Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-11
LANGUAGE STUDY.
Training in the Art and Science Of In
depreciation.

rFon1 tne EOfum
An Indispensable part of a truly liberal
education consists of training in the science
and art of Interpretation. Language Is the
distinctively human means of communion
ton. A knowledge of language which is
essentially different from that possessed by
the fluent speaker of several languages is
absolutely essential to the precise and sat
isfactory Interpretation of any language
Language Is the form In which the highest
expressions of human thought and feeling
come to the individual man and to the sue
ceedi1g generations of men. Language In
therefore, the essential form Of what wo
call literature. in the widest meaning or
that word. The Interpretation Of language
is the use of the key that unIocks the treas
ures of literature. Therefore language
must be studied as a training in the science
and art Of Interpretation, else the accu-
rate and comprehensive knowledge of the
best thoughts, feelings and activities of
humanity is shut out of the mind.
To acquire the science and art Of inter-
probation, the prolonged and careful study
of some one language Is absolutely indis-
pensable. Such a study OF one language is
not only Indispensable, but it is sufficient
for the average college student. For this
purpose 1t Is even far better to concentrate
upon one language than to divide the time
among three or four languages. He who
knows one language in this way knows
something which cannot be otherwise ac-
quired about all languages, about language
as such. He Is prepared not only to
duire with largely increased facility. any
language which he chooses to acquire, but
to use that language inteItgently and skill
fully as the key to unlock the stores of lit
erature which 1t may contain.
Such a study of language as shall result
In training in the science and art of in
depreciation cannot easily be conducted
otherwise than in a language foreign to the
student Indeed, 1 very much doubt
whether 1T is possible to impart any con-
siderable degree of this kind of culture
without compelling that careful attention
to words-their meaning, their position in
the sentence. their value, &c.-which I'M
familiarity and the consequent compulsion
to make a serious attempt at learning Of
necessity bring about. He who is COM
PEELED to study a series of words that at
first mean little or nothing to him. must
somehow make shift to discover what they
do mean. He must become an Investigator
an explorer. an experimental and d:scoverer
In this foreign land The attempt to force
this way of investigating ones own IA
milar and native speech when the way
has not already been prepared by training
In some foreign language, is not at all
likely to be successful English therefore
can never be substituted Tor the classical
languages
Among all foreign languages the classical
languages are for US best adapted to use
by the teacher for training in the science
and art of Interpretation. This is due to
the very structure of these languages to
the fact that. being dead. they are the
more foreign, and, especially to the ex-
ceedingly elaborate and generally admir-
able apparatus of grammers lexicons. an
notated editions, historical and antiquar-
ian illustrations, ETC., with which several
cenSaries of diligent research and careful
scholarship have provided these languages.