To

MR. NG CHOY,.

Attorney General of the Colony of Victoria, Hongkong, as also to the gentlemen to whom the second edition of the “Exercises in the Yokohama Dialect” was dedicated, this work of labor and love is respectfully inscribed by one who knows, alas, too well that “By others’ faults wise men correct their own.”

HOMOCQ.

Yokohama, 31st March, 1879.

“Exercises in the Yokohama Dialect.”

SECOND EDITION.

To

PROFESSOR MAX MULLER,

and

JOHN GRIGOR, Esq

THIS WORK IS DEDICATED

The former is known to the world as the greatest of dialecticians, and the latter stands pre-eminent as a master of the Yokohama idiom.

PREFACE.

THE author of the first Edition was guided in his task by a conscientious adherence to -the most reliable authorities accessible. Even, however, with these aids, the compilation of this small work was then attended with difficulty, owing in great part to the continual changes as the dialect crystallizes, so to speak, and as progress is made toward fixing this valued means of communication between the native and foreign resident or visitor.

The method is based, as will be perceived, upon the Ollendorf system, tne advantages of which are patent in any continental city visited by English or Americans.

Neither the author nor the reviser flatter themselves that they have made any great addition to philological literature; but if they have succeeded in doing no more harm to learners of Japanese than their honored predecessors and successors in similar labors, their highest aims will have been attained.

It is not claimed that the present small book contains all the words used, but none are given which are not used as described. It is easy to see the advantage of getting at the dialect actually used in Yokohama, rather than learning by laborious study the Samurai dialect (the one generally taught by professors and books) and which nobody understands beyond a few teachers.

NOTICES BY THE NATIVE PRESS TO THE

SECOND EDITION

“It would be an invaluable book to any Japanese acquainted with the Yokohama idioms, and able to read English.”—Hakubun Shinshi.

“Since Hepourn's Dictionary—in which the continuity of the narrative is dislocated by Chinese characters—we have seen nothing so well calculated to show foreigners how little Japanese we speak to them.”