1836.] 



and Derived Languages. 



152 



in the Greek language are faulty, and not analagous to the principles 

 and genius of an original language i e. g. if T//4o0eo? (romanized 

 T'motheos, colens Deum) is a correct compound, Christophoros (ferens 

 Christum) must be a faulty one, and it ought to be Tlteotimon, (or rather 

 Theotimes). And if Theot'tmos means honor at us a den (deis), and if 

 Theopompos means missus a deis, then Christophoros ought consistently 

 to be rendered carried by Christ (which rendering would be contrary to 

 the Legend which explains the meaning of the word). It is evident 

 from this, that the Greek nation, having arisen out of several different 

 tribes, by free and voluntary intermixture, not by subjugation, and 

 their language having been formed by the amalgamation (if I be al- 

 lowed to use this expression) of various heterogeneous languages, hava 

 infinitely gained in richness, variety and unshackled freedom of their 

 language, but have lost the tact and instinctive feeling of the analogy 

 and logical consistency which a purely original language possesses in a 

 remarkable degree. Thus they say, e. g. theomachos (deo repugnans) 

 and theomachia (deorun pugna) ; hence, also, the word theomises is 

 rendered both by deo invisus, and by qui odit deum. Such irregula- 

 rities in compounding words do not occur in any truly original lan- 

 guage ; certainly not in the the German. 



The pure Latin tolerates comparatively few compounds, and these few 

 will, I suppose, be found correct ones— an additional presumptive proof 

 that the languages out of which the Latin was formed, were in a higher 

 degree original than those to which the Greek owes its origin. But, had 

 the Latin been formed from its own materials, without the intermixture 

 of a great proportion of foreign words and idioms, the Romans would 

 have retained the ability or the inclination to form compound words in 

 abundance, just as the Sanscrit, Greek and German. In this respect, 

 therefore, the Latin is rather similar to her daughter-languages, the 

 Italian, French, &c. and leaves to the Greek the palm of originality. 

 This also can be accounted for, but I refrain from adding any thing now, 

 from fear of being tedious. 



The Tamul can form nearly any compound, and the ancient writers 

 made free use of this liberty, but the love of logical clearness (a com- 

 mon property of original languages), induces them to be more sparing 

 of them in their modern prose compositions. 



10. A scond mark by which original and derived languages are dis- 

 tinguished from each other, is the accent. 



Since a truly original language forms its words by compounding 

 elementary words, or syllables* the meanings of which are distinctly 



*E. g. be, in bedew, besprinkle, bespeak, betray, expresses a doing on all sides, or fully, 

 abundantly ;— /or, as in forsake, forlorn, forswear, expresses a destroying, just as per ;a 

 perdo, perjuro, pereo and as ver in German. 



