the coming race(一个即临种族)-第14节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
jest； but because the very inquiries I name formed the subject of
controversy by the latest cultivators of that 'science；'… 4000 years ago。
51 In the declension of nouns I was informed that anciently there were
eight cases （one more than in the Sanskrit Grammar）； but the effect of
time has been to reduce these cases； and multiply； instead of these varying
terminations； explanatory propositions。 At present； in the Grammar
submitted to my study； there were four cases to nouns； three having
varying terminations； and the fourth a differing prefix。
SINGULAR。 PLURAL。 Nom。
An； Man； ｜ Nom。 Ana； Men。 Dat。
Ano； to Man； ｜ Dat。 Anoi； to Men。 Ac。
Anan； Man； ｜ Ac。 Ananda； Men。 Voc。
Hil…an； O Man； ｜ Voc。 Hil…Ananda； O Men。
In the elder inflectional literature the dual form existed… it has long
been obsolete。
The genitive case with them is also obsolete； the dative supplies its
place： they say the House 'to' a Man； instead of the House 'of' a Man。
When used （sometimes in poetry）； the genitive in the termination is the
same as the nominative； so is the ablative； the preposition that marks it
being a prefix or suffix at option； and generally decided by ear； according
to the sound of the noun。 It will be observed that the prefix Hil marks the
vocative case。 It is always retained in addressing another； except in the
most intimate domestic relations； its omission would be considered rude：
just as in our of forms of speech in addressing a king it would have been
deemed disrespectful to say 〃King；〃 and reverential to say 〃O King。〃 In
fact； as they have no titles of honour； the vocative adjuration supplies the
place of a title； and is given impartially to all。 The prefix Hil enters into
the composition of words that imply distant communications； as Hil…ya； to
travel。
In the conjugation of their verbs； which is much too lengthy a subject
to enter on here； the auxiliary verb Ya； 〃to go；〃 which plays so
considerable part in the Sanskrit； appears and performs a kindred office； as
if it were a radical in some language from which both had descended。
But another auxiliary 52or opposite signification also accompanies it and
46
… Page 47…
The Coming Race
shares its labours… viz。； Zi； to stay or repose。 Thus Ya enters into the
future tense； and Zi in the preterite of all verbs requiring auxiliaries。 Yam；
I shall go… Yiam； I may go… Yani…ya； I shall go （literally； I go to go）； Zam…
poo…yan； I have gone （literally； I rest from gone）。 Ya； as a termination；
implies by analogy； progress； movement； efflorescence。 Zi； as a terminal；
denotes fixity； sometimes in a good sense； sometimes in a bad； according
to the word with which it is coupled。 Iva…zi； eternal goodness； Nan…zi；
eternal evil。 Poo （from） enters as a prefix to words that denote
repugnance； or things from which we ought to be averse。 Poo…pra；
disgust； Poo…naria； falsehood； the vilest kind of evil。 Poosh or Posh I
have already confessed to be untranslatable literally。 It is an expression
of contempt not unmixed with pity。 This radical seems to have originated
from inherent sympathy between the labial effort and the sentiment that
impelled it； Poo being an utterance in which the breath is exploded from
the lips with more or less vehemence。 On the other hand； Z； when an
initial； is with them a sound in which the breath is sucked inward； and thus
Zu； pronounced Zoo （which in their language is one letter）； is the ordinary
prefix to words that signify something that attracts； pleases； touches the
heart… as Zummer； lover； Zutze； love； Zuzulia； delight。 This indrawn
sound of Z seems indeed naturally appropriate to fondness。 Thus； even
in our language； mothers say to their babies； in defiance of grammar； 〃Zoo
darling；〃 and I have heard a learned professor at Boston call his wife （he
had been only married a month） 〃Zoo little pet。〃
I cannot quit this subject； however； without observing by what slight
changes in the dialects favoured by different tribes of the same race； the
original signification and beauty of sounds may become confused and
deformed。 Zee told me with much indignation that Zummer （lover）
which in the way she uttered it； seemed slowly taken down to the very
depths of her heart； was； in some not very distant communities of the Vril…
ya； 53vitiated into the half…hissing； half…nasal； wholly disagreeable； sound
of Subber。 I thought to myself it only wanted the introduction of 'n'
before 'u' to render it into an English word significant of the last quality an
amorous Gy would desire in her Zummer。
I will but mention another peculiarity in this language which gives
47
… Page 48…
The Coming Race
equal force and brevity to its forms of expressions。
A is with them； as with us； the first letter of the alphabet； and is often
used as a prefix word by itself to convey a complex idea of sovereignty or
chiefdom； or presiding principle。 For instance； Iva is goodness； Diva；
goodness and happiness united； A…Diva is unerring and absolute truth。 I
have already noticed the value of A in A…glauran； so； in vril （to whose
properties they trace their present state of civilisation）； A…vril； denotes； as I
have said； civilisation itself。
The philologist will have seen from the above how much the language
of the Vril…ya is akin to the Aryan or Indo…Germanic； but； like all
languages； it contains words and forms in which transfers from very
opposite sources of speech have been taken。 The very title of Tur； which
they give to their supreme magistrate； indicates theft from a tongue akin to
the Turanian。 They say themselves that this is a foreign word borrowed
from a title which their historical records show to have been borne by the
chief of a nation with whom the ancestors of the Vril…ya were； in very
remote periods； on friendly terms； but which has long become extinct； and
they say that when； after the discovery of vril； they remodelled their
political institutions； they expressly adopted a title taken from an extinct
race and a dead language for that of their chief magistrate； in order to
avoid all titles for that office with which they had previous associations。
Should life be spared to me； I may collect into systematic form such
knowledge as I acquired of this language during my sojourn amongst the
Vril…ya。 But what I have already said will perhaps suffice to show to
genuine philological students that a 54language which； preserving so
many of the roots in the aboriginal form； and clearing from the immediate；
but transitory； polysynthetical stage so many rude incumbrances； s from
popular ignorance into that popular passion or ferocity which precedes
its decease； as （to cite illustrations from the upper world） during the
French Reign of Terror； or for the fifty years of the Roman Republic
preceding the ascendancy of Augustus； their name for that state of things
is Glek…Nas。 Ek is strife… Glek； the universal strife。 Nas； as I before said；
is corruption or rot； thus； Glek…Nas may be construed； 〃the universal
strife…rot。〃 Their compounds are very expressive； thuat which the Ana
48
… Page 49…
