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JULY, 1907.)
RECORD OF THE LANGUAGES OF SAVAGES,
189
This is what the Theory attempts to achieve : but assuming it to be fundamentally right and correctly worked out, it should explain the workings of the untutored mind of the savage as exhibited in his speech, although it reverses the accepted order of teaching, alters many long accepted definitions, and while admitting much that is usually taught, it both adds. and omits many details, and taken all round is a wide departure from orthodox teaching. How wide the following observations will show. The familiar terminology has been changed in this wise. The old noun, adjective, verb, adverb, preposition and conjunction have become indicator, explicator, predicator, illustrator, connector and referent conjunctor, while interfections and pronouns have become integers and referent substitutes. Certain classes also of the adverbs have become introducers. Gender, number, person, tense, conjunction and declension all disappear in the general description of kinds of inflexion the object becomes the complement of the predicate and concord becomes correlated variation.
The Theory is based on the one phenomenon, which must of necessity be constant in every variety of speech, viz., 'the expression of a complete meaning or technically the sentence. Words are then described as components of the sentence, firstly as to the functions performed by them and next as to the means 'whereby they can fulfil their functions. Lastly, languages are considered according to their methods of composing sentences and words. Assuming this course of reasoning to be logically correct, it mast, when properly worked ont, explain every phenomenon of speech; and when its dry bones have been clothed with the necessary flesh for every possible language by the process of the direct natural development of every detail, a clear and fair explanation of all the phenomena of speech must be logically deducible from the general principles enunciated therein.
The Theory takes no count of two subjects introduced into all formal Grammars for obvious reasons of convenience - phonology and orthography. It has no concern with pronunciation, spelling, and alphabets. These are subjects which do not affect it and belong to other branches of the development of the human mind.
(b) The Course of Grammatical Development.
The Sentence is the Unit of all Speech,
I. - The Sentence and its Components. (a) A Sentence is composed of words. (6) A Word is the expression of a meaning. 6) A Sentence is the expression of a complete meaning. (d) Words required to express the meaning of a sentence are (1) integers, (2) indicators,
(8) predicators, (4) explicators, (5) illustrators.
II.-The Interrelation and Intimate Relation of the Components. (a) Interrelation of components can be expressed by variation in form. (6) Intimate relation of components can be expressed by correlated variation in form
(agreement). (.) Words required to express the interrelation of components are (6) connectors.
III. - The Sentence and its Function. (a) The function of a sentence is to express its purpose. (6) Words required to express the function of a sentence are (7) introducers. 6 The function of a sentence can be expressed by variation of the tones of its components. (D) A Tone is a point on & conventional scale of the voice in speaking.
