Year: 1870




A correspondent writes rs that the practi-
cal working men Of this country need prae-
sical grammar in order to enable them 10 at
tain that facility and accuracy OF expression D.
essential 10 q lucid communication OF their
IDEAS. The present works upon the subject,
he thinks. are overburdened with rules. OBJ
sersations, aud quotations, and are not
adauted 10 the use of such as wish to learn 70
write and speak correctly in the shortest pos
sible time, and without the aid OF q living
teacher.


AS this bugbear of grammar is, we know,
preventing many valuable ideas and sugges-
tipns from receieing the publicity they de-
serve, we propose to devote brief space to
its decentralization.


First, then, we say that the use of correct
and forcible language, either in writing or
speaking, is purely matter of habit. No
one in writing can afford to stop and apply
grammatical rules to every word and phrase
he employs, and no writer does this. IL be
had these rules all at his tongues end, they
would not enable him TO use good language,
unless good language is the daily habit Of his
life. Many os these rules are of extremely
doubtful character, so far as the English Ian.
guage is concerned, and more are SO loaded
down with exceptions that they are practi-
cally useful only to critics in defining and
pointing out errors Of style and construction
in such literary productions as depend for
their merit more upon their style than any.
thing else. The use of good language can
rot be put on and off like coat. He who
accustoms himself TO loose forms of express
ion to-day will tomorrow speak loosely when
be perhaps desires TO be accurate.


Many of our most able writers and speak
ers know little or nothing of grammar as a
science, and one of the most forcible writers
among the contributors to our present maya
zine literature has recently written series
of articles for the GALAXY, in which he has
sought TO prsve that most of the definitions
and so-called rules of English grammar are
shams; even going so far as to entitle one OF
his articles "The Grammarless Tongue.
meaning by the expression, grammarless
tongue, our vernacular. II must be confess
ed, TOO, that he made out pretty strong
case.


If, then, the use of good English is not tc
be learned from "English grammars," how
is ii to be learned? We answer by familiar
izing ourselves with good language, by stud
wing the meaning aad derivation of words,
5y the habitual reading of such authors as
are accepted authorities in the use of Ian
guage, and whose writings have established
its usage. This will not avail, however, i
an attempt is not made to shake off bad hab
its. and acquire good ones.


But it IL not necessary to possess the most
happy style of expression to communicate i'm
po.tant facts. An old professor used to re
mark that most people Of moderate education
can write and speak forcibly if they hart
something to say, meaning that they must
possess some complete idea, we'll thought out
before they attempt to utter it. A man hay
ing an idea thus mentally wrought out, may
misplace capitals and mis-spcll words, but he
can scarcely fail to make himself understood;
for his thinking has been done in language,
and the natural expression of the idea must
be nearly or quite as clear as his thinking,
But if he try to assume an artificial style
quite foreign to that which he is accustomed
to use, ten to one he will fail to make him
self understood.