ANGLO-FRENCH AND GRECO-TURKISH.

Colonist, Volume XIV, Issue 1383, 27 December 1870, Page 2

ANGLO-FRENCH AND GRECO-TURKISH.

Hating made magnificent failures in simple English, and produced some rare combinations of very peculiar Anglican French, the Examiner, with judicious ambition for philological honors, now sets up as a teacher of Greek and Turkish! It professes to correct an alleged mistake in last week's " Talk" in this journal in which the words " Hagia Sofia" (Holy wisdom) were termed Turkish. The Examiner, in large type (its most glaring errors always are in large type) declares that it is not Turkish but Greek, and possibly the able linguistic editor has been in Stanrboul and knows, though that may bo doubted. Originally Greek, and possibly Greek still, when spelled with the "pb," the words "Hagia Sofia," are nevertheless Turkish also, a most natural result, seeing that they have been used by the Turks ever since they captured Constantinople (Byzantium then) in the fifteenth century ; and if four hundred years are not sufficient to naturalise a couple of words referring to a splendid structure that fills all eyes in Constantinople, perhaps our critic will explain what would become of a large percentage of our current English vocabulary. He probably will also be able to say that " Hadji," " Howadji," and " Hajj," are not Turkish, because the original Hebrew word " Hag" signifying the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, has been adopted by the Turks, as "Hajj," signifying the pilgrimage to Mecca, the Holy City of the Moslems. " Hajj," however, happens to be Turkish (originally Arabic), and Hadji, or Howadji is the proud sacred title of the Turk who has performed the pilgrimage. Hag, Hagia, and Hajj have no doubt a' common origin, the root being Hag in the Hebrew tongue. But it is not pretended here to teach either Turkish or Greek; we only protest against the Examiner, after recent displays, setting up as a professor of languages. As to the words disputed abqut, the foregoing philological facts bear out the statement we made, which was founded on the narrative of an old school-fellow who for many years dwelt under the shadow of St. Sophia's dome.