“Turtle Dove” (English.) Turtur (Latin.) T.r, T.ou.r (Hebrew.)
The connexion between the Hebrew and the English is remarkably complete, the same words occurring in both languages unchanged in sound and sense! A few examples are subjoined, consisting in many cases of words of pure Anglo-Saxon origin, rarely or never used by the refined classes of society.
N.k.m, To avenge, (Hebrew,) To nick (English.)—N.g.o, To touch, To draw nigh, (Hebrew,) Nudge, Nigh (English.)—B.r, A Son, (Hebrew,) Bairn (L. Scotch,) Brat (English.)—Sh.c.l, To be wise, Wisdom, Cunning, (Hebrew,) Skill (English.)—B.k.sh, To seek, To petition, [pg 123] (Hebrew,) Bhikshati, Beggeth, (Sans.) Beg (English.)—Sh.l.t, A Shield, (Hebrew,) Shield (English,) Shalita, Covered, (Sanscrit,) Shalitra, “Shelter,” (Sanscrit,) Shelter (English,) Shieling (L. Scotch.)—L.b, The Heart, Feeling, Will, (Hebrew,) Liebe, Love, (German,) Lief, Dear, Willingly, (English.)
Colonel Vans Kennedy, to whom we are indebted for a very able work conclusively showing the original identity of the Sanscrit and English and other languages termed Indo-European, is one of the most strenuous opponents of the supposition that a connexion may be shown to exist between these languages and the Hebrew, an idea which he treats as in the highest degree visionary and delusive! In the following, as in some of the previous examples, the instances of resemblance between the Sanscrit and the English which this writer has himself selected are compared with Hebrew words, identical with these terms in sound and sense! In many cases it will be seen that the Hebrew terms are even nearer to the English than the Sanscrit terms are!
Măhătwah (Sans.) Might (Eng.) M.a.d, “Might,” (Heb.)—Rosha, Rāga (Sans.) Rage (Eng.) R.g.z (Heb.)—Kupam, A Receptacle, (Sans.) Coop (Eng.) K.ph.ts, To shut, close up, contract, (Heb.)—Duhitr (Sans.) Daughter (Eng.) Dochter (Scotch.) D.g, To multiply, (Heb.) Tek-os, Progeny; Tek-on, Bringing forth, (Greek.)—Shringa (Sans.) Horn (Eng.) Cornu (Lat.) K.r.n (Heb.)—Āpăt, A Calamity, (Sans.) Ab.ad.n, Destruction, (Heb.)—Bălăwān, Powerful, (Sans.) B.o.l, A Master, to have power, (Heb.) “Baal,” i.e. The Ruler, name of an idol.—Shira, The Head, (Sans.) Sh.r, A Prince, A Ruler, (Heb.)—Ghăshăti (Sans.) Gusheth (Eng.) G.sh.m, To rain, A violent Shower, (Heb.) “Geesers,” Fountains of Hot Water in Iceland.—Grŭshta (Sans.) Grist (Eng.) G.r.s, To break, crush to pieces, Wheat beaten out, (Heb.)—Torati (Sans.) Teareth, Tore, [pg 124] (Eng.) T.r.ph, To tear off, To tear to pieces, (Heb.) Tori (Welsh.)—Diyati (Sans.) Dieth (Eng.) Dee.e, Blackness of colour,[102] (Heb.) Dee.ou.a, The Devil, (Syriac.) Dee.ou.v, Ink, (Heb.) Dee, Black, (Welsh.)—Pesati (Sans.) Paceth (Eng.) Psh.o, To pass, a pace, (Heb.)—Rănăti (Sans.) Runneth (Eng.) R.n (Heb.)—Shara (Sans.) Gar. Arrow (Ang.-Sax.) Sh.r.ee.e, A Dart, (Heb.)—Shatati (Sans.) Shutteth; Sheath, (Eng.) S.th.m, To stop up, hide, conceal, S.th.ce.m.e, A Secret, (Heb.) Stum, Dumb, (Ger.)
It must be quite evident that in these examples the affinity in words between the Hebrew and the Indo-European languages is as close as that which exists among those languages themselves. The difference of grammatical forms has been much insisted upon. This ground, where it occurs, has already been proved to afford no evidence of a remote difference of race. (See p. [89].) But in treating of the North American Indian dialects, I shall show that no such grammatical difference does exist in this instance, the Hebrew pronouns, which are the basis of its grammar, being identical with those of the Welsh,[103] now considered to be a member of the Indo-European group of tongues.
Chapter V. Identity Of The Egyptians With The Indians, Jews, And Other Branches Of The Human Race.
Section I.