The name of the most ancient alphabet of the Syrians. It is a modification of the ordinary Hebrew square characters, but adapted to the reed, which the Syrians used instead of pens. Its name signifies “the gospel character,” it having been retained by the scribes for the copying of the scriptures and ritual books long after it had given way to more cursive styles of writing in ordinary works. See Dr. Land’s “Anecdota Syriaca,” vol. i., which contains twenty-five pages of specimens of the most famous MSS. in the British Museum, together with a palæographical introduction. R. P. S.
Etchemin.
American: a dialect of New England, belonging to the Abenaki division of the Algonkin class. The name tells us that it was spoken in the State of Maine.
⁂ See Barratt: “The Indian, &c.,” Middletown, Conn., 1851; Vocaby., “Amer. Ethnol.,” vol. ii., p. 109.
Ethiopic.
Semitic: An extinct dialect of Arabic, closely resembling Amharic, and written in large uncial characters resembling Himyaritic; it was spoken in Abyssinia, anciently called Ethiopia, and is known to the natives as “Lisana Gheëz.” See Ludolph; Schrader: “De Lingua Æthiopica,” Göttingen, 1860; Dillman: “Lexicon, Grammar, and Chrestomathy,” Leipsig, 1857-66.
Ethnology.
The study of mankind in tribes, races, and nations; treating of all that relates to their physical characteristics, their language, manners, customs, religion, &c. Somewhat different from the word Anthropology. See Latham: “Descriptive Ethnology,” and others; Prichard: “Physical History of Mankind,” and others.
Etrurian or Etruscan.
An early dialect of Italy, known only from inscriptions; it is classed by some as Thraco-Pelasgic or Greco-Latin. The Etruscans were the most dominant power of Italy in pre-Roman times; their native appellation was Ras or Rasena, but the Latins called them Tusci, the Greeks called them Tyrrhenians. The Abbé Migne has discussed the whole question. See “Dict. de Linguistique,” &c., folios 554-600, where the authorities are cited and references given. Works by Mrs. Gray, Lord Crawfurd, Döderlein, Müller, Betham, Zeuss, Mommsen, and Steub. See Palæo-Georgian.