24 



ON THE CLASSIFICATION 



crystallization in one single form, is most strikingly exhi- 

 bited in monosyllabic languages, where each word represents 

 to some extent a mere atom. 



Monosyllabism is thus considered by many to be original 

 to all languages, though only a few retained it in their later 

 development. 23 The monosyllabic tendency which pre- 

 vails in some languages is certainly a most interesting 

 feature, productive moreover, where consistently adhered to, 

 of other strange peculiarities, e.g., of a singular mode of 

 pronunciation, intonation, and accentuation ; 24 but as the 

 various monosyllabic dialects in different parts of the globe, 

 in Asia, Africa, and America, though agreeing in their out- 

 ward monosyllabic phenomenon, yet disagree in their 

 internal construction by differently expressing thoughts and 

 ideas, monosyllabism by itself cannot well be raised to a 

 standard of classification, as it is peculiar to many idioms 

 which are dissimilar in other respects. 



No doubt the assumption is widely spread, and possesses 

 a considerable semblance of truth, that the characteristic 

 mark of the so-called Semitic languages lies in the dissylla- 

 bic formation of their roots ; but whether this is really a 



(23) Monosyllabism is peculiar to Chinese, Tibetan, Burmese and their 

 kindred languages in Asia ; it is ascribed to the African Yoruba (see ' ' A 

 Grammar and Vocabulary of the Yoruba Language, compiled by the 

 Rev. Samuel Crowther, 1852, page 45." "All Yoruba roots are monosyl- 

 labic"); to the Calif ornian dialect Euroc, to the Mexican Otomi (see Bancroft, 

 Vol. Ill, page 641 and 737), and to others. Dr. Schoolcraft in his " Infor- 

 mation respecting the Indian tribes of the U. 8.," Vol. II, page 419, views 

 the character of the American Indian languages as " radically monosyllabic." 

 "It is found that the primary words, when dissected from their appendages, 

 are chiefly monosyllabic. Many of the words of its vocabulary still retain 

 their character of elementary brevity, as ais, a shell; meen, a berry; mong, a 

 loon ; hang, a porcupine ; waub, to see ; boz, to embark ; peezh, to bring ; 

 paup, to laugh, &c, &c. 



(24) The insufficient number of sounds in a monosyllabic language requires 

 a contrivance which compensates for this deficiency. This is effected by the 

 application of various accents, which multiply the meaning of the same sylla- 

 ble. E.g., the Chinese ma signifies, according to the varying accent, hemp, 

 horse, quarrel and rubbing; ya, stupor, excellent, dumb and tooth. In 

 Yoruba hi means either to salute, to be thick, or to press ; ho to gather, very, 

 or to meet ; ku to die, to come short, or to blow into dust. 



