The daily gazette., 1876-06-09
For the Gazette.
Remarks on the Study Of Lam
0ttN0e5.

| 0UUVeSs
Daily experience offers striking illus
trations OF the incomplete results OF these
two methods, when pursued separately.
Those who have been confined to prac-
, tice in acquiring their won or foreign
| added much, t o their original stock Of
mental activity and although they may
speak either language with great volu-
bility, they are generally efficient in lit
erary discrimination. On the other hand
a considerable number of persons could
be found, who having attended to the
analysis of a few foreign standard au-
thors rather than indulge in extensive
reading, or in the practice of the lam
guage, could not in the least use it rs q
vehicle of thought; whilst through its
means their intellectual character has
been raised, their taste refined, and their
power of native expression improved.
The distinction between the practical
and the comparative method, shows why
the study of a second language, whether
ancient or modern is more favorable to
mental culture than the acquiring of the
native tongue But the benefits of the
comparative method depending, in a
great measure, on q practical knowledge
Of the vernaculur this ought to be made
the groundwork Of the study of for
eign idiom. A complete course should
commence with the vernacular educa-
tion, and means should be unfolded for
imparting it to young people and for
making it at the same time the medium
of mental development during the first
period of youth. Foreign languages will
afterwards become the most efficient
means by which to improve the powers
of oral and written composition in the
native tongue. A child learning for
eign language under circumstances simi-
lar to those in which he acquired his own,
may follow the same course with equal
results, but the case is different. with
learners who have passed the age of
childhood, and who study the language
through their own as a branch of scholas-
tic instruction, or who have not the ad-
vantage of an instructors daily assist
ance another course must, in this case
be adopted as conPormable however, with
that of nature as circumstances permit.
The comparative method which art sup
plies as substitute for the natural plo-
cess, although generally slower in i'm
parting a practical knowledge of q Ian
guage, possesses the advantage of being
better instrument Of mental training,
as was remarked before. Being more
over the only means by which the acqui-
sition of foreign language can be rem
dered accessible to the generality of peo-
pie, we will here enter into some moro
minute details as to tie order prescribed
by this method, and examine how the
four branches of reading, hearing, speak
ing, and writing which constitute the
complete knowledge of language, may
be rendered auxiliary to each other in
the gradual advancement of the stu
dent.
The articalate and the written signs of
a language being conventional, famili-
arity with their import and form must
be gained before they can be properly
applied to the expression of thought, in
other words we must commence by re-
ceiving, not communicating ideas. 1t is
only after ideas have by means of their
signs been impressed on our minds, that
we can by imitation, express the same or
analogous ideas in using the same signs.
Impression of language, which is effect
ed through hearing and reading, must
therefore precede expression, which is eff
fected by speaking and writing. This
order ia the more rational as the practice
Of ths former two branches is considera-
bly easier than that of the latter two
the arts of hearing and reading only re-
ouire a previous slight acquaintance
with the words and phraseology: and in
many instances, the Objects attained by
merely guessing. This is SO true, espe-
cially as regards the power OF under
standing oral expression, that child IL
or IS months old is already proficient
init, who would be utterly incapable Of i'm
proyement in any other department of
language. In a foreign tongue, as in the
native. we may, from the context, or by
analogy understand words which we
never heard or saw before we may also
be directed by the meaning of speaker
or writer by previous acquaintance
with the subject but for the purpose Of
speaking and writing, neither the most
acute sagacity, the most inventive pow
ers, nor tho most thorough knowledge of
the subject will avail; not only should
of the ideas to be conveyed, hut we
should also be intimately acquainted
with their shades of meaning, their in
Elections, grammatical concord, syntacti-
cal arrangement. and idiomatic forms.
JOHN THIBAUT,
Prof, of Modern Languages,
100 West Second Street. |