Class name for a division of the Wendic or Slavonic branch of the Aryan family of languages, represented by (1) the Old-Prussian, extinct; (2) Lithuanian, the Lettish of Lithuania; (3) Livonian, the Lettish of Livonia.
⁂ Dr. Latham considers that the Lett or Lithuanian should form a class by itself, but Prof. Max Müller combines them with the Slavonic as a branch of Wendic.
Letters.
The constituent parts of an alphabet, distinguished by form, name, and sound. The primitive forms of early letters have been traced by some to picture writing, and the objects so represented are said to have originated the early names: thus, the ox—“aleph,” used as a symbol, has become letter A; “beth”—a house, has become B; “ghimel”—a camel, has become G, or C, and so on. See [Phonology].
Letti.
Malayan: a dialect of the Serwatty Is., allied to Timorese.
Lettish.
The special language of Livonia and Kurland; it is, like the Lithuanic, a form of, or allied to the Slavonic language. Bielenstein: “Grammatik,” Mitau, 1863. See [Lief].
Lhopa.
Native name for the people of Bhotan or Bútan. Vocaby. in Hunter’s “Comp. Dicty.” See [Bhot].