Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1853-12-10
Reading the Dictionary.

| The following extract from Bailey's Grammar
of the English language, contains some startling
views well worthy Of consideration:
! The idea of readmy a dictionary has been re-
garded as ridiculous. But we seriously and ear
nestly recommend to English scholars to read
Webster's Dictionary, and to study it well-not
the Abridgement, but the Quarto. About four
pages day will pass the student through the
| whole OF 1t In year, Sundays excepted. 1t is
not book of mere definitions, but of etymology
and analysis We doubt whether as much Of
language, of philosophy, of history, and of gem
eral learning, useful to the scholar and to the
professional or business man, can be learned in
the same time IN any other way. 1t is earnestly
recommended to parents to supply their children
early with this standard work. at the small cost
OF S6, at which it is now furnished. The youth
who re-peruses it attentively once year, will
find it the more at his command as q book of
reference, and will find himself in company with
some eminent scholars who have adopted the
habit: at any rate, he will prove the value of
this advice.
The language Of nation indicates, with Won
derfsl accuracy, its character its civilization it's
religion. its progress in science and the arts its
manners and habits, and, at different periods,
its rise, its progress and decline. Thus we may
iets' " iftt4 III history It's WOTuS. even III
though it have no historian, and have no other
written history than its classics. or even it's lex
icon. With their language, if we had it, and
no other memorial of them-all else lost-we
could with almost unerring accuracy, decipher
their character, intellectual, moral, political,
domestic-thelr manners, pursuits, progress.
Having their language ut different piriods of
their existence, We could trace their beginning
their progress, their summit elevation, their de-
cline, their refinement or degradation. Have
they no name for Supreme Being are
atheists. Names are things. What they have
a name for, has been-love, affection, hatred,
crime, law, justice, honor, morals, religion sci
ence.
So the dictionary of nation reveals their
character. We may, therefore, read a nation $
history in their dictionary. Their words are
correlatives of realities. The study of words,
therefore, is the study of history and every schol
ar who produces anything in literature that may
live after him, becomes part of that history
and will instruct posterity. He is, therefore, a
contributor to general learning, and to the Ian
guage itself, whether he uses it only or moulds
and modifes its forms. Hence, he should be stu
dious to understand, and use properly the Ian
guage he employs.
The study of language, when limited to it's
structure, its origin, its adaptations, uses, and
principles, is a department of philosophy. The
study Of its classics, and of the language as
there defined and matured, is a department of
polite literature and general learning.
Its relation to other languages-its copious
range of words, its idiems and accidents-it is
study of details, Of analysis, of exceptions, Of
usagcs, and Of authority.
The whole scheme of language is philosophi-
cal-the natural development of established
principles. The entire structure of language is
analogical to nature. in its formation; to other
languages, and to itself, in its processes. These
are subjects to study in the department of gram
mar
The English student has mine of treasured
literature to explore in the received classics
the permanent records of the nation Our Ian
guage is not now a football. to be the sport of
boys: it is the gymnasium of mind-the great
arena of vigorous thought. Men wrestle and
contend there. Giants enter the combats. The
classics of England and the classics Of america
preside and give Judgment.
The student, therefore, should have these clas-
sizes before him, and study them, He must have
his English dictionary, not SO much to learn the
parts of speech, which must be rather decided
by the use Of the words; but to aid him in ira
cling the origin of words, and the general uses
to which the best authorities have applied.