Blair Collection > Celtic researches, on the origin, traditions & language, of the ancient Britons

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The very ancient language of the Chinese is comprised,
at this day, in a tew simple monosyllables, which are
equally nouns, and verbs. They form no compounds, and
they admit of no unmeaning prefixes, or terminations. The
signs of cases, numbers, voices, moods, tenses, and per-
sons, are distinct words of known value. By their ar-
rangement, and by certain variations, in the tones of the
voice, these few, simple terms, can serve the purpose of a
copious, and precise language.
The same articulate sound appears to convey but one
leading idea, throughout the several tones of it.
Thus Fu, primarily^ signifies covering, which idea is
thus diversified by the accents : — Fu, a husband ; Fu, to
help, or protect ; Fu, a town; Fa, & father ; Fu, to con-
ceal, or cover. Dr. Hager's Element. Char.
Other ancient languages border upon this degree of simpli-
city. All the native terms of the Welsh, and of the Irish,
are fairly reducible to three or four hundred monosyllabic
roots, of the simplest form, frequently both nouns, and
verbs.
Critics in the Hebrezu language, have declared their
opinion, that all its roots were originally monosyllabic* ; and
that " each Hebrew root has but one leading ideaj Or mean-
B b 2
* PleraBque Hcbrxorum voces, ab exordio, monosyllabas, plurium postoa syl-
labarum fucre, vel additis participiorum incrementis, vel affixis, Niphal,
Hiphal, vel aliis augmeutis inutilibus. Thorn. Gloss. Univ ad vvc. f|"i3.
Certum est linguas omnes, qua monosyllabi» constant, esse cseteris antiquiores.
■mmSalmasius, de Ling Hellm. i». 390.