The number of
sounds, not being sufficient for the reproduction of all the spoken
ideas, has been multiplied by giving these various sounds in different
tones. It is as if the element of music were introduced according to
rule into speech, and as if one had not only to remember the words in
everything he wished to say, but the tune also.
The Miao people being so low down in the intellectual scale, and having
never been accustomed to study, it was felt by the promoters of the
written language that they should be as simple as possible, and hence
they looked about for some system which could be readily grasped by
these ignorant people. It was necessary that the system be absolutely
phonetic and understood easily. By adapting the system used in
shorthand, of putting the vowel marks in different positions by the side
of the consonant signs, Mr. Pollard and his assistant found that they
could solve their problem. The signs for the consonants are larger than
the vowel signs, and the position of the latter by the side of the
former gives the tone or musical note required.
At the present time there are thousands of Miao now able to read and
write, and the work of this enterprising missionary has conferred an
inestimable boon upon this people.
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