An Ainu–English–Japanese Dictionary/Foreword
アイヌ和英辭典序
友人バチラー君本道ニ在ルコト殆ント將ニ三十年ナラント
ス其初來ルヤ先ツアイヌ語ヲ學ヒ以テ布教ニ便セントシ普
ク其部落ヲ跋渉シ屢々彼族ト同棲シ困苦具ニ嘗メ逐ニ能ク
其語ニ通シ併セテ風俗ヲ審ニシ教義其間ニ行ハレ深ク彼等
ノ信賴ヲ受ク君世ノ爲メニ完全ノアイヌ辭書ナキヲ憂へ自
ラ之レカ編著ヲ企テ年ヲ歴テ茲ニ其業ヲ卒へ配スルニ英和
二文ヲ以テシ名ケテアイヌ和英辭典ト曰フ集録スル所實ニ
一萬三千餘語自今アイヌ語ヲ研究スル者之ニ由テ求メハ則
チ又得サル所ナカルへシ抑々アイヌノ本邦ニ於ケル關係太
タ古シ殊ニ本道ノ如キハ久シク彼ノ占居セシ處地物ノ稱呼
多ク其命名ヲ傳フ然ラハ則チ本書ノ成ル獨リ學界ニ稗益ス
ルノミナラス本道ノ政ニ從フ者亦坐右ノ一寳ナリ余深ク此
著ノ世ニ出ルヲ喜ヒ爲メニ一言ヲ叙スト云爾
明治三十八年九月
My Friend Mr. Batchelor has resided in Hokkaido for the space of nearly thirty years. When he first came to this island he almost at once commenced to study the Ainu language with the object of preaching the Gospel. He has visited nearly all the native villages and has at times lived entirely among the Ainu making light of the hardships which had to be endured. In course of time Mr. Batchelor gained a free command of the native tongue as well as a full knowledge of the customs of the people. As a consequence Christianity has been widely spread among them and he has gained their full confidence. Mr. Batchelor has felt the great need of a Dictionary and other books on the language, and at last, after many years of hard labour has compiled the present work entitled — An Ainu-English-Japanese Dictionary:— which
work contains some 13,000 words. It is thought that this book will fully meet the requirements of any students of the Ainu language. The relation between the Ainu and Japanese dates from very ancient times, particularly so in respect of this island which they still occupy. Here too the names of many places retain the original Ainu words. Hence the completion of the present work is of much scientific interest as well as of great practical use. In writing this Preface I desire to express my deep interest in the publication of the present work.
| Sept., 1905. |
Y. Sonoda,
Baron of the Junior Third Court Rank. |