Monosyllabic Languages of Asia [pp. 87-109]

Monosyllabic Languages of dsia.
tions, so that the number of tones is by some reckoned at eight,
and by others at twelve or thirteen. Most of these are beyond
the ear as well as the tongue of a foreigner. Thus the syllable
shu, according to its pronunciation, signifies a book, a tree,
great heat, to tell, the dawn, rain and to rain, clemency, to
be accustomed, to lose a bet, and I know not how much besides. Tshun, signifies master, swine, kitchen, pillar, liberal,
to prepare, old woman, to break, tending, little, to moisten,
slave, prisoner, &c. Each of these significations has again, further, its figurative uses. So that many words have fifty meanings, which even the most subtile modulation of a Chinese voice
cannot distinguish. In such cases a word is often added to give
explanation. Tofuh, father, is added the word tshin, relationship. So also mu-tshin, mother. In writing, this auxiliary is
omitted, because every signification has its appropriate symbol.
By means of these tones, reckoned to be five, the Chinese have
from their three hundred and twenty-eight radicals 1625 different words. And as each of these may be aspirated or not, the
treasure of words is increased thereby to three thousand two
hundred and fifty, or, according to the highest reckoning, to
seven thousand seven hundred; which the fine ear of a Chinese,
trained to it from his youth, can always readily distinguish. It
has been said that this diversity of tone reduces the speech of
the Chinese to song; but this is unfounded. The Chinese sings
as little as the Frenchman, who marks in utterance the distinction between the words l'eau, lots, and l'os.
These three thousand two hundred and fifty, or, at the utmost,
seven thousand and seven hundred words, constitute the entire
verbal treasure of the Chinese, and must suffice, together with
the sometimes strangely figurative meanings, to express all ideas,
whether abstract or concrete. It may easily be imagined how
awkward is the device. As they are all of one syllable, there can
be here no distinction of the parts of speech, but each particular
word may be an adjective, substantive, verb or particle. And
since every thing like derivation, or proper flexion is here precluded as means of expressing manifold accessory ideas and
modifications, so also declension and conjugation, strictly so called, are wanting. In the most prominent instances, however,
the China-man can avail himself of circumlocution. He denotes
the genitive by the particle ti or tie, appended to the noun; the
dative byju, and the ablative by tung or tsung, the last two
being prefixed. Thus, Geh, Love; genitive Geh ti; dative Ju
Geh, ablative Tung, or Tsung Geh. So also in the plural.
Quih ju tshin, dear to men. Ni-leh tung ta, come with him.
The plural is denoted by a prefix signifying truth. Tu-tshin, a
1834.]
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