Diksionar de Idiom Neutral

PREFACE

In publishing this Dictionary of the Neutral Language, something must be premised as to the origin of the latter, for very few are aware that there exists a well organized international society, to which the language owes its origin.

After many fruitless attempts — and all by eminent scholars — had been made in the course of the last three hundred years to construct an artificial language that would serve to facilitate intercourse between persons of different nationalities, in the year 1879 Rev. J. M. Schleyer of Litzelstetten, Baden, succeeded in excogitating such a language, called Volapük, which at the time attracted general notice, since the grammar of this language, in contradistinction to the difficult grammars of the living languages, is surprisingly simple; in a few hours the rules could be acquired and correspondence immediately entered upon with the aid of a dictionary.

This simplicity caused many to learn the interesting language, and after a few years Volapük was so widely spread that there were hundreds of Volapük clubs, and over twenty Volapük papers were published.

Soon, however, complaints arose as to certain imperfections of the language: some Volapükists arbitrarily introduced changes or corrections, which were not recognized by others, among them the inventor; disagreements arose, and in consequence it was universally deemed desirable to call into existence a society which would preserve the unity of the language and perfect Volapük.

Such a society, under the name of International Academy of the Universal Language, was founded by the Volapük congress, held in Munich in the year 1887, and the statutes of this Academy were ratified by the international Volapük congress held in Paris in the year 1889; by which statutes the Academy is to this day guided. At first seventeen persons, from twelve different countries, were chosen to constitute the Academy; later the number of members fluctuated between fifteen and thirty-six. The labors of the Academy could be carried on only in writing, since the members lived in various localities (in Europe, America, Africa and Asia).

In the beginning the Academy was occupied with the discussion of grammatical questions; later, when it was seen that very many words are common to most European languages and consequently are already familiar to those speaking a European language, e.g. tenor, plan, basin brutal, and that therefore all these world-words must find favor in a language intended for international communication, the Volapük words, which are to a great extent taken from the English, but often so distorted as to be unrecognizable, were replaced by international words.

Now, as the result of the labors of the Academy, a language has arisen — called Neutral Language (Idiom Neutral), — which has retained the good qualities of Volapük, but differs essentially from Volapük in this, that it consists almost exclusively of international words, and can thus, whether spoken or written, be understood by every educated man almost without any previous study.

Consequently the Neutral Language is capable of rendering effective service in all cases where persons of different nationalities must make themselves understood either orally or in writing, whether it be for commercial, scientific, or other purposes; in a word, wherever the need of a so-called universal language exists.

M.A.F. HOLMES.

Macedon, N.Y., May 4, 1903.