Page:An Ainu-English-Japanese dictionary (including a grammar of the Ainu language).djvu/20

Rh that Mr. Dening had staid among us here to complete a work so important and so well begun.

Since the publication of the Author’s Dictionary in 1889 the only original work of a vocabulary description presented to the public appears to be that printed conjointly by Profs. Jimbō and Kanazawa both of the Imperial University of Tōkyō. This little work is called Ainu go kwaiwa jiten (アイヌ語會話字典), and was published in the 31st year of Meiji. Both words and phrases are in Ainu and Japanese only and therefore useless to all who do not read Japanese.

In the year 1896 Prof. S. KanasawaKanazawa [sic] (above referred to in connection with Prof. Jimbō) published “A Revision of the Moshiogusa, an Ainu vocabulary” in vol. XIX. July–September No. 2 Journal of the Tōkyō Geographical Society. I have looked this vocabulary through and also studied the Moshiogusa word for word as given by Dr. Pfizmaier in his Untersuchungen uiber den Bau der Ainu spracheUntersuchungen über den Bau der Aino-Sprache [sic]. The result is that I cannot help thinking that it would have been far better had the Prof. reprinted the Moshiogusa just as it stands, for this revision very much partakes not only of the nature of editorship (which I deny the Author any right to assume), but also of changing (and that very clearly) of a Northern way of speaking into a Southern; thus destroying a very important link. Perhaps such a statement from me requires proof (which I am fully prepared to give if necessary and will do if required), but for the present (not to take up too much space) I ask that the following few examples only be accepted as one kind of proof. Thus:—The Moshiogusa gives リイ (ri-i) which Prof. Kanazawa revises into plain リ (ri) thus cutting off the final イ (i). Ought this to be allowed in philological science? For one I most emphatically protest that it should not be.