Litchfield enquirer., 1840-05-07
ENGLISH GRAMMAR.


ENGLISH GRAMMAR.
Mr.. EplroR-The following dialogue was spoken
in one Of our Yankee Schools not long since, by two
lads about fifteen years of age. Ifyou think it worthy
OF place in your paper, it is at your disposal.
A FRIEND OF EDUCATION.
Zhomas.-But what studies do you pursue this win
ter, cousin Charles
Caatias.--I study English Grammar, Arithmetic
and Book Keeping.
(which Of your studies do you like best
CT think like English Grammar about as well
as any
T.-Well, must say that was the lriest and most
undressing study that ever had any thing to do
with. have studied Grammar four or five winters
in succession, but cannot see that have derived
any practical benefit from it, whatever II is stated
in the fore part of that book that English Grammar
is the art of speaking and writing the English Lam
guage with propriety;' but do not know any thing
more about that than | did when began to study
Grammar. --- ..,
'C-Perhaps You did not study it in the right way.
T.-Study it in the right way why studied it in
the same way that others do, believe :onnitted
to memory the rudments and parsed.
C.-Did you correct examples in false Syntax, and
have the reason of the rules explained to you as for
instance, ho,o verb agrees with it's nouinative in
number and person.
+ THO, I did not. ,-
C.-Wel should think Grammar would be to you
an undressing study scholar might study Gram
mar in that mechanical way ten years, saying pre-
positions govern the objective case y the nomlna
tive case governs the verb" &c. and he were not
told why proposition governs the objective case, and
how the nomnative case governs the, verb he would
evidently derive no practical benefit from studying
Grammar.
T-Cousin Charles do not believe there 10 any
use in studying Grammar. do not see but that those
who do not study Grammar speak just as insegibly
and as properly those who studyit at any rate,
can speak 80 as to be understood myself and cun
understand others; and that is oil that 10 wanted,
think person can learn to talk well enough by prdc
tics, without spending 90 much time in schools study
ing Grammar. ST.. -~-,.l ~
CA person Of refined taste may, by perusing
good authors and by being conversant with good soc.
ETY., acquire that knowledge of language which will
enable him to avoid those glazing errors that offend
the ear; but there are others equally gross which
have not harsh sound, and therefore cannot DO de-
tected without knowledge Of the rules Of Grammar.
If / had time, ! could show you that person who
knows nothing tho practical application Of the prin.
cpes Of Grammar does not knoW hosO to parse, that
he would undertake to parse an ungrammatical SEN
tence, (which cannot be pdrsed,) and think no had
succeeded. But will now undertake to show you
that those who do no. study Grammar, do not speak
as ntelligibly and as properly as those whe do. A
hio fam 70 nm
the premises on excellent well of water and fine,
span of horses" Do you see any thing incorrect in
this sentence2 .e
mo do not. ~
Glow many things aro span Of horses and q
,Den of wnter
T-Why, as many as TWO r-
C.-WouId you say two things is or two things sne7
T.-Why, two things are
C-With the same propric.y we say there are, on
tho premises, nell and span Of horses. There are
still two errors in that sentence more gross than this.
The idea meant to be expressed is that there
the premises we'll Of ercetlent wd'er and span Of
fine horses instead Of that, it is said that UeH is
nm excellent one, j. Q. it may be deep and stoned up
in tho best manner, but after all tho soater may be
Door So the horses may DO well matched, exactly
the Same size and color and yet not very good horses
7, NAV be fine span Of horses, and not span Of fine
borsee II s rule in Grammar that the adjective
sho,Id be Joined to the noun we wish to describe
Violations Of this rule are very common. Some Of
them, when examined critically, appear very tudi-
c,ops md absurd-for illustration will give you an
other example make me good strong cup of tea"
Do YOU see any thing improper in that sentence
T-No, lido not
C-Well, what in the name Of common sense 10
wanted coed and strong, the cup or the tea?
T-Why the tea certainly.
c-Why would it rot be better TO say sothen, and
aone with it," and not make such laundering ex-
r,ession rs that, make me good strong cup? You
might want strong cup, if it were to be given to
child, les. it might DO broken
T-Your reasoning appears quite plausible; but
do not really see the mproprety OF that sentence al
ter all vour philosophy and criticism. think the adj
;ec,ves rood and strong qualify the expression cup
oftoa".--foy We do not say " &aks cup and stop
thercbut cup Of tea" SO wo do not say good strong
cup alone, but, good strong cup OF tea" repeat 1t
the adiectyes qualify the whole expression.
C.-Well do not profess to be very thoroughly
yersed in Grammar but am convinced that this To-
cation of adeclves wrong-for it would DO just as
proper, when cup Of green tea is wanted, to say
make me green cup Of ten, as when strong tea Is
wanted, to say, make mo strong cup OF tea-one Is
maj ne pronov s the other and they are both mpFOpcE.