We use this Greek word rather than its Latin equivalent, _gentile_, because _gentile_, though meaning literally "of, or belonging to, a race," has acquired a special sense from its New Testament use as meaning all who are not Jews.

The word "ethnic" remains pure from any such secondary or acquired meaning, and signifies simply _that which belongs to a race_.
The science of ethnology is a modern one, and is still in the process of formation.

Some of its conclusions, however, may be considered as established.

It has forever set aside Blumenbach's old classification of mankind into the Caucasian and four other varieties, and has given us, instead, a division of the largest part of mankind into Indo-European, Semitic, and Turanian families, leaving a considerable penumbra outside as yet unclassified.
That mankind is so divided into races of men it would seem hardly possible to deny.

It is proved by physiology, by psychology, by glossology, and by civil history.