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6 Introduction.
another. We may, for example, assume tliree stages of compo-
sition: 1, Paratliesis, or the mere juxtaposition of roots; 2, Ag-
ghitination, or the adhesion of roots ; 3, Amalgamation, or the
fusion of roots.
Paratliesis. A language at this stage would consist of mono-
syllabic roots simply, the grammatical relations being expressed
by juxtaposition with other roots. The same root, according to
its position in a sentence, may perform the fimctlon of a noun,
an adjective, verb, etc. Pott calls such languages, of which the
Chinese affords an example. Isolating languages.
Agglutination. In this stage the grammatical relations — mood,
tense, person, and class of verbs, number, cases, etc., of novms,
are expressed by affixes to monosyllabic roots, which, though
invariable in function, are not inseparable from the root, the
several relations being expressed by successively added affixes.
In some agglutinating languages all the affixes are suffixes ; thus,
in the Finno-Tatarian languages, where the root-vowel, itself
inflexible, modifies the vowels of the suffixes, giving thereby
rise to the so-called vowel harmony. Other agglutinating lan-
guages have apparently almost exclusively prefixes, as the Kaffir
languages of South Africa. The Semitic languages show a
higher stage of agglutination by admitting of prefixes as well as
suffixes, the cases of nouns being expressed by prefixing prepo-
sitions,^ and still more by employing internal vowel changes as
means of inflexion.^
Amalgamation. When the corporal and formational elements
become so intimately blended that both fuse into an indissoluble
unity, the formational elements give rise to true inflexion, which
produces a complete logical distinction of the grammatical cate-
gories. Languages at this stage are called by Pott, Amalgamating.
Bopp's classification is somewhat different. He makes three
classes also, the first corresponding to the parathetical ; bvit in
the second he includes both agglutinating and amalgamating,
and makes of the Semitic langiiages a third distinct class.
The amalgamating languages are consequently those which
have the most perfect organization, and include the Indo-Euro-
pean family of languages, which comprises the Sanskrit, Latin,
Greek, Celtic, Slavonian, Gothic, and their modern descendants.
In their primitive state such languages cannot contain uninflected
roots. In process of time, however, and especially if great per-
* The Arabic, however, lias real case terminations.
' Some examples illustrative of the process of agglutination in the Northern
Family of lan<,aiages may be found at pp. 92 and 94, vol. I., of the Atlantis, in
the first part of my paper "On the influence which the Thysical Geography,
the Animal and Vegetable Productions, etc., of different regions exert upon the
Languages, Mythology, and early Literature of Mankind, etc."
another. We may, for example, assume tliree stages of compo-
sition: 1, Paratliesis, or the mere juxtaposition of roots; 2, Ag-
ghitination, or the adhesion of roots ; 3, Amalgamation, or the
fusion of roots.
Paratliesis. A language at this stage would consist of mono-
syllabic roots simply, the grammatical relations being expressed
by juxtaposition with other roots. The same root, according to
its position in a sentence, may perform the fimctlon of a noun,
an adjective, verb, etc. Pott calls such languages, of which the
Chinese affords an example. Isolating languages.
Agglutination. In this stage the grammatical relations — mood,
tense, person, and class of verbs, number, cases, etc., of novms,
are expressed by affixes to monosyllabic roots, which, though
invariable in function, are not inseparable from the root, the
several relations being expressed by successively added affixes.
In some agglutinating languages all the affixes are suffixes ; thus,
in the Finno-Tatarian languages, where the root-vowel, itself
inflexible, modifies the vowels of the suffixes, giving thereby
rise to the so-called vowel harmony. Other agglutinating lan-
guages have apparently almost exclusively prefixes, as the Kaffir
languages of South Africa. The Semitic languages show a
higher stage of agglutination by admitting of prefixes as well as
suffixes, the cases of nouns being expressed by prefixing prepo-
sitions,^ and still more by employing internal vowel changes as
means of inflexion.^
Amalgamation. When the corporal and formational elements
become so intimately blended that both fuse into an indissoluble
unity, the formational elements give rise to true inflexion, which
produces a complete logical distinction of the grammatical cate-
gories. Languages at this stage are called by Pott, Amalgamating.
Bopp's classification is somewhat different. He makes three
classes also, the first corresponding to the parathetical ; bvit in
the second he includes both agglutinating and amalgamating,
and makes of the Semitic langiiages a third distinct class.
The amalgamating languages are consequently those which
have the most perfect organization, and include the Indo-Euro-
pean family of languages, which comprises the Sanskrit, Latin,
Greek, Celtic, Slavonian, Gothic, and their modern descendants.
In their primitive state such languages cannot contain uninflected
roots. In process of time, however, and especially if great per-
* The Arabic, however, lias real case terminations.
' Some examples illustrative of the process of agglutination in the Northern
Family of lan<,aiages may be found at pp. 92 and 94, vol. I., of the Atlantis, in
the first part of my paper "On the influence which the Thysical Geography,
the Animal and Vegetable Productions, etc., of different regions exert upon the
Languages, Mythology, and early Literature of Mankind, etc."
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Early Gaelic Book Collections > Blair Collection > Celtic studies > (36) |
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Permanent URL | https://digital.nls.uk/75771578 |
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Description | A selection of books from a collection of more than 500 titles, mostly on religious and literary topics. Also includes some material dealing with other Celtic languages and societies. Collection created towards the end of the 19th century by Lady Evelyn Stewart Murray. |
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Description | Selected items from five 'Special and Named Printed Collections'. Includes books in Gaelic and other Celtic languages, works about the Gaels, their languages, literature, culture and history. |
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