The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-12-29
IFor the jackson Standard

[For the Jackson Standard]
MEssRS. EDITORS Il notice your article headed,
"a School Master Needed" (Webster has it School,
MASTER and Goold Brown fully consolidates it,
Schoolmaster,) and think it very suggestive of
of something needed, and greatly needed, too;
but think that you have missed the mark some
what in attrbutng all mistakes of this kind to the
schoolmaster.
Sometime since l contributed an article to your
valuable paper, THE STANDARD, in which called
attention to the irreconclable statements made in
some of our school-books. With your permission,
wish to show that the grammatical bunders that
frequently made are in consequence of the use of
professed Grammars, that are from beginning to end
compilation the most glaring soecisms that have
ever been penned on any subject. Let us examine,
fairly and impartially book used perhaps, in every
school in county in which grammar is attempted
to be taught. speak of Harrey's Grammar. And,
first, attention is called to the claims he sets up to
distinguishing features Ito which especial atten
ton is invited.' 1.-The brevity, clearness, and uni
formity of the rules and definitions" 1.-The lucid
and comprehensive treatment of Punctuation,' etc.
His definition of the is, "A noun is name.''
Here cencede 'brevity, of the ''distinguish-
ing features claimed. But If this be good defini-
milton of the genealogical analogy would seem
to require the verb to be defined, Verb
is ord. Noun is derived from the Latin
nomen, name; and verb is derived from the
Latin, Uerbum, word. The adjective is thus de-
fined: An Adjective is a word used to describe
define the meaning of a noun.' What ohe? Suppose
teacher gives the following sentence to be parsed:
Little John has large apple, when the following
dialogue ensues: Teacher-Arthur parse the word
little" Arthur cannot, sir. Teacher-Why not !?
Is it not adjective? Arthur-No, sir. An adjec-
tive is word used to describe or define the mean
ing of uoun.'' John is noun fol it is name-but
little does not tell the meaning of the name. Teacher
Take the word large Arlhur-I cannot parse it,
sir. Teacher-Large is adjective. Can you not
parse an adjective9 Arthur-An adjective is word
used to describe define the meaning of noun
Webster gives the meaning of the noun apple, 1st.
tree of the genus I'd. The fruit of the apple
tree. "Now ''large' does not give any meaning of
apple consequently it cannot be adjective. This
is '.lucd' lucid indeed, that when the definition
given is applied to adjective, it proves it to be not
adjective. Since adjectIves quality, and
applied to pronouns well as nouns this deini
tion only leaves out half that should be included.
How lucid and Comprehensive he cobld have made
IT, with commendable "brevity,' and accuracy added
by saving, IAN Adjective is word added to nouns,
and pronouns, and generally expresses quality" His
rule for the adjective is lucid and comprehensive
his definition of it. "An adjective partciple
belongs to some noun or pronoun." When we have
,cason to use a syntactica rule for the adjective,
why lug in the participle also? In the sentence Il
thank you for helping him., the partciple is clearly
governed by the proposition "for,''-not as verbal
noun, it is the of action, and retains
its regimen, which a verbal noun cannot do, Now of
what is the rule applied to this and similar
particeples? Let take sample page. He says,
by figure of speech called PersonfcatiOn, gender
is sometimes ascribed to inanimate objects. They
should then be regarded as masculine or feminine"
Ex. The ship has lost her rudder. He defines person.
ifcation thus Personifcation consists i'll attribut
ing life and mind to inanimate objects and he gives
this rule for the of capitals: Names of things
personied become proper nouns in sense and should
begin with capitals. If ship be an example of per-
sonigcation, he violates his rule, by beginning
with ower-case But it is not an example, as in
tended, there is neither life nor mind attributed
to it, and he thus stultffes himself He
next remarks, ''When masculine or feminine
qualities are ascribed to animals they are
regarded as either masculine or feminine"
This is stupid and untenablc assertion. Illuminate
objects sometimes guratively spoken OF as hav-
ing But gender is founded on the natural dis
in animals, and the absence of in in
animate objects, his assertion is clearly incorrect
His first example to Illustrate this is The nightingale
sings her song. This ascrbes no quality, whatever
to nightingale; but should he assume that the faculty
of song peculiar to lhe female he errs for among
f-athered songsters it almost universally the male
that sings. His net example is, THE lion meets ms
foe, boldly" Now lion is masculine appelative
and has its corresponding feminine lioness. Nor Is
there any quality, whatever ascribed here but mani
only 1t is apparent that he does not under
stand what he writes about. His next remark IS
Nouns used to denote both genders though strictly
applicable to males only. females only, usually
regarded masculine" Is ii true that nouns that
srictly applicable to females only" are regarded
masculine !filS next remark 1le
gender [seX is observed in speaking of inferior
animals, and sometimes even of children. EX. The
bee its wing" Is its without gender? And
what becomes of such words as horse, mare buck
doe; duck, drake; etc. But as you inform me, that
ewing to the crowded state of your columns you
net afford me much space this week. L must refrain
from noticing other bunders our author has made
There are many faults would like to notice if
space would permit. All may notice that of all the
examples has given, there is not pertinent to
the subject. From a careful examination of the
grammar, unhesitatingly conclude that the author
does understand what he attempts to write
about: that he, in his work shows that he has no
fixed principles in his mind upon which to lase
correct system of grammar that his rules and defni
tions very faulty; and that he confounds things
to render them uninteligible to any one that
gives attention to the true meaning of words, and
that 1t would be better to dispense altogether with
the study of grammar than to continue this text
book. NJ. GILMoR.