Volaptik. ] 10 [Jan. 6, 
phrase, ‘‘give to the child a spoon,”’ would be just as intelligible in the 
form ‘‘ give spoon child,” if we remember that the direct precedes the 
indirect object. 
The simplification of grammatical forms here proposed involves an 
equal simplification in syntax, and this is an enormous gain. But it 
involves also the loss of freedom of position, so conspicuous a feature 
in Latin, and by some so highly esteemed. But philosophically con- 
sidered, thisfreedom of position is solely a rhetorical and artistic gain, 
not a logical superiority. Grammarians even of the classical tongues 
are perfectly aware that there is a fixed logical arrangement of words 
in a sentence, and this, and this alone, is the only arrangement which 
a universal language should adopt. This arrangement may be briefly 
given as follows: Subject before predicate ; noun before its adjective; 
verb or adjective before qualifying adverbs, immediate object before 
remote object. This is the logical course of thought and should be the 
universal form of expression. It was a dubious advantage to the 
Greeks and Latins that their numerous inflections permitted them to 
disregard it. 
Those languages which rely largely on position obtain rhetorical 
grace by a recognized value assigned to alterations of position; and 
this would apply equally to the scheme proposed. 
Other questions will arise in the projecting of a universal language. 
Shall we adopt postpositions as well as prepositions ? Shall we indi- 
cate inflections by internal vowel changes ? Shall we have free recourse 
to affixes, suffixes and infixes? Shall we postfix conjunctions, like the 
Latin? Shall we manufacture entirely new roots from which to form 
new words and derivatives ? 
To all these questions your committee replies with an emphatic 
negative. All such processes are contrary to the spirit which has per- 
vaded the evolution of the Aryan languages for the last two thousand 
years, and their adoption would violate the indicated rules for the 
formation of a universal Aryan speech. 
RAB 
In applying the principles which have been above set forth to the 
creation of the Rev. Johann Martin Schleyer, we find something to 
praise and much to condemn in his attempt. 
Mr. Schleyer first published a sketch of his proposed universal lan- 
guage in 1878, and the first edition of his grammar in 1880. It has 
been welcomed with applause in Germany, and efforts have been made 
with some success to introduce it into France, England and America. 
His scheme is evidently the result of conscientious labor and thought, 
and he manifests a just appreciation of the needs of the time; but un- 
fortunately the theory of construction he has adopted is in conflict 
with the development of both the-Teutonic and Romance languages, 
and full of difficulties to the learner. 
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