Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-10-07
FOREIGN LANGUAGES.
TO LEARN THEM NOT 4 DIFFICULT
TASK If PROPERLY UNDERTAKEN.
hints co Beeinncrs-A Criticism CT the
system Which Makes the Grammar the
Main Tiiins-The Better way Is to Read
and Study ths Dictionary.

VIC GO not Pretend in this short article TO
enter into 4 scientific dissertation on the
acquisition Of languages, but rather to
convey few simple hints TO those who
are Interested in the subject. There can be
40 doubt as to the benefit that NAV be de
rived from the study Of foreign tongue.
Inc many advantages CT learning a Ian
guagc need scarcely be dwelt upon. One
OF the most prominent is the largely in
creased power that is gained over ones
own speech. The mental exercise involved
III searching the memory for appropriate
synonymous words and phrases tends 10
increase the vocabulary and to give great
y case and facility Of expression in the use
" me mother tongue. There is, besides
the pleasure that is.inseparable from every
intellectual pursuit, and also the practical
prott OF being able to converse with for
elgner whom we may chance to meet either
III the way OF business or pleasure.
But I'll this said still leaves us with the
question to answer, How NAV one best
learn foreign language? In attempting
al answer to this question we are not ad
Fahclhg anything that is new. But the
method we would commend is one that
cannot DC too much insisted upon, partic
uiarly in the interest OF a certain class to
whom these remarks are more directly ap
pncablc. Many young men find them
selves arrived ut period of life when they
feai 1t difficult TO attempt any subject OF
study. There are many demands on their
time and the effort to attempt any sort Of
consecutive, concentrated work seems
hopeless. They may have endcayored at
various periods in their lives to acquire a
knowledge Of Latin, French, German,
Spanish, or other foreign tongue, but, ow-
ing to various circumstances, these at
tompts have had to be given up.
The effort to make a fresh start is put
off from day to day, although the desire
to do something in this direction NAV still
be as strong as ever. Why is this so? Sim.
ply because in many cases the contcmpla-
ton OF the task brings up before the vision
so much OF the hard, grinding, unintercst
ing nature of the schOolboy task To wade
through a grammar Of perhaps $50 pages,
getting of by heart, ii that be possible, al
the conjugations, infections, exceptions
and ldiom5, is the ordinarily accepted no
ton OF what is required to be done in the
initiatory process of learning some foreign
tongue, after which the pleasing prospect
Is hold out that one may then begin tc
read something
Such a system-if system it can be called
is an utterly erroneous one. Little won
der that it repcls SO many from taking
up what is really Il most interesting study
10 any who contemplate doing so tho ad
vice may bc given to cast aside all precon-
ceived ideas about the old methods anG
begin at once to read the language they
are going to learn. Thoughts about tn;
grammar and the rules should not be al
lowed TO trouble the mind. Except to those
who have had some previous grounding il
\ language the grammar is sure to prove
stumbling block and to beget naught
but despair. A good dictionary and book
of simple tales in the language chosen arr
all that is necessary in the first instance
With these in hand the motto of the be.
ginncr should then be to read, read, read
The printed page, at first new and un.
familiar, will gradually unfold itself as
word after word is learned, and when a
sentence has been translated the reader
will go on with a strange feeling of de.
light to master more of the contents.
There is no better method Of retaining u
word in the memory than in having to sc
" NliJ tIOuDlb VI lbbhlilG IL up III lllt tllt-
tionary. The word will be certain to stick,
more especially if it is found recurring
once or twice in tho same page. AS much
roading should be done as time will allow.
A page of tho dictionary may also be fire.
quently gone over. 1t soon acquires a
wonderful interest. In this way the study
is made from the first attractive and agree
able. If tho book read be by ono of the
best writers, its inherent qualities will in
tercst, while the increasing power to in
terpret correctly the writer's meaning will
act rs n constant stimulus to go on ac-
quiring more words and phrases and their
correct Use.
The help of o friend imbucd with sim
liar desires and aims will be useful. At
the very outset attempts should be made TO
carry on conversation together in the Ian
guage. Tho power to do this, at first halt
ing and awkward, will gradually expand.
The name Of every object which is round
about us in cur daily life should be learned
and referred to in conversation. The
phrases employed to denote particular &C
tions and feelings should be looked up as
they recur to tho mind. Now and again
the conversation that may be heard at the
table, in tho train, anywhere, may be
translated mentally. There are many
times when ono is alone and there is moth
ing in particular to occupy tho thoughts
Such moment should be seized to recall
words we have come across in our reading,
and thus make them the more firmly our
own. a book OF poems will be of much
assistance.
Of course, it must not for a moment be
assumed that we counsel the entire neglect
Of the grammar That would be profound
mistake. The grammar will by and by be
5aken up with almost rs much interest as
the tale itself, for, as the beauties and
graces of the language reveal themselves,
the learner will not rest content till he has
made himself master Of all its intricacios.
But what VIC want to insist on is that the
grammar in the first instance should be
given secondary place. -Chambers' Jour