Their high linguistic importance

Originally more numerous .

Impressions provoke expressions. Ancient stories

FROM IMITATIVE SOUNDS TO INTELLIGENT SPEECH.

Sounds developed into words

Sounds, to become signs, must have been self-explaining
The only theory of Language

CHAPTER XII.

ONOMATOPOEIA.

Matter-words and Form-words

Sounds as the signs of other sounds

Vocal imitation only a stepping-stone for Language

Sounds became Words

Imitation the starting-point

New words, not self-explicative, never succeed
Second objection. 'Animal-names not Imitative'
A few such instances would prove nothing
But nearly all of those adduced are Imitative
As may be seen by their cognate forms:

Third objection.

The root 'cuckoo'

The root'cru'

Onomatopeias are sterile'

General predicative 'roots' inconceivable .
Onomatopoeia a luminous principle of Etymology
Immense fertility of Imitative roots

Fertility of the primitive sounds ma, ta, da, &c.
Onomatopoeias even among the numerals

Their high linguistic importance

Originally more numerous .

Impressions provoke expressions. Ancient stories

The Idea of Speech

Instinctive evolution of Language

Myths, indicative of Onomatopoeia

CHAPTER XI.

FROM IMITATIVE SOUNDS TO INTELLIGENT SPEECH.

Sounds developed into words

121

Connection between Sound and Sense

121

Sounds, to become signs, must have been self-explaining
The only theory of Language

CHAPTER XII.

ONOMATOPOEIA.

Matter-words and Form-words

Sounds as the signs of other sounds

Vocal imitation only a stepping-stone for Language

Sounds became Words

Imitation the starting-point

CHAPTER XIII.

OBJECTIONS TO THE THEORY; HOW REFUTED.

First objection. Onomatopeias few in number'
Dictionaries of them

They become greatly modified in form

Just as alphabetic letters lose their pictorial significance
The Hebrew Alphabet

Animal-names not Imitative'

A few such instances would prove nothing

But nearly all of those adduced are Imitative
As may be seen by their cognate forms:

The word Goose'

The word 'Hen'

The word 'Dove'
The word 'Hog'
The word 'Cat'

The word 'Dog'

General predicative 'roots' inconceivable .

Onomatopoeia a luminous principle of Etymology.
Immense fertility of Imitative roots

Fertility of the primitive sounds ma, ta, da, &c.
Onomatopoeias even among the numerals

CHAPTER XV.

DIGNITY OF ONOMATOPOEIA.

Language an echo of Nature

Fourth objection. Onomatopaias are modern'

If true, an argument in their favour

Their function in Poetry

Harmonies of Language

Feebleness of abstraction among uncivilised races

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE PART PLAYED BY THE IMAGINATION.

'How are ideas not expressive of sound to be accounted for by

'Ideas of going'

'Ideas of standing'

'Ideas of tasting'.

202

CHAPTER XIX.

METAPHOR.

Sound, the exponent of things soundless

All impressions subjective

The Sensorium Commune .

Instinctively observed analogies of different senses

Light and Sound

Other senses