THE LEVANT INTERPRETER; A POLYGLOT DIALOGUE BOOK FOR ENGLISH TRAVELLERS IN THE LEVANT. BY REV. ANTON TIEN, PH.D., M.R.A.S., FORMERLY FIRST-CLASS INTERPRETER TO THE ALLIED FORCES IN THE CRIMEA. WILLIAMS AND NORGATE, 14, HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON; PREFACE. THE LEVANT has always been celebrated for beauty, interest, and mercantile pursuits. At the present time it possesses a double interest for Englishmen, owing to the cession of Cyprus and the Protectorate of Asia Minor, which will bring this country in closer contact with Turkey than heretofore. Owing to the number of nationalities dwelling in the Levant, language there is necessarily cosmopolitan; and as English travellers are seldom conversant with Oriental tongues, this Interpreter is offered to them. Very simple but useful phrases are arranged; and to facilitate the use of the little book, in compliance with the valued suggestion of my friend, W. S. W. VAUX, Esq., Secretary of the Royal Asiatic Society, the work has been rendered entirely in Roman letters. The Greek is the modern language in common use, which differs somewhat from the old Hellenic. The Turkish is arranged according to the system of orthography by Mr. Redhouse; the pronunciation of both being similar to that of the Italian. With this in view, a little practice will enable any one to read with tolerable accuracy in the three Levantine languages which are spoken generally throughout the Ottoman Empire. |
