Cornell University Library The original of tiiis bool< is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924026442586 jfiiijfc ^-ii p IDS' P3o2 It'll P 105.P32"'l89l'"""">' ''""'V PRINCIPLES OP THK HISTORY OF LANGUAGE INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF THE HISTORY OF LANGUAGE. BY HERBERT A. STRONG, M.A., LL.D. Professor of Laiin, University College^ Liverpool ', WILLEM S. LOGEMAN, Newton School^ Rock Ferry^ Birkenhead ', AND BENJAMIN IDE WHEELER, Professor of Greek in Cornell University^ U^S.A, 8vo. 10s. 6d. London: LONGMANS, GREEN, & CO, PRINCIPLES OF THE HISTORY OF LANGUAGE BY HERMANN PAUL PROFESSOR OF THE GERMAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF FREIBURG TRANSLATED FROM THE SECOND EDITION OF THE ORIGINAL BY H. A. STRONG, M.A., LL.D. PROFESSOR OP LATIN IN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LIVERPOOL NEW AND REVISED EDITION (iSgo) LONDON LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. AND NEW YORK: 15 EAST 16'" STREET 189I PREFACE An attempt has been made to assist in making Professor Paul's great work better known to the English public, by translating^ it into English. In the original, by far the greater number of illustrative instances are drawn from the German language. In cases -where English examples served precisely the same purpose as those drawn from German they have been frequently substituted. Additional examples, mainly drawn from English, have been inserted in brackets. It is hoped that it may be possible on a future occasion to add an Appendix fully illustrating the principles laid down by Paul from the English and other languages. Several references have been made to works which have been published since the appearance of Paul's work, such as the most recent productions of Darmesteter, Skeat, and Regnaud. The versions of Chapters xvi., xviii., and part of Chapter xx., have been contributed by Professor C. H. Herford of University College, Aberystwyth, who has also revised the whole. PREFACE. To Dr. Kuno Meyer the thanks of the Translator are due for valuable help, Thanks are due to Professor Paul and Herr Niemeyer for their kind approval of the intention to publish a trans- lation of the Principien der Sprachgeschichte. AUTHOR'S PREFACE Even before the first edition of this work had issued from the press, I could not doubt that my explanations greatly needed supplementing, as many important sides of the life of language were but very scantily touched on. I therefore considered the form which such supplement should take, and was uninterruptedly employed in getting together whatever matter seemed to me serviceable for the purpose. The demand, however, of my pub- lisher for the preparation of a second edition came upon me too quickly and unexpectedly to permit me to carry out my inten- tions. I should even now have preferred to postpone bringing it out, in order to permit much to come better to maturity. But I , was finally obliged to yield to the justifiable pressure put upon me by the publisher, owing to the large demand for the book. This second edition will not find much more favour in the eyes of many of my professional brethren than the first. Some will find it too general, some too elementary. Many will wish for something more cleverly expressed. I declare, once for all, that I write for those alone who are convinced with myself that science is not forwarded by complicated hypotheses, however cleverly and sagaciously they may be puzzled out ; but by simple fundamental thoughts, which are evident in themselves, but only prove fruitful if they are brought to clear consciousness and carried out with strict consistency. The following chapters have been taken with some unimportant changes from the first edition : —Chapter xiii. ( = viii.), xiv. ( = vii.), xxi. ( = xiii.), xxiii. ( = xiv.), also ix. ( = x.), with the exception of the AUTHORS PREFACE. omission of the last section, the object of which has been treated at greater length in chapter vi. The following chapters have received changes or additions of greater importance : the Introduc- tion ( = chap. i.), chap. ii. ( = xii.), iii. ( = iii.), more still xix. ( = ix. from p. 1 60), XX. ( = xi.), x. ( = the chief parts of v. and vi.). The following chapters are entirely new or answer to merely short indications in the first edition — iv. vi. vii. viii. xii. xv. xvi. xvii. xviii. and xxii. It was originally my intention to add a methodological chapter on the distinction between sound-change and those changes of sound which are determined by the influences of function. I do not, however, wish to repeat what I have already set forth at length in my Beitrdge zur Gesch. d. deutschen spr. ji. lit. vi. i. sqq. I certainly see, not merely from the philological methods pursued, but also from the theoretical doctrines laid down in recent years, that the positions there maintained have' met with little recogni- tion. In particular they have been ignored by all those who have denied that any considerable advance has been lately made in the method of morphological research. H. PAUL. Freiburg i. 'E.,June 1886. — CONTENTS. PACE INTRODUCTION, . xxi Necessity for a general theoretical science or system of principles to accompany the History of Language, not less than other branches of the Science of History — Closer definition of its task — The doctrine of principles at the same time the basis for the doctrine of method—Transference of the method of observation usual in natural science to the science of culture—The science of language admits of more perfect methodical treatment than other historical sciences —Co-operation of psychical and physical factors in all development of culture—The science of culture always a social science— Criticism of the ' popular psychology ' of Lazarus and Steinthal—Reciprocal influence of mind upon mind only indirectly possible by physical aid—Transformation of indirect associations into direct— Peculiari- ties of the science of language as contrasted with other sciences Scientific treatment of language only possible by means of histori- cal observation. CHAPTER I. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE NATURE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGE. Subject of the science of language—Organisms of idea groups the basis of all linguistic action—Such organisms the true media of historical development—Requisites for the description of a condition of lan- guage—Change of usage is the result of the ordinary exercise of speech—Language develops by gradations— Classification of the changes—Grammar and Logic, ..... — CONTENTS. CHAPTER II. THE DIFFERENTIATION OF LANGUAGE. PAGE Analogies from organic nature—Statement of the problem—Linguistic change and differentiation—Varying states of intercourse—Indivi- dual spontaneity and social influence—Mutual independence of each differentiation—The image of a genealogical tree inadequate- Dialectical divisions graduated—The essential mark of a dialect its sounds—Technical and poetic language, . • .21 CHAPTER III. ON SOUND-CHANGE. The active factors in the production of sound—Slight consciousness of the element of a word—The word a continuous series of infinitely numerous sounds—Limits to power of distinguishing sounds Deviations from the prescriptions of the motory sensation inevitable —Modification or displacement of the motory sensation— Causes — of the divergence ' Convenience ' a secondary cause, the motory sensation the primary cause—Control through the sound-picture Relation of the individual speaker to his linguistic milieu—Sound- changes which do not depend on a displacement of the motory sensation Uniformity of the — laws of sound-change, . 37 CHAPTER IV. CHANGE IN WORD-SIGNIFICATION. Change of meaning consists in a widening or narrowing of its scope Distinction between 'usual' and 'occasionar meanings—Distinc- tion between 'abstract' and 'concrete' meanings—PJurahty of meaning— Means by which abstract words may receive in their occasional uses a concrete meaning—Means by which meanino- is specialised—The occasional meaning does not necessarily include —— CONTENTS. all the elements of the 'usual' meaning—Transference to things spatially, temporally, or causally connected with the original denota- ' tion—Change of usage effected by occasional ' modification Classification of changes of meaning—Specialisation—Increase of connotation—Limitation to a part of the original connotation Transference to things spatially, temporally, or causally associated — Combination of the above classes—Change of meaning in groups of words—Scope of meaning conditioned by the state of culture of the individual speaker—Scope of meaning conditioned by the state of culture of the whole society, ..... 65 CHAPTER V. ON ANALOGY. Material- and formal-groups—Proportion-groups—Material-formal in- fluence of proportional groups upon speech (analogical creation) —Analogical creation in syntax—Analogy in inflexion and word- formation — Divergence of analogical formation from usage — Analogy in sound-substitution, ..... 92 CHAPTER VI. THE FUNDAMENTAL FACTS OF SYNTAX. of several A sentence is the linguistic expression of the combination ideas—Means of denoting the combination—Means of distinguishing subject and predicate—Emphasis, position, etc. —Concrete and abstract sentences—Sentences of apparently one element only Impersonal verbs—Negative sentences—Sentences of assertion and demand— Interrogative sentences—Extension of the sentence- Double subject—Double object—Use of a sentence as subject or predicate — Union of dependence and independence — Indirect speech— Sentence in