The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
An Admirable French Grammar

Few pleasure-loving people would think OF
picking ~ grammar in order to while away
an hour. Yet Prof. Whitney has shown that it
is possible TO impart curious information in a
most attractive way. although your theme be no
more promising than are the rudlments of acci-
dence and etymology. His little treatise was
written for young students. yet II Is conned
with delight and profit by men who have
given years to the requirement OF the Ger.
man language. Another book not I'M.
worthy to be placed in the same cate
CORY. is The Students French Grammar. By
CHARLES HERON WALL tHarpers) Mr.. Wall
had previously evinced a keen insight into the
structure and resources OF the French tongue
by a translation OF Moliere. and his work comes
to us commended by the highest living authority
In some words OF preface. NJ. Lt,re declares
himself entirely satisfied with It's correctness
and points out that the author has followed he
only safe method OF exposition. namely. the
historical. Modern French. we are reminded.
is derived from Old French. aud the otTshoot
cannot he properly understood without somo
knowledge OF the parent Not. Of course. TINT
the English student needs to make a specia,
study Of the Laneue d'On. but some acquaiut-
ance with the elder forms and constructions
will help him TO seize those connecting links
which strengthen tho memory and form tho
judgment 1t is worth while 10 mark some Of
the interesting results 10 which Mr.. Wall 10 led
by the application Of these principles and
which may be invested with somo novelty %
those unfamiliar with the larger works OF DieS
and others.
In the first place, the writer is careful 70 trace
the genealogv OF that old French language.
which began To- be spoken north Of the Loire rs
early as the NTH century. hut of which the fret
extended written memorials date from tho year
1912. This. ns Slsmondi pointed ont. wns the
direct dcs ,cudant. not OF classical Latin. or Of
the so-called Low Latin. the barbarous Iargon
employed by the monks in their charts and
chronicles. hut from the popular speech Of Italy.
transplanted into Gaul 10y the Roman trader
and colonst who followed in the soldiers wake
Even north Of the Loire. moreover. the adnix-
turc OF Frankish. Burgunlian. and Norman
clements gave rise 10 several dialects. which
for long time held their own. until the power
Of the Capotien House. and with it the prestige
Of the Isle de France was widowed and consoli-
dated in tho twelfth century. Nor is it 10 be
forgotten that once again during the century Of
the English wars. the Langue d'On narrowly
cs 'npcd tho danger Of disiniosraton. ike the
lHngue d'Oc, into a number OF patois
Mr. Wall notes the distlnrive foatures
Of the thrce principal dialects. those
namely of Plcardy. Normandy. and Burgundy
tho tongue spoken in tho Isle de France being
branch OF tho latter. considerably modified.
however by It's proximity 10 the Norman idiom.
whose southern boundary I'm" ran through TIC
city Of Paris. We may here mention ihHt the
Latin emas pronounced ia PcardY and Burgun-
dy Qua or o. somewhat like the diphthong In the
English word noise, whereAs In Normandy il
got the sound Of in our word Idte BY the SIX