OF LANGUAGES. 



39 



the subsequent arrangement. 36 In order to avoid prolixity 

 as much as possible, only such terms of affinity will be 

 considered, as contain most clearly those concrete and 

 abstract characteristics which are so decisive for classifica- 

 tion. Unless it be necessary, no terms will be discussed 

 other than those of father, mother, child, son (boy), 

 daughter (girl), brother and sister; for they are not only 

 the nearest degrees of kinship from which the others 

 emanate, but they betray sufficiently for this inquiry the 

 natural disposition of a language. 



CHAPTEE VI. 



FORMATION OF THE TERMS OF RELATIONSHIP IN CONCRETE 

 AND ABSTRACT LANGUAGES. 



Every individual represents as a member of a family, 

 within that family, the centre of certain circles whose radii 

 express by their length the differences in the various degrees 

 of relationship. In order to find the exact spot in the 

 periphery which indicates the place occupied by his relative, 

 corresponding to the degree of affinity, two more points 

 ought to be supplied, so as to represent sex and age. 

 If one semicircle is allotted to the male, the other to the 



(36) Want of sufficient material necessitates the omission of many- 

 languages. Defects of this kind must be expected, when such an investiga- 

 tion takes place at a distant city like Madras, where a good consulting library 

 cannot but remain a great desideratum. Many hundreds of dialects have 

 been compared, and as the result of these observations coincides with the 

 system to be proposed, the conclusion that it will prove valid even when 

 applied to languages, which being beyond reach could not be consulted, 

 may perhaps appear not too presumptuous. Owing to questionable, untrust- 

 worthy, or perhaps even erroneous information, which has escaped condign 

 criticism, and was adopted for want of better, mistakes in the grouping have 

 no doubt occurred. Languages may have even been wrongly assigned to 

 divisions, tp which they do not belong. However great such mistakes may 

 be, they will, I trust, not affect the soundness of the system at large, in spite 

 of all its shortcomings ; for the principle at issue rests on general and wide 

 propositions, and is not iounded on isolated examples which could be 

 impugned. 



