Note 14 — CHAP. VI.
Reading edition
For the curiosity of those who may be inclined to speculate in etymological comparisons between the Chinese and other languages, I here subjoin a short list of words in the former, expressing some of the most striking objects in the creation, a few subjects of natural history, and of such articles as from their general use are familiar to most nations, these being of all others the most likely to have retained their primitive names. The orthography I have used is that of the English language.
The Earthtee
The Airkee
Fireho
Waterswee
The Seahai
A Riverho
A Laketang
A Mountainshan
A Wildernessye-tee
The Sunjee-to
The Moonyué
The Starssing
The Cloudsyun
Rainyeu
Hailswee-tan
Snowswé
Iceping
Thunderluie
Lightningshan-tien
The Windfung
The Dayjee or tien
The Nightye or van shang
The Sky or Heaventien
The Easttung
The Westsee
The Northpee
The Southnan
Manjin
Womanfoo-jin
A Quadrupedshoo
A Birdkin
A Fisheu
An Insecttchong
A Planttsau
A Treeshoo
A Fruitko-ste
A Flowerwha
A Stoneshee
Goldtchin
Silverin tse
Coppertung
Leadyuen
Irontié
The Headtoo
The Handshoo
The Heartsin
The Legkoo
The Foottchiau
The Facemien
The Eyesyen-shing
The Earscul-to
The Hairtoo fa
An oxnieu
A Camelloo-too
A Horsema
An Assloo-tse
A Dogkioon
A Frogtchoo
A Sheepyang
A Goat, or mountain Sheepshan-yang
A Catmiau
A Stagshan loo
A Pidgeonkoo-tse
Poultrykee
An Eggkee-tan
A Goosegoo
Oilyeo
Ricemee
Milknai
Vinegartsoo
Tobaccoyen
Saltyen
Silktsoo
Cottonmien-wha
Flax Plantma
Hempma
Wool (Sheep's Hair)yangmau
Coalstan
Sugartang
Cheese, they have none but thick Milknai-ping, or iced milk
A Houseshia
A Templemiau
A Bedtchuang
A Doormen
A Tabletai
A Chairye-tzé
A Knifetau
A Pitcherping
A Ploughlee
An Anchormau
A Shiptchuan
Moneytsien
I must observe, however, for the information of these philologists, that scarcely two provinces in China have the same oral language. The officers and their attendants who came with us from the capital could converse only with the boatmen of the southern provinces, through the medium of an interpreter. The character of the language is universal, but the name or sound of the character is arbitrary. If a convention of sounds could have been settled like a convention of marks, one would suppose that a commercial intercourse would have effected it, at least in the numeral sounds, that must necessarily be interchanged from place to place and myriads of times repeated from one corner of the empire to the other. Let us compare then the numerals of Pekin with those of Canton, the two greatest cities in China.
Pekin.Canton.
1.Yeyat
2.ulye
3.sansaam
4.soosee
5.ouum
6.leulok
7.tcheetsat
8.paspat
9.tcheukow
10.sheeshap
11.shee-yeshap-yat
12.shee-ulshap-ye
20.ul-sheeye-shap
30.san-sheesaam-shap
31.san-shee-yesaam-shap-yat
32.san-shee-ulsaam-shap-ye
100.pepaak
1000.tsientseen
10,000.vanman
100,000.she-vanshap-man
If then, in this highly civilized empire, the oral language of the northern part differs so widely from the southern that, in numerous instances, by none of the etymological tricks[15] can they be brought to bear any kind of analogy; if the very word which in Pekin implies the number one, be used in Canton to express two, how very absurd and ludicrous must these learned and laboured dissertations appear, that would assign an oriental origin to all our modern languages?