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PRONUNCIATION OF THE LATIN LANGUAGE.
( Continued .J
Our false pronunciation of the Latin, moreover,
separates many Latin words from words of the
same root, in our own language. lor example, if
we change the first root letter of ccicdo to a sibila nt,
we no longer hear in it our word cut , with which it
is identical. C eva is of the same elements with our
HciFcr, cow, calr ; but if we pronounce it seta ,
we miss this analogy, as well as its coincidence
with vacca, of which it is but an inversion. In
ccrvus, (a fork and a stag,) when pronounced
servus , we no longer hear our word fork ; nor do
w r e feel the force of this word as the name of an
animal with furcated horns. The name of Ceres,
in our pronunciation, ceases to be .emblematic ;
it loses its connection with cu co* and grow, and
their derivations, conn, gr ain, and grow*.
We, indeed, speak inaccurately when we call
this alteration of a root letter, a mere change of
pronunciation. The pronunciation of words is
varied by raising or lowering the vowel tones, or|
by the interchange of different powers of the
same articulation, —as when a Welchman says
coot for good; but it we make s the radical, in
stead of c, we substitute one word for another.
When we say that sensus means a valuation (census,)
we say what is not; scrcus is not a stag (cervus);
Wot does not mean I(caedo,) but I soothe;
when we call ciccr, siscr, we call a chick-pea a
parsnip.
The change of the sound of the guttural c to a
sibilant is commonly called, by English gramma
rians, a softening of that sound. But wholly with
out propriety. Sis not the soft sound of c (k).f I
It is a letter of another class, and of far inferior
value. The guttural maybe said to be softened,
when it passes from its hard sound c, to the milder
g , and from this again to the j consonant (English
y.) If not carried to excess, these changes hardly
deserve to be branded with the name of corrup
tions ; since, by this softening process, language,
while it resigns something of its rude strength,
yet gains in softness and delicacy. It is a change
in harmony with man’s progress in civilization ;•
an amelioration of manners leading to an increas
ed refinement of speech, and gentler ideas calling
for corresponding sounds lor their expression.—
But the further change into the coarse sounds rep
resented in English bv the characters ch and j is
a true deterioration. Vet even these corruptions,
however unpleasant to a refined ear, follow the
regular laws of change, and throw no obscurity
over the origin of words. It is otherwise with the
change from the sound of Jc to that of s. The gut
tural is the most important and the most deeply sig
nificant of articulate sounds. The s , on the con
trary, is most commonly a servile. It is used in
grammatical formations ; or, employed as an affix
to roots composed of other elements, it acts as a
privative or as an intensive. It cannot be a matter
of indifference, that we substitute an inferior ele
ment for one of the highest dignity. The suppres
sion of an important rootle tier, or the substitution
of a letter of another class, destroys the inherent
significance of the word, and reduces that to a be
mere arbitrary notation of thought which was its
most expressive emblem.
It will perhaps be satisfactory to the general
reader, who may not have leisure or inclination
to collect the evidence on this subject for himself,
to see a brief summary of the principal proofs
by which it has been established, that it was not
the practice of the ancients to vary the pronun
ciation of the c and g ; but that these letters had
with them one uniform sound before all the vowels.
One strong proof is the evident correspondence
between the Roman c and Greek k . When the
Romans wrote Greek words in Latin characters,
they used c to represent k before the vowels c
and i as well as before the other vowels and
liquids; Cecrops, Kc-lcrops; Cibyra, Kibura. The
Greeks, on their part, evidently supposed their
k to have the force of the Roman c in all cases;
since, in writing Latin names, they write the syl
lables ci, cc , with k, and not with s , as Kikcro ,
Cicero; Skipion , Scipio.
Suidas, speaking of the crescent the Roman
Senators wore on their shoes, calls it the Roman
Kappa or k. In like manner the Greek Gamma
( g ) precisely answered to the Roman g. We
have, in the words of St. Augustine, evidence
that the Greek Gamma and the Roman g were
pronounced alike. He says “Cum dico lege , in
his duabus syllabis, aliud Graecus, aliud Latinus
intelligit;” showing that the word lege sounded
the same to the Greek and Roman ear. [N OW
in Greek the g is always hard, consequently it
must have been so in Latin before the vow’d e.]
[Ainsworth, in his Thesaurus of the Latin
tongue (Morell’s Edit, Lond. 1783.) upon the letter
c, remarks thus, : “ The name of e , if we attend
to analogy, is always kc , as is its sound be
fore all vowels, and never sc. And here, with
much reluctance, I remark, that foreigners who
own we understand Latin perfectly, and write
it correctly, account us little better than barba
rians in several parts of pronunciation ; but in
none more justly than in our depraved sound of
this letter before ae, oc , i and y , as if it were s ;
which at the same time, our learned men con
fess to differ from the ancient usage of Greece
and Rome, to be unreasonable in itself, and to in
troduce a strange confusion in words and things;
so that caedo and sedo , coepi and sepi, census and
* The older form is certo.
f We pronounce caedo, cedo , and sedo , precisely alike.
t The s is itself the hard sibilant, whose softer sound is z .
sensus , ciccr and siser , cygni and signi , and many
thousands more , have with us one and the same sound.
Hence also it comes to pass, that its sound is en
tirely lost after s, so that coena and scena , cclens
and sceleris , and innumerable words of the same
kind, are confounded. This 1 humbly leave to
the consideration and redress of the learned school
masters of this kingdom, as very well deserving
it, and return to its true sound, which is the same
with that usurped by the exploded k
„ The same author, in commenting on the letter
G (op. cit.) thus remarks: “I cannot forbear to
observe here, that both the Greeks and Romans
always , and before all vowels , pronounced this let
ter hard, as we do in give and get, never as we do
in generation and ginger ; which irregular and un
certain pronunciation of this letter, as well as ot
the cognate c, proves often a great discourage
ment to those who desire to learn our tongue;
and together with our different sound of the vow
els, makes our Latin, though much purer gene
rally than theirs, almost as unintelligible as our
English.”]
We find, in contracted words, evidence that c
and g retained invariably their guttural sound ;
as in the supines of doccre faccre , &c. If these
words had been pronounced doscrc , fasere, the su
pines would have been dositum, fasitum, which,
contracted, would have made dostum, fastum; not
doctum, factum. If the g of lego had taken the
sound of the English j before i in the perfect
tense, the supine must haVe undergone the same
change ; and Irgitum must have been pronounced
lejitum , which plainly could not have been con
tracted into lectum.*
If ccrno had been pronounced smio, the pre
terite and supine would have been srevi, sretum,
not crcvi crctum ; nor could the participle have
been written both ccrtus and cretus , if, in the one
case, it had been pronounced sertus , in the other,
cretus.
Further, c and g were constantly interchanged
by the Romans, as well before e and i as the
other vowels; as, tricesimus or trigesimus from tri
ginta ; and again, as c was substituted for g before
5 or t, so n immediately preceeding, g sometimes
took the place ot c; as in quadringenti , for quad
rincenti, &c. The earlier Romans used cin words
which were afterwards written with g ; on the
Duillian column, the words Lcgiones , pugnando,
magistratos, are written Lccioncs , pvenando, macis
tratos..
C is also sometimes found in the place of q u
before e and i ; as cod for coqui, collicias for col
liquias.
[Schmitz (Lat. Gram. § 4, note,) says, “ Q occurs
only before the vowel?/, together,with which it is
usually pronounced like kw, though the Romans
sounded the two Ittiers only as a k .”
Scheffer (Lat. Gram. Walker’s Trans, vol. 1,
Lond. 1825,) says, “ Q is the same with k=c, and
qu, generally stands for q, and is not pronounced
like kw, as aqua, pron. aca ; coqui pron. cold,
whence their interchange.”
It is highly probable that, atone time,the com
bination qu possessed a labio-guttural power, but
that the labial element sharing the fate of the
Greek Digamma, fell into total disuse, leaving the
guttural element alone to express the phonetic
value of the combination. (See Donaldson’s Var
ronianus, Cambridge 1844.)
That qu had the sound of c=k, in the time of
Cicero, is evident from the pun of the great Orator,
which has been handed down to us by Quinctilian
as follows, “ Cum is Candidatus, qui coqui tilius
habebatur coram Cicerone suff’ragium ab alio
peteret, ‘ Ego quoquef Cicero inquit, * tibi jure
favebo .’ ” where the play upon the words quoque
=coquc, and jure will be noticed.
Priscian says, “Apud antiquos frequentissime
loco cu syllabae quu, ponebatur, et e conlrario,
ut arquus, pro arcus, coquus pro coqus , oquulus,
pro. oculus, quum pro cum, et quur pro cur.)
Again the same word is found variously written
as regards its vowels; thus dccimus is sometimes
written decumus. Quinctil, Inst. Or. 17, § 23.
Dice for dicam, facie for faciam. Quinctilian
tells us, that Cato wrote dice for dicam. This di
versity could not. have existed, if a change in the
vowel sound had required a change in a radical
consonant. We must suppose that the cin dcci
mus, decumus , and in deccm, had one uniform sound;
and this sound, without question, must have coin
cided with that of k in deka.
We have already touched upon some of the
other proofs; such as that afforded by the sylla
bic augment, which frequently took a different
vowel from that of the first syllable of the verb;
also, that found in the case of prepositions, which,
when compounded with verbs, drop their final
consonant, and assume the initial of the verb.
To these proofs, found in the Latin language
itself, we may add the evidence given by the
traditionary pronunciation of man}’ words in mod
* The change from g to c, in the contracted supines of legere ,
regere. Ac. takes place by a law which forbids a surd to be im
mediately preceded by a sonant. It is for the same reason
that the b of scribo, Ac. becomes p before 5 in tho preterite,
and tin the supine. This is a law, not of grammar but of
speech, and is observed even where the change of sound is not
indicated by the spelling. Quintilian tells us that, though it
was customary to write obtineo with a b, it was yet pronounced
as if written with ap. In our own language, we more com
monly make the second letter conform to the first, sometimes
altering the spelling to suit the change of sound, sometime*
neglecting this. Thus slept is written as well as pronounced
with the surd dental; while decked, though it retains the spel
ling which was used when this word was pronounced as two
syllables, is pronounced as if written deckt. On the other
hand, robbed and digged, though contracted in pronunciation,
retain the sound of the sonant and after the sonants b and g.
ern languages, for example, we still find the name
of Caesar* with its ancient sound in the German,
Kaiser , an emperor. The ciccr , from which the
cognomen Cicero has been supposed-to be derived,
is still Kicker in German. We find the Latin
career in German KerJcery ancUin Welch carcar , a
prison .
The writings of the Latin grammarians contain
the most elaborate disquisitions upon the sounds
of the letters; every variation even of the vowel
sounds being commented on, and the exact po
sition of the organs in the enunciation of each
eltter, as exactly as possible, described. The en
tire silence, then, of these authors with regard to
so remarkable an irregularity in the notation of
the Latin language, as the use of one character
to denote totally distinct sounds, would be in itself,
sufficient proof that no such irregularity existed.
We are not, however, left to this negative evi
dence. The discussion of tire question whether
the k was to be numbered among the letters of
the Roman alphabet, gave occasion, on the part
of Latin writers, to the most explicit declarations
of the perfect identity of the c and k as regards
the sound they represented. Quintilian, in the
chapter on Orthography in his Institutio Oratoria,
condemns the use of the h in writing Latin words.
“Nam K quidem in nullis verbis utendum puto.
Hoc eo non omisi quod quidam earn, quoties A sequatur, ne
cessarian] crednnt; cum sit C litera, quae ad oimies vocalos
vim suam perfernt.”
* This name is, in the Gothic translation of the New Tes
tament, spelt Kaisar ; as , Kaisaragild, Ceesar-tribute. Our
Anglo Saxon ancestors commonly spelt it Cascr.
To be continued.
BIAES’S PATENT,
FI RE-PROOF PAINT, FROM OHIO.
THIS Singular and valuable Substance is sold in fine powder,
then mixed with linseed oil to the consistency of thick paint,
and applied with a brush, and after an exposure of a few months to
the atmosphere, this coating becomes a perfect slate or coat of mail
protecting whatever is covered from the action of the weather and
fiom fire.
It is a mineral substance, and has been found upon analyzation
by Dr. Chilton, of the city ot New York, to consist of larger pro
portions of Silicia Alumine, Prot. Oxide of Iron and Magnesia,
with lesser of Lime and Carbon. It is used extensively for cover
ing roofs of either shingles, matched boards, tin, zinc,sheet iron or
thick paper, if your shingles have been on for years, you have only
to sweep off the moss and lint, with a stiff broom, and cover with
two or three good coats, and in a few months you have a perfect slate
roof, impervious to the action of the weather and /ire. There is
nothing equal to it for steamboats and car decks, for all kinds of iron,
it forms a coating nearly as hard as the iron itself, and never cleaves
off. It should be used for everything that you wish to piotect from
fire and weather.
In some places a spurious article has been sold as the ejenuine,
therefore purchasers should be careful to buv of authorized Agents.
Every Bbl. is marked BLAKE’S FIREPROOF PAINT.
The above Paint is for sale by C. A. L. LAMAR,
sept 13 ts Savannah, Ga.
FALL AND WINTER CLOTHING.
TO the Merchants of Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ala
bama and Florida.—The subscribers having established a
house in this city for the sale of READY MADE CLOTHING in
connection with an extensive Manufacturing establishment in New
ark, N. J., where one of the firm gives his personal attention en
tirely to the manufacture, while the other devotes himself to the
receipt and sale of the same in Savannah. Possessing these advan
tages, we (latter ourselves that we can compete with any establish
ment in the United States in Price, style and workmanship, We
are now receiving our Fall and Winter supply, to which we invite
the attention of merchants, planters, and the public in general,
sept 6 PIERSON & HEIDT.
~R. S. HARDWICK & COOKE,
FACTORS Sc COMMISSION MERCHANTS,
Savannah. Ga.
THE Undersigned have associated themselves, under the above
style, in the business above specified. Mr. Hardwick is a
Planter of Hancock county, and, of course, identified in feeling and
interest with his brother Planters. Mr. Cooke is a citizen of Sa
vannah, and is thoroughly acquainted with all the branches of the
Commission Business.
We are prepared to make liberal advances on produce instore,
and will fill orders for Plantation and Family Supplies with scrupu
lous care.
We are mutually hound not to speculate in Cotton or any other
article of Merchandise.
We respectfully solicit patronage and pledge ourselves to deserve
it by faithful attention to the business entrusted to us.
R. S HARDWICK,
aug 23 J. G. COOKE.
Staves.
PERSONS in the country desirous of engaging in getting out
Staves, are informed that the preparation required for foreign
export is as follows :
To be made either out of Whitt Oah or Water Oak Trees.
Length, from 42 to 44 inches.
Breadth, not less than 4 or more than 7 inches.
Thickness, not less than 1 or more than inches on the thinest
part of the thinest edge.
The back and edge of the Stave should be dressed down to the
same thickness—should have a clear cleft or split, and be free fiom
knots, crooks, and worm-holes.
Staves prepared in conformity with this specification will be re
ceived at the full market price during the ensuing autumn and
winter. Present value, thirty-five dollars per one thousand piece*
■Aug 2 ANDREW LOW & CO.
JOHN A. GEORGE.~
TIN PLATE,SHEET IRON, COPPER,
ZINC AND LEAD WORKER ,
No. SO, St. Julian Street.
THE Subscriber would inform the public that no
hands but those who are fully competent to turn out work in <*ll
branches of his business faithfully and workmanlike, at the shortest
notice. Particularly Ship and House Plumbing. A Good Assort
ment of Manufactured Tin Ware will hereafter be kept constantly
on hand at low prices for Cash.
Orders from the County punctually attended to. ly aug 23
WINDOW SASHES AND BLINDS.—SOOO lights, 8 by JO
Sash; 2000 do JO by] 2 do; 1000 do assorted sizes; JOO
pair Venetian Blinds, assorted sizes. For sale by
Aug 2 J G. FALLIGANT.
WANTED TO HIRE—A Negro Boy,about 14 to 16 years old,
of good oharacter, and well acquainted with the city. En
quire at this office. ts octll
WHITE LEAD.—IO,OOO LBS. Atlantic White Lead, war
ranted pure ; 4000 English do. do. do. For sale by
J. G. FALLIGANT.
WOOD, WOOD, WOOD.—The subscribers will keep con
stantly on hand a supply of the best Black Jack and Oak
Wood for sale in lots to suit purchasers. R. A. ALLEN &CO
oct 4 3mo
Turpentine.
1 O BARREL.S City Distilled, for sale by
A\J Aug 2 J. G . FALLIGANT*
HOWARD HOUSE,
MARIETTA , GEORGIA
WE are gratified to inform the public, and especially travel’
from the low country, that the Howard House
passed into our agency, we are determined to do away with ?*
complaints that Marietta does not afford the requisite convenien
by which visiters would be induced to sojourn in this delightfyj *)**
The Howard House is now renovated, and accommodations n
pared which cannot fail to please. ‘1 he chambers are pleasant
conveniently furnished. The table will be amply supplied
every luxury the country affords. Attentive servants are eng>J ?
In short, if agreeable quarters, a well spread table, cleanliness
atiention, joined with moderate charges, can pl as3, we assure
patrons that they will be found at the Howard House,
sep 6 DIX FLETCHER
Swift, Dcnslow & Webster.
DEALERS in Groceries Provisions, Foreio n
and Domestic Liquors, Oil, Gunpowder, Shot Print?n
and wrapping Paper. Corner of Buy and Whituker-striW
Savannah, Georgia. *
DWARD SWIFT, ALLEN A. DENSLOW, JOSEPH W. WF.BSTH
July 25
FALL AND WINTF.It (’■LOTHIN(L “
JUS I received per brig Clinton, a splendid assortment of Tw? h
Coats, Frocks and Sacks, fancy Cass. Pants, fancy Silk t
Ca*s. Vests, together with a large assoitment of Twilled Cl Th
Pants and Jackets, Satinet Pants and Jackets, Corderoy p at ,
Beaver Coats, Sacks, Blanket and Flushing Coats and Over Srl
For sale, very low, wholesale and retail, at No. JO Whitaker-ttre
sept 6 PIERSON Sc HEIDT
Dentistry.
DR. P A NCOST has removed to Bryan street, East side Mon
ument square, near the State bank, where he may be found
at all hours, night or day, fully prepared to wait upon his friends and
the public generally.
N. B. Artificial teeth inserted fiom one to a whole set and in
ured to give satisfaction to the wearer.
N - B- Charges greatly reduced. Gmo au* i)
A CARO.
THE undersigned having re-opened, with an
entire New Stock of DRUGS, CHEMICALS and
FANCY ARTICLES, at No. 139 (South side) Broughton
street, (formerly Walker’s Marble Yard,) is now ready to
furnish any thing in his line,, at the shortest notice.
WATER, made in his own peculiar way, sent to any part ~f
the city, and always to be had at the store, in the highest state
of perfection.
Prescriptions put up with care and despatch.
The subscriber having served the public long and faithfully
respectfully solicits u share of their patronage. ’’
n P r 26 TUGS. RYERSON.
To the Planters and Farmers of South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tenn
essee and Florida.
T AM THE AUTHORIZED AGENT for the
i. sale and purchase of the CAM ELINA SATTVA or
GOLD OF PLEASURE SEED, a native of Siberia.
1 am now leady to fill all orders tor the seed, and being au
thorized by the Company to purchase the same, I will pay the
highest market price for all that may be shipped to me in
Savannah. WM. HUMPHREYS, Jr.,
may 31 Agent for the Company of New York.
Situation Wanted.
A \OLNG MAN, as Clerk or Hook keeper,
g >od i efei ences can he given to any person needing his
services. Apply at this office. “ In ., v 31
(LOTBBIAG.
DIERSON & HEIDT offer for sale Clothinc,
J. Wholesale and Retail, at New Y r ork prices. No. 10
Whitaker-street. n p r gg
To the Public.
THE Subscriber, having entered extensively
into the making ot BRICK of a superior quality to nny
manufactured in this city, is prepared to till orders at the short
est notice, and as low as any esfabl.shment of the kind in or
near Savannah. WM. H. LLOYD.
June 21
ROBERT N. ADAMS,
CABINET-MAKER AND UNDERTAKER
No. 93 Broughton St., Savannah, Ga.,
TS prepared to execute all orders in his line at
_L the lowest prices, with dispatch. Orders from the country
pioinptlv attended to. Ready-made coffins ulwnys on hand,
and made to order at short notice.
J une 28 __ 3mo
ilfl. A. C ohen.
(Late of the firm of S. Solomons Cos.)
COMISSION AND FORWARDING MERCHANT.
. . savannah, ga.
Agent for stenm packets 11. L. Cook and Ivanhoe.
may 10
M A RSeT&T WEBSTeTI
ATTORNEYS AT LAW,
175 Bay-Street—Up-Stairs.
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.
Mulford Marsh. Andrew >f. Wkbstkk
BOOK AND JOB PRINTING,
Os all kinds, executed nt this Office, with nrnlncu
despatch.
HAVING lately put our Office in complete order
and made large additions to it, we have now the most ex
tensive Job Printing Office in the City and are preparedto
execute all kinds of PLAIN AND FANCY PRINTING
with neatness and despatch, and on the most accomodating
terms. Office 102 Brvan-street, entrance on Bay Lane.
Savannah, March 22d, 1849. EDWARD J. PURSE-
A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY,
A WEEKLY SOUTHERN NEWSPAPER, PUBLISHED
EVERY THURSDAY BY
EDWARD J. PURSE, t
TERMS:—T WO DOLLARS AYE AK *
Three Copies for one year, or one copy three years, $5 W
Seven Copies, - _ _ . _ jo |1
Twelve Copies, - - _ . _ _ }5 o<l
*** Advertisements to a limited extent, will be
at the rate of 50 cents for a square of nine lines or less.
the first insertion, and 30 cents for each subsequent insert^ 11 ’
Business cards inserted for a year at Five Dollars.
SdF* A liberal discount will be made to Post Masters w #
will do us the favor to act as Agents.
Postmasters are authorized to remit money to Publish
and all money mailed in presence of the Postmaster,
duly forwarded by him, is at our risk.
All communications to be addressed (post-p ai( h t 0
E. J. PURSE, Savannah, 6*