Afghan Names

Evei-y new war in the Eaet brings forward a new batch of lingnistie and geographieal partieulars to bc learned. The public, ha ving finiahed the Turkish i lesson, is now ready for the Afghanistan. Here is the first installment. Nine of ten accidentals pronounce Cabul os if it were writteu - which, indeed, it sometimos is - Cabool. In India, on the contrary, they say "Cawbyl," with the accent on the flrst syllable, making the word rhyme very nearly to "bawble." In most Indian and Central Asian names, indeed, Anglo-Indians ptive "i" a very broad, open sound. ' 'llius Herat in Heraut, and Nepal (as it is oificiiüly epelled) is NepauL One i hears both Afghan-ix-tan and i Stan, The latter pronnnc'iation is, 1 doubtedly, the better. "Stan" i.s a general termination for Central Asian ñames, and signifies "country." Thus we have Turkestan, Kurdistan, Bcloochist:m, etc. To place the aceent on is in Afghanistan, is to syllabify incorrectly.