The evolution of the Chinese language; as exemplifying the origin and growth of human speech

by Joseph Edkins

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 ...of new letters was felt they would be added with the aid of the tongue and teeth. The power of changing one letter into another is a faculty of the mind which is constantly in exercise. The vocal organs are so constructed as to admit of this easy transition. The lower lip for instance can touch the upper teeth. This makes /'and v. The tongue by touching the upper teeth makes d and t. The closing of the lips may be changed for the shutting of the tooth barrier by the tongue. This act gives new words beginning with d, t, and n for old ones beginning with b, p, and m. By varying the mode in which the tongue is applied to the gums and palate I and the sibilants are formed. All these and the other letters being produced by slightly shifting the lips and tongue it is reasonable to expect that new words would be originated by a slight shifting movement as they were required. Thus "to send out" is fang. "Let go" is p'ing, old sound bang. It is changed from bam "the hand" because the stretched out hand points in the direction of the sending. Fang comes to mean "place", and also "square" because the hand can point to the north, south, east and west. F changes to h, and we have hiang "direction, directed towards, a general name for place, village". If/'is replaced by the original p we have pang "a list, written from right to left in columns". Fam " a mould,pattern". Ch'wangn square frame of wood work". K'wang "a square basket, eye socket, door frame, window frame'. Siang "box". Lung "cage". Even before the tooth letters were taken, there were twenty seven syllables without counting/) as distinct from b and much may be done with a syllabary of twenty seven and ...

34 pages, Paperback

First published April 29, 2010