It is to be observed, however, that the compara tive compendiousness, of Sir Home Popham's Te legraphic Dictionary, is partly owing to a practice, which he has carried to the greatest possible extent, but of which the other authors alluded to have availed themselves more sparingly, or not at all. I mean the system of classing under the same article of his dictionary, and thereby representing by one common signal, all the forms of the same verb, as well as every noun, adjective, or adverb, that hap pen nearly to coincide in sound, or are connected in signification. Thus the words, "agree," "agrees," "agreed," "agreeing," "agreeable," "agreeably," "agreement," " agreements," would all be de noted by one and the same signal, and comprehend ed under one article, in Sir Home Popham's Tele graphic Dictionary.
It is remarkable how very few ambiguities this sweeping method of classing the words of our lan guage will he found to occasion in practice, as may be ascertained by taking any sentences, at random, out of a book, and applying Sir Home Popham's Telegraphic phraseology to them. And yet it can not be denied, but that serious mistakes may arise at times from this system.
For example, the following phrases, "they are robbing," " they are robbed," and "they are rob bers," although different in sense, would all be ex pressed by the same signal in Sir home Popham's Dictionary. The phrases, "A robber has been ex ecuted," and "a robbery has been executed," would also be expressed by the same signal, and the phrases " they are going," and "they are gone," would likewise be confounded.
It is further to be remarked, that Sir Home Pop ham's Telegraphic Dictionary, being necessarily confined to the use of the Royal Navy, is not availa ble for general service : and even if this restriction did not exist, it is evident, that if telegraphs were introduced into British India, or into any other of our foreign possessions, a number of military phrases and sentences, and a great number of local words and phrases would require to be introduced, which are not to be found in Sir Home Popham's book : and at the same time it might be desirable to obviate the degree of ambiguity, before mentioned in that work. This would require every verb to be expressed in two forms instead of one, and some of the nouns, adjectives, and adverbs, now classed un der the same head with a verb, or with each other, to be expressed separately. For example, the word
Rob, and others connected with it, which are at pre sent all denoted by the same signal, might be divid ed into three distinct signals, in the following man ner.
1st. Rob, robs, robbing, robbery, robberies, and to follow the same rule in regard to other verbs, in cluding the present tense, the infinitive, and active participle, under the same head, and also any noun of the same sound, or even of kindred meaning, provided, in the latter case, that it be an action, passion, or any thing inanimate.
2d. Robbed, including always the past tense of the verb, and the passive participle, under one head, whether they be the same in sound or not.
3d. Robber, robbers, and to follow the same rule in regard to personal nouns, keeping them always distinct from the verbs.
It appears also advisable, that the adjective and adverb, when different in sound, although of kin dred meaning, should likewise be separated from the verb. Hence it would be proper to separate the va rious words classed under the head agree, in Sir Home Popham's Telegraphic Dictionary as follows.
1st. Jlgrec, agrees, agreeing, agreement, agree ments.
2d. agreed.
3d. agreeable, agreeably.
If a select dictionary on Sir Home Popham's principle, were thus dilated, it would, in all proba bility, increase the contents of the work from 13,000, to about 25,000 words and sentences, and if the mi litary and local phrases before alluded to, were like wise added, it probably might swell the amount to near 30,000. Upon the whole, I conclude, that a judicious Telegraphic Dictionary, composed on the most comprehensive plan, so as to embrace every contingency of the public service, both at home and abroad, ought not to contain so many as 40,000 ar ticles. This inference may be considered the result of experience, inasmuch as it has been drawn from a careful comparison of the most elaborate works of that nature, that I have been able to procure.
Supposing a dictionary of this description to be composed, I would adapt it to the key of the Uni versal Telegraph, in thG following manner.
The dictionary should be divided into five parts or classes, each containing one-lifth part of the total number of articles inserted. Thus, for example, if 30,000 articles, and 1000 blanks for unforeseen purposes, appeared necessary, let each division of the book contain 6000 articles, and 200 blanks.