost absolutely separated from the parent stock. In 

 every such case the dialectic pronunciation becomes un- 

 intelligible to the nation at large, in such a degree, as 

 really to constitute a neiv^ spoken language ; although 

 the words may still be written in the original manner. 

 The Koreans, -dnd Japanese, were colonists from China;: 

 and easily correspond widi the Chinese in their written 

 language ; but cannot be understood by them, when 

 they speak. The Tunquinese, and Cochin-Chinese^ colo- 

 nies also of the same nation, are said, to a great extent^ 

 to speak a different language ; and this, it would seem, 

 chiefly, or wholly, from a diversity of pronunciation : 

 the Chinese language being still the substance of those, 

 spoken in all these countries. 



In the progress of this change of pronunciation it has 

 often happened, that nations, as "well as tribes, have lost, 

 finally, the sounds of several letters^ and adopted those of 

 several others. Among these none are more remarka- 

 ble than the Greek 0, and X. The Romans could not 

 pronounce the 0, and therefore rendered 0eo; Deus. 

 This is equally true of the French, the Dutch^ and ma- 

 ny other nations. The English retain the pronunciation 

 of this letter. X seems to be found among most, or 

 all, nations, who distinguish their pronunciation by a 

 peculiarly strong emphasis. Thus it is used by the 

 Irish, Scotch, the Germans, and other descendants of the 

 Teuto7nc tribes. It is also used l?y the Iroquois, and 



