--- In qalam@yahoogroups.com, "suzmccarth" <suzmccarth@...> wrote:

> --- In qalam@yahoogroups.com, "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@...>
> wrote:
> > suzmccarth wrote:
> > >
> > > --- In qalam@yahoogroups.com, "Peter T. Daniels"

<grammatim@...>

> > > wrote:
> > > > This idea certainly didn't begin with DeFrancis -- it was
> > > recognized by
> > > > DuPonceau in 1838,
> > >
> > > DuPonceau's letter can be read here
> >
> > I'm referring to a book -- Chicago's copy was in Special
> Collections,
> > i.e. Rare Books, so it wasn't possible to actually read it

through!

> >
> > > http://pinyin.info/readings/texts/duponceau.html
>
> Did you follow the link. I believe it really is from that book you
> mention. Here is the title.
>
> "From A Dissertation on the Nature and Character of the Chinese
> System of Writing, by Peter S. Du Ponceau. The book was published

in

> 1838 as volume 2 of the Transactions of the Historical and

Literary

> Committee of the American Philosophical Society. For comments on
> this work, see DeFrancis (1984)."
>
> Pinyin.info is a great site with chapters from many books -
> sometimes I read the chapter then go to the library to read the
> entire book if it is available, but not in this case. Anyway the
> letter is truly fascinating to read.
>

DuPonceau's letter is a 4000 word document so don't write it off as
a mere greeting. It presents his thinking in detail. Follow the link
for once!

Suzanne