Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 18:72 (Oct 1861)
Article: A Review Of Some Points In Bopps Comparative Grammar
Author: Leonard Tafel

BSac 18:72 (Oct 1861) p. 771

A Review Of Some Points In Bopps Comparative Grammar1

Leonard Tafel2

On reviewing the labors of the modern scholars in the province of language, we find that in Germany especially they have cultivated this field in almost all possible directions, and although they frequently seem to arrive at contradictory results, these results, nevertheless, are necessarily supplementary to each other, and advance the cause of philology as a whole. While the adherents of the old school confine their studies to the classical languages, and devote themselves more to the cultivation of syntax, the modern school, or that of comparative philology, after starting many and sometimes absurd hypotheses, have at length arrived at a profound knowledge of the laws of analogy, which none of its followers could violate with impunity in his investigations. Indeed, the growth of the various grammatical formations in the languages belonging to the Indo-European stock has been so clearly traced out by this school, and is so well supported by facts, that it may be safely asserted that future investigations must rest upon them as their foundation. These investigations of comparative philology, moreover, throw light on many hitherto dark portions of history, proving from the common stock of words and the cognate development of the forms of their languages

BSac 18:72 (Oct 1861) p. 772

that many detached nations of the present day belong to the same race, and were originally united. Indeed, comparative philology even points out the length of the period when they were thus united, and the time when they separated, and it furnishes information as to the state of the mental culture of these aboriginal people and their mode of living, and thus supplies the place of direct historical documents.

To Mr. Bopp is due the praise of having acted as a pioneer in this new field of human science, but around him have gathered other congenial minds, and under his leadership they have fought bravely against all kinds of opposition in order to plant securely the standard of their new science. Mr. Bopp has been enabled to lay before the learned public a new edition of his Comparative Grammar, which, according to his own statement, has been entirely remodelled. A few weak positions have been abandoned, because they were untenable, and others taken in their place which are in advance of the former. This new edition may be regarded as a very complete repertory of all investigations made by Mr. Bopp and others since the publication of his first edition. The learned author has subjected all theories put forth by others to a close scrutiny, and has either adopted or refuted them. Most of the...