Page images
PDF
EPUB

the first term denotes an object; as, Pedagogue, geography, sciagraphy, anthropophagi.

3. Inverted compositions; as, Philology, philosophy, philanthropy, misanthrope.

There are derivatives from Greek compounds with various suffixes; as, Theanthropism, democratic, pedagogical, philosophical.

VII. DISGUISED GREEK DERIVATIVES AND COMPOUNDS. § 334. There are two classes of Greek words adopted in English which have been greatly mutilated or disguised.

I. Certain ecclesiastical terms which passed early into the Teutonic languages from immediate contact with the Greek or Oriental Church; as, Alms, bishop, devil, priest.

II. Certain medical terms, which have been corrupted by the vulgar; as, Imposthume, megrim.

1. Bishop (Anglo-Saxon biscop and bisceop, Dutch bisschop, German bischof, Swedish and Danish biskop; also, Old French eveque, French évêque, Portuguese bispo, Spanish obispo, Italian vescovo, Latin episcopus, Greek episkopos, compounded of epi, upon, over, and √ skep, skop, to see), literally, an overseer.

Note. This word, although of Greek origin, is evidently derived to us from the Anglo-Saxon.

2. Catarrh (French catarrhe, Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian catarro; also, German katarrh, Latin catarrhus, Greek katarrhous, compounded of kata, down, and Vrhe, to flow), literally a flowing down.

3. Imposthume (French aposteme, apostume, Portuguese and Spanish apostema, Italian apostema, impostema, Latin apostema, Greek apostema, compounded of apo, from, off, and √ sta, to stand), a corruption of aposteme, literally a standing off or separating.

4. Megrim (French migraine, Portuguese and Spanish hemicrania, Italian emicrania, emigrania, Latin hemicranium, Greek hemikrania, compounded of hemi, half, and kranion, skull), a corruption of hemicrany, a pain affecting half the head.

5. Palsy (French paralysie, Portuguese paralisia, paralysia, parlezia, Spanish paralisis, perlesia, Italian paralisia, Latin paralysis, Greek paralusis, compounded of prefix para, √ lu, and suffix sis), a corruption of paralysis, literally a relaxation.

6. Quinsy or squinancy (French esquinancie, Portuguese esquinancia, eschinancia, esquinencia, Spanish esquinancia, esquinencia, Italian squinanzia, Latin synanche, Greek sunagche, compounded of sun, with, together, and agch, to choke), an inflammation of the throat.

7. Squirrel (French écureuil, Latin sciuriolus, diminutive from sciurus, Greek skiouros, compounded of Greek skia, a shade, and oura, a tail, as if having its tail for a shade), the name of an animal.

8. Surgeon (Norman-French surigien, French chirurgien, Portuguese surgiao, cirurgiao, Spanish cirujano, Italian chirurgo, Latin chirurgus, Greek cheirourgos, compounded of Greek cheir, a hand, and Verg, to work), a corruption of chirurgeon, literally a hand-worker.

Give instances of Greek disguised derivatives and compounds.

HEBREW PORTION OF OUR LANGUAGE.

§ 335. The Hebrew portion of our language includes,

I. Hebrew or Phoenician words, which have come to us through the Greek and Latin, and perhaps also through the Anglo-Saxon; as, Ass, bdellium, byssus. See § 335.

II. Hebrew names of letters, months, measures of capacity, weights and coins, offices, celestial beings, sacred vestments, festivals, and some miscellaneous terms, which have been transferred into our common English version; as, Aleph, Abib, homer, shekel, tirshatha, cherub, ephod, Sabbath, amen.

III. Hebrew words which have passed to the Occidental nations in connection with religion, and have been modified in the Greek; as, Jubilee, Pharisee, Essene.

IV. Terms which have been adopted from the Rabbinic or later Hebrew, on account of the connection of Christian and Jewish learning; as, Mishna, Talmud, Metheg; or the same with Occidental terminations; as, Rabbinism, Talmudist, Karaite.

HEBREW OR PHOENICIAN WORDS THROUGH THE GREEK AND LATIN.

§ 336. 1. Ass, a beast of burden; 2. Bdellium, an aromatic gum; 3. Byssus, fine linen or cotton; 4. Camel, the name of an animal; 5. Cane, a reed; 6. Cassia, a sweet spice or aromatic bark; 7. Cinnamon, an aromatic bark; 8. Cumin or cummin, an aromatic plant; 9. Ebon or ebony, a hard, valuable wood; 10. Galban or galbanum, a resinous gum; 11. Hyssop, an aromatic herb; 12. Jasper, a hard precious stone; 13. Maltha, a kind of bitumen; 14. Manna, a gum; 15. Myrrh, an aromatic gum; 16. Nitre, saltpetre; 17. Sapphire, a hard precious stone; 18. Sycamine, a species of fig-tree.

SUFFIXES IN WORDS DERIVED FROM THE HEBREW AND

CHALDAIC.

§ 337. 1. The suffix im, the usual masculine plural termination of Hebrew nouns, is found in the following words: Cherubim, cherubs; elohim, literally "gods," used for the singular; nethinim, literally “offered ones," servants devoted to the service of the Jewish tabernacle and temple; purim, literally "lots," a festival of the Jews in commemoration of the lots cast by Haman; seraphim, seraphs; shittim, acacia logs; targumim, targums; teraphim, literally "givers of pleasures," household gods; tummim or thummim, literally "perfections;" urim, literally "lights." Also in some proper names; as, Anakim, Avim, Chemarim, Cherathim, Emim, etc.

2. The suffix oth, the usual feminine plural termination of Hebrew nouns, is found in the following words: Behemoth, literally "beasts," the plural of excellence of behemah, "a beast," used for the singular;

What four classes of words does the Hebrew portion of our language include? Give instances of Hebrew or Phoenician words through the Greek and Latin, and instances of suffixes in words derived from Hebrew and Chaldaic.

mazzaroth, literally, perhaps, " presagers," the signs of the zodiac; sabaoth, hosts. Also in some proper names; as, Kerioth, Succoth, etc.

3. The suffix i, denoting my in Hebrew, is found in a few words; as, Rabbi, literally "my rab or master;" rabboni, literally "my great rab or master," both titles of honor in the Jewish schools.

[ocr errors]

4. Some Hebrew words derived into the English language from the Greek have received Greek suffixes: (1.) ee; as, Pharisee, literally "separate, one of a particular sect among the Jews; Sadducee, one of a particular sect among the Jews; also in Maccabee, a surname of the sons of Mattathias, a Jewish family; (2.) ene; as, Essene, literally a "physician," one of a particular sect among the Jews; (3.) ism; as, Rabbinism, the doctrine of the rabbins; (4.) ist; as, Rabbinist, a follower of the rabbins; Talmudist, one versed in the Talmud; Targumist, the writer of a Targum; (5). ite, as, Caraite, among the Jews, one that rejects the Talmud.

FOREIGN WORDS.

§ 338. Exotic or foreign terms from various living languages, owing to civil, commercial, or literary intercourse, form a third constituent part or element of the present English language.

Words, more or less numerous, have been borrowed from most of the nations with which we have any intercourse, to express objects or things common among them, or in which we have been instructed by them. The meaning of such words has often afterward been extended.

The classes of these words may be arranged according to the proximity of the languages, beginning with the nearer, and passing to the

more remote.

The numerous proper names of persons and places among the various nations and tribes of men, which are of course transferred, not translated, into our language, do not come here into consideration.

1. Words borrowed from existing Celtic dialects, as Welsh or Cymric, Erse or Gaelic. The language of Britain was anciently Celtic. Bard, a Celtic minstrel; a poet generally; Clan, a Gaelic tribe or race; a sect or party, in contempt; Kilt, a short petticoat worn by the Highlanders of Scotland; Pibroch, a Highland air; Plaid, cloth worn by the Highlanders of Scotland; an imitation of the same; Reel, a lively Scotch dance. These words are attributable to a later intercourse of the English people with the Celtic tribes, and are not to be confounded with Celtic words supposed to be amalgamated with Anglo-Saxon.

2. Words borrowed from Gothic or Teutonic dialects, kindred to the Anglo-Saxon, as Danish, Dutch, German, Swedish. Boom, a sea-term for a long pole or spar-Dutch; Boor, a farmer, rustic-Dutch; Bursch, a German University student; Guilder, a Dutch coin; Grave (in landgrave, margrave), a German count or earl; Schooner, a vessel with two masts-Dutch; Sloop, a vessel with one mast-Dutch; Stadtholder, a Dutch chief magistrate; Stiver, a Dutch coin; Waltz, a German dance.

3. Words borrowed from the modern Latin languages. (1.) From the French: Belles-lettres, polite literature; Bonmot, a jest; Bon vivant, Give instances of foreign words: (1.) from the Celtic; (2.) from Gothic dialects kindred to the Anglo-Saxon; (3.) from the French.

a luxurious liver; Bouquet, a bunch of flowers; Depot, a place for starting or stopping on a rail-road; Eclat, burst of applause, splendor. These words usually vacillate between the French and a more Anglicized pronunciation. (2.) From the Spanish and Portuguese: Caste, an hereditary order among the Hindoos; Cortes, an assembly of the states in Spain or Portugal; Don and Donna, the title of a gentleman and lady in Spain; Embargo, a restraint on the sailing of ships; Infante and Infanta, a son and a daughter of the King of Spain, when not the heir or heiress apparent; Musquito, a species of gnat; Platinum, a metal discovered in the mines of Choco, in Peru. (3.) From the Italian: Dilettante, a lover of the fine arts; Doge, the chief magistrate in Venice or Genoa; Macaroni, a paste formed chiefly of flour, and moulded into strings, used for food; Sketch, an outline or general delineation of any thing; Piano-forte, a keyed musical instrument; Piaster, an Italian coin; Piazza, a covered walk, supported by pillars; Stanza, a strophe. Also numerous words in o, the common termination of substantives and adjectives in Italian: Adagio, allegro, arpeggio, falsetto, fresco, gusto, intaglio, sirocco, solo, stiletto, stucco, virtuoso, volcano.

4. Words borrowed from the Slavonic languages, as Russian, Servian, Polish, Bohemian: Czar, a title of the Emperor of Russia; Hospodar, the Governor of Moldavia or Wallachia, appointed by the Porte-Slavonic; Ukase, an edict of the Emperor of Russia; Waiwode, a prince, magistrate-Russian and Polish.

5. Words borrowed from the Armenian and Georgian languages: Vartabed, an Armenian ecclesiastic.

6. Words borrowed from the modern Persian: Bazar, an Oriental market-place; Pagoda, an Oriental temple for idols; Shah, a title of the King of Persia; Subah, an East Indian province; Subahdar, the viceroy of an East Indian province; Zemindar, an East Indian landholder under the Mogul empire.

7. Words borrowed from the modern Sanscrit languages: Banian, an East Indian fig-tree; Brahmin, a priest of Brahma, the divinity of the Hindoos; Gooroo, a priest among the Sikhs of India; Purana, a species of mythological or legendary work among the Hindoos; Shaster, a sacred book among the Hindoos; Veda, a more ancient and sacred book among the Hindoos.

8. Words borrowed from the modern Arabic: Amber, a hard, semipellucid substance, which possesses electrical properties; Azimuth, an astronomical term; Camphor, a resin from certain Asiatic trees; Gazelle, a species of antelope; Giraffe, a camelopard; Nabob, a deputy in India, subordinate to the subahdar-a man of great wealth; Nadir, the point opposite to the zenith; Salam, the Oriental salutation; Sunna, the oral tradition of the Mohammedans; Tamarind, the East Indian date-tree; Tariff, a list of duties on goods; Zenith, the point directly over head. Also Cadi, caliph, chemistry, coffee, cotton, dragoman, emir, fetwa, hajji, harem, hegira, imam, Islam, Islamism, kebla, Koran, mameluke, minaret, molla, mosque, Moslem, mufti, Mussulman, rais, ramadan, sheikh, sherif, sultan, wadi, vizier. Also many terms commencing with al, the Arabic definite article; as, Albicore, alcaid, alcanna, alchemy, al

Give instances of foreign words: (4.) from the Spanish; (5.) from the Italian; (6.) from the Slavonic; (7.) from the Armenian; (8.) from the modern Persian; (9.) from the modern Sanscrit; (10.) from the Arabic.

cohol, alcor, alcove, Aldebaran, alembic, algebra, alhenna, alkahest, alkali, Alkoran, Almagest, almanac, almucantar.

9. Words borrowed from the Mongolian stock of languages: Chop, a Chinese mark or stamp; Hong, the Chinese name of a foreign factory; Khan, a Tartar prince; King, one of the five ancient sacred books among the Chinese; Lama, a Thibetan priest; Tea, a Chinese plant. Also Bohea, hyson, oolong, pouchong, souchong, names of particular teas. 10. Words borrowed from the African stock of languages: Chimpanzee, gnu, koba, korin, zebra, zerda.

11. Words borrowed from the American stock of languages: Cacao, cacique, calumet, cariboo, chocolate, hackmatack, hommoc, hominy, inca or ynca, maize, moccasin, Mohawk, moose, mush, papoose, potato, powwow, quahaug, sachem, sagamore, sagoin, samp, sapajo, squash, squaw, succotash, tobacco, tomahawk, tomato, wampum, wigwam, Yankee; also Carcajou, condor, lama, pecan, raccoon.

12. Words borrowed from the Oceanic stock of languages. (1.) From the Malay Bamboo, gong, orang-outang, ratan, sago. : (2.) From the Polynesian languages: Tabu, tattoo.

ENGLISH WORDS OF MIXED ORIGIN.

§ 339. Words not reducible to either of the three preceding heads form a fourth constituent part or element of the English language. These include proper English words of mixed origin, and malformstions and hybrid words.

Proper English Words of Mixed Origin.-There is a large class of English words, rightly formed, whose root or essential part is of Latin, Greek, Hebrew, or foreign origin, but whose inflection or termination is Teutonic. These are peculiarly English words, as the English language freely intermingles Latin and Teutonic elements in this way, while other languages do not. Here are included,

1. Latin or foreign words with Teutonic inflections, to wit:

All genitives and plurals of Latin nouns; as, Muse's, muses; choir's, choirs; hero's, heroes; tribe's, tribes; face's, faces.

All comparatives in er and superlatives in est of Latin adjectives; as, Firmer, firmest; grander, grandest.

All participles in ing and ed from Latin verbs; as, Ceding, ceded. All past tenses in ed and inflected persons of Latin verbs; as, Ceded, cedest, cedes, cededst.

2. Latin or foreign words with Teutonic suffixes, to wit:

Verbs in en from adjectives of Latin origin; as, Chasten, from chaste.

Adjectives in some from substantives and verbs of Latin origin; as, Humorsome, tendsome.

Adjectives in ful from substantives of Latin origin; as, Ireful, fateful, artful, useful, merciful, bountiful.

Adjectives in less from Latin substantives; as, Causeless, nerveless, artless, useless, motionless, merciless.

Give instances of foreign words: (11.) from the Mongolian stock; (12.) from the African; (13).) from the American stock; (14.) from the Oceanic. Give instances of proper English words of mixed origin; of Latin or foreign words with Teutonic inflections; with Teutonic suffixes.

« PreviousContinue »