Indebtedness of German Language to Latin. 
43 
ter), Pflaster (emplastrum), sckreiben (seribere), sicker (securus), 
Kaeser (Cassar), Pacht (pactum). 
VII. Christianity: Pein (poena), Plage (plaga), Marter (mar- 
tyrium), verdammen (damnare), op fern (operari or offerre), predi- 
gen (praedicare), Priester (presbyter from Gr.), Propst (praepositus) , 
Abt (abbas), Moenck (monachus), Deckant (decanus), messe (missa), 
mette (matntina), Feier (feriae), Vesper (vesper), Segen (signum), 
Muenster ( monaster ium), Kloster (claustrum), Klaus e (clausa), Tern- 
pel (temlum), Orgel (organum), Altar (Altare), Kanzel (cancelli), 
Kreuz (crux), P fosten (postis), Kessel (catillus), Insel (insula), 
Butter, (butyrum), Kaese (caseus), Anker (ancora), Pfeil (pilum), 
and the days of the week. 
This list will give an idea of the enlargement of the German vo- 
cabulary in the earlier period of the Christian era and the first years 
of German contact with the Latin races. We need not cite the later 
loan words introduced through the French and Italian, for they are 
readily recognized and are such words as are constantly being intro- 
duced into every living language. They are mostly school terms, law 
terms, medicine, etc. 
The grammatical indebtedness of the German to the Latin is such 
as any primitive language in its formative period owes to a cultured 
language when brought directly under its influence. 
The modern period of German, however, dates back to Maximilian 
and Luther, though it was moulded into its present shape by excel- 
lent Latin scholars even after the latter had ceased to be a living 
language; grammatical forms and syntax show this best. Compare 
the constructions especially. The direct influence is best seen in the 
long sentences and artificially built periods. Read Lessing ’s works and 
he was a rare classic scholar and compare Milton in English. The 
Germans now claim that this influence has been pernicious to the de- 
elopment of a graceful and easy style. 
In word-formation the Latin influence has been all-powerful. In 
the Old High German many expressions for abstract, especially 
Christian ideas were wanting, therefore, eager moncks like Notker, 
Labeo, Williram, etc., set about correcting this fault, not by simply 
borrowing from the Latin, but by forming independent words from 
the German roots and giving them the desired meaning. Thus we 
have ge-wissen (conscientia), gevatter (com-pater), Mittler (media- 
tor), Beickte (Old High German bi-jiht (con-fessio), anferstek'en 
(resurgere), barmkerzig (Old High German armherzi,, misericors), 
aus-druck (ex-pressio), ab-art (de-generatio), weider-stehen (resis- 
tere), ab- bitten (de-precare), emp-fang (re-ceptio), ent-sprechen (cor- 
responded, wieder-glanz (re-splendere), wieder-hallen (re-sonare). 
