The Washington herald., 1908-05-31

Berlin, May 3o.-Prof. AIois Brandt, the
most distinguished German authority on
the English language ana literature. is
Of opinion that English is quite as well
spoken in America as in England.
The professor is presid mt OF the Ger
man Shakespeare Association and profess
sor Of English at Berlin University. and
has just returned from England. where he
was made an honorary member Of the
Royal Society OF Literature.
During his stay in London he was dis
tressed to hear at some Of the board
schools which he visited IN the west OF
London school children who recited pas
sages from Shakespeare say that the quail
ity Of mercy was not "stryned," that II
droppeth as the gentle "ryne" from heav-
en-. was 'twoice" blessed. and so forth.
This intrusion of the cokney element
coupled with the influence Of the various
dialects upon colloquial English, leads
Prof. Brandt to the conclusion that tho
English spoken by the English Is on thu
whole not whit purer than the English
spoken by the Americans, OF which he
has made a close study.
Drawing a Level.
He puts the English Of the ordinary edu-
Gated American quite on an equality with
that Of the ordinary educated English
man, basing HIS opinion on systematic OBJ
servation during twenty years continual
contact with American students at Ger
man universities, aAd. secondly. on OBJ
servations made when he visited America
as the representative OF academic Ger
many at the recent BENJAMIN Franklin
centenary celebration
Prof Brandt states that when in Amer
lea he not only studied the English spok-
en- by American students at the various
universities and colleges. but also listened
to speeches delivered by thirty-fve Amer
leans coming from all parts OF the United
States "Of these thirty-hve orators" he
says, the American whose English was
most un-English was Andrew Carnegie,
and he is a Scotsman"
The professor believes that the Ameri-
can twang is rapidly dying out. and that
1t will in time become a thing of the past.
He believes that the great strides now
being made in America in the education
Of the masses will result in the extinction
OF the twang. The average American"
says Prof. Brandt. is being educated into
consciousness Of his accent. and IS begin
ming 10 criticise and eradicate IT,"
Exchange of Teachers.
The Prussian ministry Of education re-
Gently consulted Prof. Brandt regarding
the advisability Of arranging an exchange
| Of teachers between Germany and the
United States, the plan being for German
teachers TO go TO America TO teach Ger
man In the schools there. while American
/ teachers would come 10 Germany 10 reaca
/ English in the schools here.
! project to arrange an exchange Of
! teachers Of this kind between England
/ and Germany fell through owing 70 lack
/ OF support In England. Some Of the ad-
visers Of the ministry OF education feared
to recommend the Importation Of Ameri-
/ can teachers, on the ground that they
might teach English with a bad accent.
/ but Prof. Brandt has sent in an official
report declaring that the English taught
/ by the average American tutor will be
/ quite as good as the English taught by
/ the average English teacher.
| Prof Brandt assured the ministry OF
/ education that the quality OF the English
/ which would be acquired by German chill
dren from the American teachers will be
! quite as desirable as that which would be
/ acquired from English teachers. In con-
/ sequence Of his recommendation, the ex-
| change Of teachers between Germany and
| America Will be carried out without fur
| ther delay.