Philological Proofs of the Original Unity and Recent Origin of the Human RaceJohnes, Arthur James
History
Philological Proofs of the Original Unity and Recent Origin of the Human Race
Johnes, Arthur James
Ethnology; Human beings -- Origin; Language and languages; Monogenism and polygenism
Provincial English. German.
I Be, or I Bin, Ich Bin,
Thou Bist, Du Bist,
He Is. Er Ist.
We Bin,
Yō Bin,
They Bin.
The word “Bin” or “Ben” is used by Chaucer for the 1st, 2d, and 3d Persons
Plural,(40) as in the passage previously quoted: “These two sinnes _bin_
so nigh cosins.” (_Person’s Tales._)
These are singular but highly instructive examples of the caprices of “the
great Innovator!”
SECTION IV.
_On the Scandinavian Languages. Resemblances between the Icelandic
and Anglo-Saxon. Recent Origin and extensive Nature of the
Differences among the Icelandic, Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian
Tongues. Approximation of the Ancient Specimens of the
Scandinavian and Teutonic Languages._
The Island of Iceland abounds in diversified features of interest; and its
Language, early History, and Institutions, will be found replete with
instruction, in connexion with the inquiry pursued in this volume.
As has been previously stated, the Gothic Class of languages are naturally
divisible into two great subordinate branches: the Teutonic or German,
including the dialects of Germany, the Low Countries, and of Great
Britain—and the Scandinavian, including those of the two Scandinavian
Peninsulas and Iceland. These two great Divisions of the Languages of the
Gothic race are radically the same, but they are supposed to display
certain specific differences by which they are distinguished from each
other.
Of the Teutonic—one of the most venerable specimens is the Anglo-Saxon,
the primitive tongue of the Ancestors of the modern English. More ancient
specimens of some of the other Gothic dialects have been preserved, but as
these are for the most part mere fragments—while of the Anglo-Saxon
literature and language we possess copious Remains—it has been inferred by
eminent Scholars that it is in these Remains—to Englishmen so interesting
for other reasons—that we may on the whole, perhaps, hope to find the
nearest approach to a transcript of the early language of the Teutonic
tribes.(41) Of all the Scandinavian Languages, on the other hand, the
Icelandic—by the general concurrence of the scholars of the North—appears
to be the most primitive.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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