The simplification of English spelling : specially adapted for the rising generation : an easy way of saving time in writing, printing, and reading / by George Harley.

  • Harley, George, 1829-1896.
Date:
1877
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The simplification of English spelling : specially adapted for the rising generation : an easy way of saving time in writing, printing, and reading / by George Harley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    108/130 (page 94)
    Welsh mode of expression entails upon the human vocal organs, in its utterance, an un- necessarily great amount of labor, while in writing it necessitates a needless waste of time and space. 2nd. As regards euphony.* This is a subject that we must handle with great caution, otherwise we shall engender a flame of fury in many a patriotic breast. All Welshmen, without exception, that we have ever spoken to on the subject, and their name is legion, staunchly declare that their language is a most euphonious one, and they will no doubt consider that it is grossly maligned if we have the hardihood to opine that we con- sider their views on this point to be erroneous. As philology has no compunction of conscience in its linguistic criticism, in order to be impartial, we fear that, even at the risk of raising Cymerian ire, we must give a candid opinion, and state that to our ear, at least, Welsh, even when proceeding from the lips of a pretty Welshwoman, has never appeared to us particularly euphonious. In fact, it sounds to our ears not only inferior to Italian, and Spanish ; but even to French. * The euphony of a language is in a great measure pro- portionate to the number of vowels it contains.