Part 19

` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ Father, Mother, Brother, Sister

When these and similar words were adopted into the English language, it was done at the expense of their original idiomatic expression. I am speaking of the music, the rise and fall, the rhythm pervading a language, not of time or measure, nor of the intonation, nor of emphasis.

I make four distinctions, and expect to prove that they are the basis of every artistic expression of either speech or song. First, measure or time. Second, the rise and fall of the voice, equal to its rhythm. Third, intonation, which pertains to words in accordance with their meaning. Fourth, emphasis, which has reference to the feelings.

That the human voice is capable of at one and the same time expressing four moods so different from each other, shows that there are various factors (all of a different nature) simultaneously at work producing these different results. To correctly indicate these four characteristics, it would be necessary to mark each syllable in a fourfold manner. I shall confine myself to the rhythm and the metre, and shall mark the former above the line by using the signs for accent (´`), and the latter below the line by using those for metre (¯˘).

Right here is the main stumbling-block with persons of either nationality in speaking the language of the other. They will in so doing invariably retain the idiomatic expression of their own vernacular.

The proper way to illustrate the rhythm would be as follows:

´`´` ´` ´` ´` Vater, Mutter, gut.

`´ `´ `´ `´ `´ Father, Mother, good.

There is always a rise of the voice before its fall in German, and a fall before its rise in English for each and every syllable. When a language is well spoken, this complete intonation is always heard. If this needs illustration, which it should not, being so obvious, the poetry of both peoples offers proofs in great abundance. It is a notable fact that, with German verse, the voice for the end syllable always sinks, with English it rises; the former is generally short, the latter long; but even where the word ends with a long syllable in German the voice falls at the end, and where one ends with a short syllable in English the voice rises at the end.

To anxiously count every syllable in poetry is contrary to the spirit of a language. There are slight touches here and there which simply serve as connecting links, and which, in marking the rhythmic flow of sounds, should not be included as belonging to the metre. Most of these are prefixes or affixes, pauses for repose or relaxation, consisting in scarcely noticeable inspirations or expirations, which are necessary to strengthen the voice for the actual metre. The various intonations are generally expressed by the use of the signs for long and short only. As the latter, properly speaking, only represent time or measure, the voice is left to express as best it may and without any guidance whatsoever every other factor composing a language. All I want to do now is to show by the signs for the accent the difference between the English and German rhythmic movement:

´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` Auf der duftverlornen Grenze ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘

´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` Jener Berge tanzen hold ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` Abendwolken ihre Taenze ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘

´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` Leicht geschuerzt im Strahlengold. ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

LENAU.

´ ` ´` ´` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` Auf ihrem Grab da steht eine Linde ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘

´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´` ´ ` ´ ` Drin pfeifen die Voegel im Abendwinde; ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘

´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´` ´` ´ ` ´` ´ ` Die Winde die wehen so lind und so schaurig, ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘

´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´` ´ ` ´ ` ´` ´ ` Die Voegel die singen so suess und so traurig. ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘

HEINE.

The beginning of every line in this verse might remain unmarked as not belonging to the rhythmic expression proper, and being expressive mainly of an inspiration preceding the expiration which it foreshadows. The beauty of Heine's verse is largely due to the fact that he does not anxiously count time, but lets his voice rise and fall where it is most effective. It will be noticed that there is a greater movement, as expressed by the signs of the rhythm, in Heine's verse than there is in Lenau's, hence the inexpressible charm of his diction. Here is another great poet, or poetess rather, the greatest Germany has produced, also fearless of prescribed forms, but full of charm and power:

´ ` ´` ´ ` ´` ´` ´` O schaurig ists uebers Moor zu gehn, ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

´ ` ´` ´ ` ´ ` Wenn es wimmelt vom Haiderauche, ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘

´` ´` ´` ´` ´ ` ´ ` Sich wie Phantome die Duenste drehn ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

´ ` ´ ` ´` ´ ` Und die Ranke haekelt am Strauche. ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘

DROSTE-HUELSHOFF.

In these last two citations, the dactylus (¯ ˘ ˘) is the prevailing measure, which but strengthens my assertion that in German diction there is a fall after a rise; the former being here more distinctly expressed than in the simple trochaic measure. The fall, the relaxation, being greater, the rise, the vigor in the expression, thereby gains additional strength. What is the consequence of this falling off or gliding down in German diction so well expressed in Lenau's

´ ` ´ ` ´ ` ´ ` "Auf der duftverlornen Grenze"?