An Analysis of the Chinese Language: An Etymological Approach, Volume 1 (Words)

by F. C. Hsu

The author says, "Chinese has neither an alphabet nor any written grammar. In fact everything about it is different. Yet no one can deny that it is a language of high culture with a history of nearly 5,000 years, and it is a living one still. Let us then sensibly ask: could it have lasted so long and been so widely used if it were actually so difficult to learn?"

This book introduces the Chinese pictorial script. Indicatives, pictographs, ideatives and harmonics are discussed at length. Included is a brief history of the Chinese language.