A PLAN FOR TRANSLATING LANGUAGES, WITHOUT STUDY, OR ANY PREVIOUS ACQUAINTANCE THEREWITH. BY HENRY MATTHEWS. s i /" umber Word 1 ... Y Explanation. in which the universal num- ber of each word will appear, 2 .. K — r but not in numerical order. ii CI \J Universal Word. Explanation. Number. 4 .. M — A 4379 B 472 C 7316 The way in which communication can be made with languages using an unknown character. In those languages in which the common Arabic numeral is not used or known, the characters by which they express numbers may be placed beyond N - the Arabic characters, thus : In order to be understood by a foreigner, a person first writes a letter in his own language. He then re- fers to Book, No. 2. for each word : there he finds 273 its number. This number he places over it, thus; or he may send the numbers only ; the significations against which being the same in all languages, such letter can be understood in all languages, by means ►of their numerical vocabulary, No. 1. If a person write to a foreigner who he thinks has not an interpreting dictionary, he may himself trans- late it, before he sends it, by the same means. A person wishing to interpret a foreign book, re- fers to vocabulary, No. 2, of that language, for each word; the number of which, in his own numerical vocabulary, No. 1, gives him its meaning. It will be perceived, that this plan will give a literal translation, not of sentences, but of single words, or their significations; so that sometimes the words will not stand exactly in the same order in which a native would have placed, them. However, they never can be so far out of place, as that the proper idea can be lost. To translate a foreign book by this means, fit for the public eye, it will be proper to revise each sen- tence, and place the sense in words which flow most easy, in the same way that all other kinds of trans- lations are given. The way in which an endless variety of plans for private correspondence may be carried on from this dictionary, is simply for any two persons to agree what letter or private mark they will substitute for each numeral* 6 For instance, the following marks, o ( ) 7 'J 1 / \ - . n)ay be called, 12345 6789 If the work now proposed were only an abridg- ment of a dictionary that could not be of general use, or were it to occupy considerable time in learning, some doubt might be entertained of its general ac- ceptation ; but when it is remembered, that it is a complete dictionary, in the different languages in which it is published, no doubt can possibly remain. Although this work will be found useful to the learned in languages, yet that is not the principal proposed end : if it had been, the variations in verbs, persons, tenses, and genders, might have been dis- tinguished by particular characters placed before or after them,, and thereby the bulk of the work much compressed. But to attain a knowledge of these ab- breviations, would be nearly as difficult as learning a system of short-hand, or acquiring a new language; after which, their writing could only be understood by those acquainted with this plan. This work wilt widely differ from any thing that has hitherto been suggested for the accomplishment of this desirable object. It may be properly called a dictionary of significations or single ideas ; and will show by what, character, word, or words, each signification is ex- pressed, in every language into which the plan may be translated. After all the significations the English language is capable of expressing are properly ar- ranged, the learned in languages will be consulted, to. ascertain what foreign words there are capable of ex-» pressing ideas which cannot be properly expressed by the English language. With these, our language (already richj^may still be more enriched. When this work is so completed, all these significations, however they are expressed, whether by a letter, a word, or by several words, must then be numbered r the English language will so become fixed as a dead language. The poorer languages, and those which are but little better than dialects, will be enriched from this fixed source, all their deficiency being supplied with English. The facilities this plan certainly will afford to the learner are so great, that, after it is published,, no one will ever study a foreign language without it. Its usefulness as a school-book will readily be admitted; for by it, the younger scholars, at the time they are learning to spell, will acquire a Tery considerable knowledge of grammar, of ready writing, of a correct pronunciation, and of a foreign language. All these kinds of knowledge, together with the habit of appli- cation, will simultaneously be acquired by simply learning to spell and read by this book. Let it be supposed that a given number of scholars of one class, two of whom stand up to read, one with the Eng- lish, the other with the French dictionary on this plan : the boy with the English book pronounces dis- tinctly a word, which all write down: the boy with the French dictionary then reads the corresponding word in the French, (having first acquired the proper pronunciation of all the words he is to read for that exercise:) this French word each boy writes against the English. By writing from the ear, the proper 8 sound of letters, both English and French, will be more correctly acquired ; and all those words which are wrong spelt, will have to be written again and learned by heart. The same scholars being sometimes readers, other times writers, will not only gain the habit of pro- nouncing and writing correctly, but, by constantly reading in a book in which the different parts of speech are so fully expressed, they will become great proficients in an essential branch of grammar, before they know they have begun to study grammar at all* It therefore must recommend itself as a school-book. If the managers of respectable schools would sub- scribe for six copies only, and intelligent parents and guardians of youth for only one, a means would thereby be afforded for carrying into effect a work which will, perhaps, prove not less happj' in its future consequences, than the art of printing itself. It will take the light from under the bushel, and place it where its congenial beams will enlighten the whole world. For by rendering translation a pleasing exer- cise for children, their amusements will contribute to strengthen their understandings, by translating and then correcting the uncouth words which will some- times appear in literal translations. The facilities this plan will afford to merchants, by enabling them to correspond with foreigners, are so great, that it is presumed no English merchant will neglect to patronise it. The philanthropist, the patriot, the philosopher, and the Christian, now hail knowledge as the cure for all the calamities of suffering nature. Through 9 i the gloom of the middle ages, when the horrible reign of inquisitorial darkness overwhelmed the world, this was not the case ; but now another spirit is gone forth, ignorance must flee, and knowledge be tri- umphant over the whole earth. The philanthropist has discovered that it is to ignorance the cells of our prisons are indebted for their inhabitants. The patriot asserts, that the enemies of law and good order are seldom to be found among the educated. Those who are taught how beneficial reflection is, know that no policy exceeds honesty. And the religious are aware that, when mankind have sufficient light to discover that God is really love, they will love him ; and, loving him, they will work no ill to their neighbour. Those who do indeed think that light and knowledge will do evil to mankind at large, should use all means to suppress this work. But if any think that light will effect more good than evil, such, no doubt, will exert themselves to obtain subscribers, and thereby co-operate in producing that good. The very few superfluous words, such as the double negative in the French, &c. can, at first sight, be discovered by a common capacity, and struck out, or supplied, as may be required. The verbatim translation of the first Psalm, from an old French Bible, is furnished as an example, which will apply equally to all languages, and show how near perfection this plan may be brought, if placed under the superintendance of the learned. Public appro- bation, however, will be first ascertained, as it will not be brought forward except it can be done in a style that will not disgrace the republic of letters. 10 This tract is published merely to secure the copy- right ; and if literary gentlemen will condescend to usher it into the world, or notice it in any way, and likewise receive subscribers' names, they will confer an obligation on its author. It is not his present intention expensively to advertise, until the opinion of men of letters is ascertained. Two or three, of superior talents, have expressed their pleasure at the ingenuity, importance, and simplicity of the plan ; and they strongly recommend its publication. The work, in English, may be completed in three volumes. Its powers may be judged of by only leaving out the few small words within the paren- theses, in the following example. PSEAUME I. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10* 1. O que bien-heureux est le personnage qui ne 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 ehemine point suivant le conseil des mechans, & qui 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 ne s'arrete point au train des pecheurs, & qui ne 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 s'assied point au banc des moqueurs; 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 2. Mais duquel le plaisir est en la loy de TEternel^ 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58. tellement qu'il medite jour & nuit en sa loy. 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 3. Car il sera comme un arbre plante pres des 68 69 ( 70 ) 71 72 73 74 75 ruisseaux d'eaux-courantes, qui rend son fruit en 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 sa saison, & du quel le feuillage ne fletrit point: 11 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 & ainsi tout ce qu'il fera viendra a bien. 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 4. II n'en sera pas ainsi des medians: mais 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 iJs seront comme de la bale que le vent chasse ( 115 ) au loin. 116 117 118 U9 120 121 122 5. C'est pourquoi les medians ne subsisteront 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 point en jugement, ni les pecheurs en 1'assemblec 132 133 des justes; 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 6. Car l'Eternel avoue le train des justes, 142 143 144 145 146 147. mais le train des medians perira. PSALM I. 2345678 9 10 1. Oh! how very happy is the person who (not) li 12 ( 13 ) 14 15 ( 16 ) 17 18 walks not according to the counsel of the wicked, and 19 20 21 22 23 ( 24 ) 25 26 27 who (not) himself stops not in the way of sinners, 28 29 30 31 32 33 ( 34 ) 35 ( 36 ) and who (not) himself sits not on the seat of the 37 scorners. 38 ( 39 ) 40 41 42 43 44 43 46 2. But of whom the pleasure is in the law of 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 the Lord, so that he meditates day and night in 57 58. his law. 12 59 60 ( 61 ) 62 63 64 65 66 67 3. For he shall be as a tree planted near the 68 69 ( 70 ) 71 72 73 74 75 rivers of waters flowing, which yields its fruit in 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 its season, and of which the leaves (not) wither 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 ( 92 ) 93 not; and thus all that which he shall do will 94 95 96. come to good. 97 98 ( 99 ) 100 101 ( 102 ) 103 4. It (not) shall be not thus of the wicked; 104 105 ( 106 ) 107 108 109 110 111 112 but they shall be like unto the chaff which the 113 114 115. wind driveth far, 116 117 ( H8 ) 119 120 121 (122 5. That is for which the wicked (not) shall 122 ) 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 subsist not in judgment, nor (the) sinners in 130 131 ( 132 ) 133. the assembly of the righteous. 134 135 136 137 138 139 ( 140 ) 6. For the Lord owneth the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish. 141 142 143 144 ( 145 ) 146 ( 147. ) The names of those who wish to take one or more copies, will most likely be received at the publishers' of the works which kindly condescend to notice the plan. If public approbation is thus made to appear, the work will be carried on without delay. It is requested that all communications made, be post paid. Harvey, "arum, and Co. Priiuer*t Gtaccchurcli-Stfeet, London. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 003 096 915 7