The Penn's Grove record., 1889-11-23
rsaoh rh,m to speak Properly.

On has only to hear the children Of
any family speak to know what langu-
ago is used by their ~snperiorA u il
not necessary TO study the rules and
principles Of grammar In order TO be, q
correct sspenker. It ID habit and one
that il acquired from early infancy. OF
course the study Of grammar is q great
help toa proper use Of words and ex-
pfeasioua, asst gives reasons why such
and snch words are used in aparticular
sense. But IL is not al uncommon
thing TO hear educated men and women
who should know better, make grave
mistakes in the use Of language. It
cannot be because they : ignorant Of
the principles Of grammar, since they
are always able to correct themselves
after . little thought. 1t must be, then,
that they hare accustomed Themselves
since childhood to certain set Of ex-
pr~essions, which will cling to them
through life unless Q great effort is
made 70 nd themselves OF them. Par
enfss have the means in their power OF
rendering their little Q good gram
maticad speakers. II fathers and moth
ers would use sensible languagein talk
ing - their babies whom they are first
learning TO speak, the child would never
know any better and would speak cor
reotly just as cssiiyas II would incor-
rectly, For Instance, in the use Of per-
sona1 pronouns almost every child will
say ssme wants . piece Of bread and
butter" instead Of 81 want" etc, and
very often they use nc personal pro-
noun, hut their own name. / have al
ways heard 1t said that It was almost an
impossibil.t y to teach little ones the use
Of pronouns, but that is no reason why
We, ~ mothers, should not try. / know
personally Of cases Of children only
three years Of age who do use pro-
nonns, and generally in the proper
place. OF coqrsesa great many mis-
lakes are made daily, but il they are
corrected every time they are made,
The chldfen will naturally fall into the
habit Of expressing themselves in q pro-
per manner, and take pride in it, too.
Any one who has had any experience
with children knows that it is o conn
mon thing TO hear from the lips Of
girls and boys Of perhaps ton or twelve
years Of age, such Q pressions as II
knowed il" II seen Il, "Haint got
nothing," "He bring it," and all the
forms Of the verb to be are generally
used in some wrong manner 1t takes
time and patience to stop them when-
ever they make q mistake, but it will
save . great deal Of labor for them
afterwards, and Afford rs Q large
amount Of present qualification. Tell
the child to repeat the proper express
sion after ycu, and after M OF two
repetitions Of correction, they will not
BE- apt to make the same error again.
Children make use Of expressions that
they hear ut home, and il their
elders always use good language, the
little ones will do the same. Some
mothers have an idea that any affection
for the baby cannot be oppressed in
good Language, but they must tell their
love In what u known - baby talk.
Although II sounds very cunning for :
while, 4 soon loses it's charm especi-
ally when tie child ID three or four
years old, and we wish then that We
had talked TO them in . proper manner,
and Rad done ~ that We possibly could
to make them correct speakers. II is q
rarity and also 4 great pleasure to have
: child Of FIVE or six and sometimes
even older SPEAK 20 as 10 be understood
by any one. Parents leave too much
to teachers, thinking that all errors
will b rectihed when under their
charge. But habits OF several years
standing ire hard to break, and q child
whoisAys 81 aeen" during childhood
will be apt to use the expression when
fuIly mafured. I know Of many cases
Of ladies' Who use this and similar
phrases, simply from force Of habit, not
from ignorance. They are conscious
of having used . wrong word. and have
often been mortified for 30 doing.
Grown up people who 8 wrong words
should put Z watch upon themselves,
Apd.make mp their minds to use only
corfecH aguage. And how much cas-
ier it'll vii be for our boys and girls,
when they are men and women, If we
have instiIled into their minds only the
proper forms Of language, 80 that speak
ing correctly viii be As natural to them
Is eating their dinnerATEr.
1---Er Na