Q. After the confusion of tongues and the dispersion of mankind, into what families lingual were they divided?
A. Into Shemetic, Hametic, and Japhetic. The descendants of Shem peopled central Asia, particularly the parts about the Euphrates. The dialect or language called Aramaic prevailed in their northern and northeastern territory, the Arabic in their southern, and in their central and western the Hebrew. These are cognate languages, and profitably studied in connection. The descendants of Japheth spread over Europe and the northwest of Asia. Those of Ham occupied the southern part of the globe, particularly Africa. The languages spoken in these sections, respectively, may also be grouped together, and, however different, give evidence of a common origin. The general division into the above three classes has been found convenient, though the patronymics are used only to indicate remote origin and kinship.
[C. S. L. C. NOTES ON REQUIRED READINGS FOR OCTOBER.]
HISTORY OF GREECE.
Instead of indicating the sounds of the vowels in the Greek and Latin names given in the notes, we follow the plan of Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, giving rules for pronouncing the vowels and consonants. As the two principal marks (¯ ͝ ) are in Greek and Latin used differently from what they are in English, indicating the quantity instead of quality, it will be found less confusing to adopt this method.
RULES FOR THE VOWELS.
1. Any vowel at the end of an accented syllable, and e, o, and u, at the end of an unaccented syllable, have the long English sound.
2. A, ending an unaccented syllable, has the sound of a in father, or in last.
3. I, ending a final syllable, has the long sound. At the end of an initial unaccented syllable it varies between i long and i short (like i in pin). In all other cases i, ending an unaccented syllable, is short.