The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-06
STUDY OF LANGUAGES.
Does Result Justify Time spent I'm
Learning More than One.
Marion Chronicle

Marion Chronicle.
TO be master of one language is it neces-
sary to study others? Does the study Of
other languages contribute to a knowledge
OF ones own sufficiently to justify the ex-
penditure required? Does the culture that
follows the study of other languages justify
II Ii mas been but short time since there
We're but few who gave these questions
second thought. The answer was taken for
granted. No one was "a scholar who was
not conversant with several languages
This was the test.
To-day there are numerous Interrogation
points in the minds of those who consider
the subject 1t is 10 longer conceded that
TO be muster in one language requires the
study of others. There have been too many
masters who knew but the one. Shakespeare,
Tor example, is supposed to have known
but little of other languages, and yet he
knew something of English. Tyndall was a
master of English, and he acquired his style
by thorough study of English alone. And
there are numerous other Illustrations.
There are many writer's and thinkers to-
students to Greek and Latin would result
in much greater proficiency in English If
applied to English only
There are two stock arguments for the
study of the classics. One is etymology and
the other is the sweets of ancient literature.
To know the derivation of word is worth
something, and to read a classic in the orig
tnal is pleasure. But words change in
meaning and he who depends upon etymol-
ogy to find meaning will often be grossly
msled And how many of the thousands
who study Latin or Greek acquire q pro-
ficiency which reads them with discrimina-
ton! But we need the great thoughts of
hesancients. True, and how are we to get
them? A Greek scholar translates Greek
author. From which will the ordinary
Greek student acquire the most of the au-
thors thought-the scholars translation or
ms own? We think in the language with
which we are most familiar. In the United
States we think in English-most of us. We
know something of Greek and Latina few
OF US. We pine for communion with an
Gent thought; To think clearly we. must
think not only in words but also in the
words OF the language with which We are
Idmliiar. In other words, to enjoy, say
Plato, we must translate Plato. Then
Whatever of communion comes to us comes
from translation. From which are we like
~ TO get the best of Plato-our own trans
Iation or that of a Greek scholar? Take
rant, modern, for another example. Max
Muller, not merely inguist, but a philolo-
glst, translates Rants 'Critique" Is there
anyone more capable of making such
translation? What American or English
man knows German so thoroughly that he
may offer superior one? Here is one of
the profoundest philosophical works ever
lt-from our own translation, or Muller's?
1nere is but one answer to this, and it ap-
piles to ancient literature well as to the
modefn. TO assume that the thousands
profit most from their own transations IN
seeking ancient wisdom is nonsense.
, 6ut we Ear, are told that the study itself is
mental ulSc1pllne. So is all study. If it
were TO be a choice between this and no
mental effort whatever, then this by all
means, but there is no such alternative
Modern developments have so enriched the
possibilities of research that no one life
may more than touch upon them, and the
facts are important. The mind which be-
slows its attention upon them will not be
without discipline. The world is full of
iactS pregnant with meaning The study of
them inevitably means development. The
living facts are beyond the utmost of ac-
QUESTION. The wisdom of the ancients is
not to be ignored. but at the best it must
come to us in translation-either our own
or that OF others far more capable of MAX
ing TRANSACTIONS. How much less than sui
cidal is 1t, therefore, to waste vital force in
the study of the dead languages?