CONCERNING LAPLAND. 
147 
SECTION III. 
Of the Language of the Laplanders. 
HP'HE language of the Laplanders appears to be wholly diftind 
and feparate from all others, excepting only the Finnifh, to 
which it has fome analogy; not, however, fo great as that which 
the Danifli bears to the German. It is diftinguifhed by certain 
peculiarities refembling the idiom of the Hebrew. But the mif- 
fionary does not take it upon him for that reafon to fay that it is 
derived from the Hebrew.. He refers to the preface of a Lap- 
landifl. ammar, which he had publifhed, for an account of cer¬ 
tain words and expreffions, which feem to indicate a derivation 
from the Greek and Latin. But he admits that it does not hence 
follow that thofe words are adually Greek and Latin, transferred 
to Lapland : they may, notwithftanding that fimilarity, belong to 
the genuine and native language of the Laplanders; and although 
the Lapponic contains many terms nearly fimilar to the Finnifli 
and Danifh, or, more properly fpeaking, the Norwegian or Norfk, 
yet it differs fo much from thofe languages in the general elocu¬ 
tion and mode of expreffion, that if, in pronouncing certain words, 
the Laplander, Finlander and Dane were each of them to ufe his 
own vernacular dialed:, they would not underfbnd one another. 
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