As the appropriation of these words was purely conventional, the same synonymes were very frequently appropriated, among different branches of the human race, to different sexes: i.e. a word appropriated to “Man” (Vir) by some tribes was appropriated to the “Female” sex (Fœmina) by other tribes. It is also evident that the terms thus appropriated consisted in some instances of simple, in others of compound, synonymes.
These principles, which are precisely analogous to the results which flow from a comparison of the names of “The Heavenly Bodies” in the African tongues and in the other languages of the globe, will be found to afford a complete and consistent explanation of the phenomena displayed by the following Analysis, viz.: As before suggested, we find the _words_ applied to the _human race_ in the different tongues of the globe _the same_; it is only in the _appropriation of those words_, as regards the two _sexes_, that we find a wide diversity in the various languages of the human race.
_Words for __“__Man, Woman,__”__ &c._—CLASS I.
North Gour-ko, M., Gourk-o Africa.—_Fulahs & Mahodo, M. Phellatahs_ _Negro-land_ Gourr, H., Garr, H., Core, H. Gour-gne, M., Kerim, F. Europe.—_Welsh_ Gour, M. (A mighty man, a hero.) Gour-on, M. Asia.—_Taraikai_ Guru, H _Kamschatka_ K ur, H. _Pelu_ K or, H. _Negro-land_ (as Core. H. above)
South Urun, H. Orrang, Africa.—_Madagascar_ M.(179) Europe.—_Welsh_. Our, M., Ouron, M. (Modifications of “Gour and Gour-on,” above.) Asia.—_Malay_ Orang, M. South Uar mi, F. America.—_Quicuans_ _Negro-land_ (as Ker im, F. above)
There is a very obvious connexion between the above words for Man and a word for “The Hand,” of which the extreme antiquity is apparent from its occurring in the languages of races so widely separated as the following, in whose tongues this word exists in the subjoined forms, which cannot be said essentially to differ from each other: Gara (_Mongol_), Kara (_Sanscrit_), Keir (_Greek_), “The Hand.” [Compare the relation shown in the following examples between Manus, “The Hand” (_Latin_), and Manus-zia (_Sanscrit_), and Men-sch (_German_), i.e. Homo, a “Human Being.”]
_Words for __“__Man, Woman,__”__ &c._—CLASS II.
Europe.—_English_ To _Be_. _Welsh_ (Living, to Biou. live) _Greek_ (To live) Bio-ō.(180) _Greek_ (Life) Bi-os. Asia.—_Koibals, N. Biusé, M. Asia_ _Negro-land_ Buas-ja, F.