Precursor of the IPA
Das allgemeine linguistische Alphabet.
Large 4to. (4), 64 pp., partly printed in red and black. Modern brown half cloth.
€ 1,500.00
First edition.
Rare work by the Egyptologist and linguist Carl R. Lepsius (1810-84), leader of the 1842/45 Prussian expedition to Egypt. In this treatise, he presented what must be regarded as one of the earliest attempts at a standardised phonetic alphabet for all languages - a function today fulfilled by the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), which is still based primarily on the Latin alphabet. Among the many alphabetical systems which Lepsius takes into account are also Egyptian hieroglyphs as well as Hebrew, Arabic, Farsi, Sanscrit, Bengali, Armenian, Malay, Chinese, etc.
Somewhat browned and brownstained throughout with a noticeable waterstain. Some edge flaws. Title page shows library stamp of the Gymnasium of Venray, Netherlands.
Kayser XIV, 24.
