Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-29
LOVE AND DIALECTS
Both Discussed at the Modern Language
Convention Today.
Papers Read This Morning and the
Remarks Made - Business Meeting
This Afternoon-Yester

This Afternoon-Yesterda
The attendance upon the last days ses-
| sion Of the Modern Language Association
was very slim this morning. Some Of the
members who were on the program to fur
| nish papers failed to materialize, much to
the disappointment Of the audience.
The session opened with a paper on THE
Ptstojese Dialect" by DR.. James d. Bruner
Of the University of Illinois.
DR.. Bruner has visited Italy for the pur-
pose Of studying the dialects Of that coun-
try and paid especial attention to the patois
Of the people Of Pistoja and the peasants Of
the Pistojesi mountains. He described the
local divisions Of the italian dialects and
their characteristics. giving many vocal
demonstrations of the differences in pro-
nunciation. He also described some very
ancient manuscripts found in the libraries
Of Florence and Pistoja, some Of them dat
ing back to the year 1900
In the brief discussion which followed the
reading Of the paper Prof. Elliott referred
to the importance Of researches of the
nature of those made by DR.. Bruner. He
thought that it is not unlikely that the
Latin language may be traced in some de-
gree to old Etruscan influences.
DR.. Menger, who has taken considerable
interest In similar Investigations also bore
witness to the value of DR.. Burners paper
and referred briefly to the differences in
the Italian dialects.
Love Theories.
The next paper was read by Prof. Louis
F. Mott of the University of the City of
New York, and was entitled THE Love
Theories OF Chretien de Troies." This pa
per described the character Of the love bal
lads OF Provence, in which a stereotyped
rule OF procedure Is laid down for youthful
and bashful lovers. who never muster up
enough courage to declare their love, but
pass their days repining and their nights
In sleepless signing. All of these ballads
were OF the same kind. and the hero Of one
would have served for all.
Chretien de Trofes was the most eminent
love poet and love songster Of his day, the
representative Of all things chivairic, and
his songs were Of the pure joys Of love-
He was conspicuous in that age for his
high-minded defense OF contugal love and
the unity Of the marriage state. Prof. Mott
Chretien de Troies to show the character
OF his writings and his conceptions.
Prof Sheldon Of Harvard opened the dis
cussion on the paper. He said that behind
the artificiality Of the relation Of the me-
dieval lover to his lady there was frequent
ly real passion. He thought that the orr
gin of this extraordinary chivairic spirit
existing In the lovers passion might be
II HI
lady love partook Of the nature Of q su-
pernatural being.
Conceptions of Love.
Prof Todd Of Columbia College. New
York. continued the discussion by saying
that Prof Motifs paper was a thorough
going treatise upon the theory Of love In
medieval times and of great value.
Prof. A. N. Van Daell Of the Massachu-
| sets Institute Of Technology spoke OF the
difference between the early French con-
| ception Of woman and the Celtic idea. The
Celt idealized woman and her love and
placed her upon a much higher pinnacle
than the French permitted her to occupy.
Chronological Tests.
The next paper was read by DIR. B. J. Vos
| of Johns Hopkins University and was en-
| titled chronological Tests for Hartmann
Won Aue." The tests were divided into five
heads. viz. % rhyme technic.t CD parenthesis
| CD periphrasis with forms Of beginners "a
| postpositive adjective and 60 postposftive
possessive. The paper indicated careful re-
search by DIR. Vos into the works of vou
Aue and ancient German literature.
In the elaboration OF his subject under the
| nrst subdivision. that Of rhyme technc, DIR
| Vos brought arguments to bear to supper,
his statement that rhyme is a potential fac
tor In the chronology of German literature
| He then proceeded to show what Influence
each OF the other tests bore to establishing
l
Prof Learned explained that Dr. yos
paper really included a wider Investigation
| than merely OF the works OF Won Aue. H:
| thought that the test as applied to Won Au,
| was certainly correct and to other writer,
| was very nearly correct.
Afternoon Session.
| This closed the morning session. At tn,
| afternoon session. which assembled at
O'Clock. Miss Viola V. Price Of the South
west Kansas College presented a paper OF
| The Growth of the Arthurian Legend" A
the close Of the reading, after The Stal
| went to press. a business session was en-
| tered upon. the object being the election O.
officers of the association and the selection
| OF the next meeting place.
| Yesterday's Session.
| At the afternoon session yesterday DIR
Faust Of Johns Hopkins University read 8
paper on the life and writings of Charlie.
Sealfield. This was followed by a discussion
| Of William Victor's new method of Ian
guage teaching" Dr. Rambeau Of John.
| Hopkins argued that the use Of phoneti,
methods has become an absolute necessit,
| In the teaching Of modern languages, which
| position was controverted by Prof. Magill
Dr. Starr Cuttings paper on the inductiv,
method of the elementary study of gram
mar was then read and the association ad
| journed.