Irish to have had its original. As for the Turkish Tongue, that is originally no other but the Asiatic Tartar, mixed with Armenian and Persian, some Greek, and much Arabic.
3. The Hungarian used in the greatest part of that Kingdom.
4. The Finnic, used in Finland and Lapland.
5. The Cantabrian, used amongst the Biscainers, who live near the Ocean on the Pyrene hills, bordering both upon France and Spain.
6. The Irish, in Ireland, and from thence brought over into some parts of Scotland. Though Mr. Camden would have this to be a derivation from the Welsh.
7. The old Gaulish or British, which is yet preserved in Wales, Cornwall, and Britain in France
Enquiries, chap. 4.To this number Mr. Brerewood both add four others, viz.
1. The Arabic, now used in the steep mountains of Granata; which yet is a Dialect from the Hebrew, and not a Mother-tongue.
2. The Cauchian, in East-Friseland.
3. The Illyrian, in the lsle of Veggia.
4. The Jazygian, on the North side of Hungary.
§. IV.Besides this difference of Languages in their first derivation, every particular Tongue hath its several Dialects. Though Judæa were a region of а very narrow compass, yet was it not without its varieties of this kind: witness the story concerning Judges 12.
Judges 18. 3.
Matth. 26. 73.Shibboleth and Sibboleth; and that of the Levite, who was discovered by his manner of speech; and S. Peter's being known for a Galilæan. ’Tis so generally in other Countries, and particularly with us in England, where the Northern and Western inhabitants do observe a different dialect from other parts of the Nation, as may appear from that particular instance mentioned by Verstegan. Whereas the inhabitants about London would say, I would eat more cheese if I had it. A Northern man would speak it thus, Ay sud eat mare cheese gyn ay had et. And a Western man thus, Chud eat more cheese an chad it.
Every one of these reputed Mother-tongues, except the Arabic, (and perhaps the Hungarian) was used in Europe during the time of the Roman Empire. But whether they were all of them so ancient as the Confusion of Babel, doth not appear; there wants not good probability to the contrary for some of them.
Georg. Hornii Epist. in Boxhornii Origines Gallic.It hath been the opinion of some, particularly Boxhornius, that the Scythian Tongue was the common mother from which both the Greek, Latin, German and Persian were derived, as so many Dialects; and 'tis said that Salmasius did incline to the same judgment. And Philip Cluverius conjectures, that both Germans, Gauls, Spaniards, Britans, Swedes and Norwegians, did anciently use one and the same Language. One principal argument used for this is, the agreement of those remote Nations in some radical words. Joseph Scaliger observes that the words, Father, Mother, Brother, Bond, &c. are used in the Persian tongue, with some little variety, in the same sense and signification as they are used with us. In Epist.And Busbequius relates, that the inhabitants of Taurica Chersonesus have divers words in the same sense common with us, as Wine, Silver, Corn, Salt, Fish, Apple, &c. But this might be merely casual, ог else occasioned by a mixture of Colonies, and will not argue a derivation of one from