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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/29163-0.txt b/29163-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3e9e2a6 --- /dev/null +++ b/29163-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1092 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Aural System, by Anonymous + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Aural System + + +Author: Anonymous + + + +Release Date: June 19, 2009 [eBook #29163] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AURAL SYSTEM*** + + +Transcribed from the 1895 Thomas Brown pamphlet by David Price, +ccx074@pglaf.org + +[ENTERED AT STATIONER’S HALL.] + + + + + + THE AURAL SYSTEM; + + + BEING + + THE MOST DIRECT, + + THE STRAIGHT-LINE METHOD + + FOR THE + + SIMULTANEOUS FOURFOLD MASTERY + + OF A + + FOREIGN LANGUAGE + + TEACHING SIMULTANEOUSLY TO + + SPEAK, UNDERSTAND, READ, AND WRITE, + + BY + + A Linguist of nearly 40 years standing, and nearly 20 years resident + abroad. + + * * * * * + + BRADFORD: + THOS. BROWN, PRINTER, 311, MANCHESTER ROAD. + 1895. + +_Respecting the time required to learn a language_, _the writer ventures +to recommend the way he himself took when a boy to solve this question_. +_Having made choice of a known grammar_, _the exercises of which promise +a satisfactory degree of proficiency_, _let the student affix to each and +all of the lessons at the outset_, _the dates when they are to be done +and observe them_. _Some weeks a little perseverance and determination +may be necessary_, _but let him be inflexible with himself_, _curtail his +indulgences if required and his task will be done with ease_. + +_Subsequent studies are pleasant and easy_. + + * * * * * + +Some time ago, a Mr. Wm. Rodger came down from Glasgow for the purpose of +showing how foreign languages should be taught. He brought on a +gentleman, a clergyman from Leeds, who had gone through Otto’s German +Grammar without being able either to speak or understand German; this +gentleman was able to bear testimony to the merit of Mr. Rodger’s system +because by it he had learnt to do both. Of course his testimony rested +on one assumption. It assumed that having gone through Otto’s Grammar +all learnt from it had been forgotten, and that the whole merit of his +success was due to Mr. Rodger’s method. + +Mr. Rodger was of opinion, that foreign languages should be learnt as a +child learns its mother tongue. It seemed to me a strange use to make of +the reason and intelligence of the adult, to cast it aside as useless and +to ask the youth and man to become a child again. It appeared to me the +most wasteful of methods. Is language a science, and if so, what would +be thought of a similar proposal for acquiring any other science? But +are the cases parallel? Is there any similarity of circumstance? Can +the youth and man again place themselves in the circumstances of the +child? + +The child is constantly hearing the language spoken, everyone around it +is teaching it to speak, everything around it stimulates it to do so. +Nearly everything it learns, comes to it through its mother tongue; at +play it hears, it speaks. At five years of age it begins to go to +school, and from that time until its fourteenth or sixteenth year, +whatever else it studies, it must study its mother tongue. All other +knowledge reaches it through this medium. Every other study compels the +study and practice of its mother tongue and allowing ten hours per day +for sleep, by the time it is fourteen years of age seventy-one thousand +six hundred hours have been spent in such study and practice. + +Let us take the case of the youth or man who commences the study of a +foreign language. He has found that a foreign language will be of use to +him or has become necessary to him in his work. He begins to study it +and takes the usual one lesson per week of one hour’s duration. In a +year he has spent fifty hours with the teacher; if he devoted two or +three hours weekly to the preparation of each lesson, he will have spent +150 to 200 hours per annum upon it, or, less absences and omissions, +perhaps 140 or 180 hours upon its study. This makes fourteen days of ten +hours or perhaps three weeks as against fourteen years spent by the child +upon its mother tongue. Multiply this amount of fourteen days by two or +three, and grammar is still seen by comparison to have accomplished a +stupendous miracle. But even this disparity is not complete, for whilst +the child, whether at work or play, never ceases to study and practice +its native language, and this is by far its principal occupation, the +youth and man, on the other hand, devote to the study of a foreign +language, the remnants, the odds and ends of their time, after having +exhausted their energies in their work. + +These were the considerations that occurred to me on thinking over Mr. +Rodger’s prospectus. Nevertheless, it was impossible to regard as +satisfactory a method of tuition or study, which left the pupil unable to +understand or speak a language after having gone through a grammar like +that of Otto. The Grammatical Method being one which does not seek to +render easy and simple at the cost of efficiency, by eluding and evading +the difficulties and peculiarities of a language, but being the one which +fairly meets and masters them: there can be no question of dispensing +with its valuable assistance. The wise course is to adopt that method of +using it, which will enable us to derive most benefit from its teachings, +and ensure success. It is for this purpose the following has been +written. It follows from this, that if the pupil’s time admit, the most +complete Grammar is the best. + +We have been amongst the most backward in this branch of study, but our +grammars since then have been largely borrowed from our more successful +competitors; from those who excelled as much in modern languages as we +ourselves in industry. They are in many instances the work of foreign +specialists and experts, they are the very instruments of success used by +our most successful rivals, how then can they be inadequate? Translation +has put us into possession of the best works used by our foreign rivals, +and if we are less successful than they, it is due, as a Swiss +correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian” recently stated, not to the +superior aptitude, but to the superior application of the foreigner. + +The writer first commenced studying foreign languages nearly forty years +ago, and has resided for nearly twenty years in various foreign +countries. His experience with regard to those who learn foreign +languages has been that those who commence the practice of a foreign +language with a previous knowledge of its Grammar, learn to speak it with +an ease, confidence and correctness never attained by those who try to +dispense with such preparation and study. On the other hand those who +have learnt to speak without such study, contract vicious and faulty +locutions, and rarely if ever make good the deficiency. They are +compelled of course to form a rough Grammar of their own, upon incomplete +information, and have to do so hastily and imperfectly. For writing, +where precision and accuracy are required a knowledge not based upon +Grammar is next to worthless. + +Most pupils have a fourfold object in studying a language; they wish to +be able to read and write, to speak and to understand it. By what method +could this be most easily achieved? If this work could be performed +simultaneously, it would effect a saving of time and labour, as well as +impress what was being studied more deeply upon the memory. The memory +for sound, form, music, figures, spelling, etc., appears to be distinct +and to vary in each one. If the memory for sound could be brought more +into play, it must help to retain more tenaciously what was learnt. + +Of course, the pupil can only expect to be master of the language so far +as he has studied and learnt. He cannot expect to reap where he has not +sown. Within this limit he learns to read, in preparing the lesson, and +to write, in writing out the exercises. + +But Mr. Charles Sauer says in the preface to his Italian Grammar 5th Ed., +page iv., “Everyone who has occupied himself with study of modern +languages knows, that by far the more difficult task is to _understand_ +the foreign language,” (_i.e._, when spoken.) + +That cannot be called a success which leaves the most difficult part of +the task unaccomplished, nor can it be wise to allow difficulties to +amass and accumulate, if they can be mastered in detail as they present +themselves. The task is the education of the ear and tongue and this can +only be done by practice. + +To learn to understand the language when spoken, one must hear it spoken; +to learn to speak it, one must speak it. It may even have its advantages +if such conversation keep within the range of the pupil’s knowledge. He +thus feels that he ought, must, and can understand, if he try. + +If the pupil speak to himself both these results are attained. This he +can do by studying aloud. His tongue will educate his ear and +familiarise it with the new sounds, whilst the ear will correct the +tongue. I assume, of course, that he is under the guidance of a teacher; +in this case with attention to the teacher’s pronunciation and care, and +a little effort on his own part, he should soon pronounce correctly, +easily, and well. By translating the exercises aloud, from five to +twenty times, they should become as familiar to him as English. But +whether translating into or from English, the foreign sentences should +always be uttered _aloud_ clearly and distinctly. It is, of course, a +drawback, that in this translation aloud and alone of the exercises, the +eye should anticipate the ear in conveying the words to the brain, but, +when full allowance has been made for this, the gain for the pupil is +still immense as compared with the silent method of study. + +The learner should not be satisfied with being able to translate the +exercises, he should aim at being able to use his new tongue with the +same ease, readiness and fluency, as his native language. At each +successive translation, he gains in this respect whilst engraving his +newly acquired knowledge more deeply on his memory. The exercise which +the first time required fifteen minutes to translate, the fifth time will +probably take but three. + +A chief difficulty being the education of the ear, and the time spent +with the teacher being the pupil’s best opportunity for this, the lesson +for the pupil so far as possible should be aural, the exercises being +spoken by the teacher to the pupil for translation and the pupil’s +translations likewise being spoken. The pupil’s book should be kept +closed during the translation. + +Supposing the pupil to be studying French. The teacher should first +speak the French exercise in French, the pupil translating each sentence +as spoken, into English. + +2. Then taking the English exercise, the teacher should translate it +aloud into French, the pupil retranslating each sentence, when spoken, +into English. + +3. The teacher should then speak each sentence of the English exercise +in English; the pupil translating each sentence in a distinct voice into +French. + +4. The teacher should then translate aloud sentence by sentence, the +French exercise into English; the pupil retranslating each sentence into +French. + +This will double the exercises, which are usually rather scanty. As we +see, this part of the lesson is for the pupil exclusively aural and oral; +he works through the ear and tongue only, his book being kept closed. + +In working alone at the preparation of his lesson, there is the +disadvantage for the ear, that, before the sound reaches it, the eye has +conveyed the meaning to the brain, but when working with the teacher as +above, this drawback is obviated. The test is indeed a more severe one +than actual conversation would be. When conversing, the subject is +known, and the question suggests the reply; but with disconnected +sentences, no such help is forthcoming. + +The pupil can much hasten his own progress by varying the exercises, +forming of them question and answer, changing tenses and moods of verbs, +varying them so far as he can trying how far he can make conversation out +of them. + +This method has further the advantage of showing the pupil plainly, week +by week, the progress he is making and the remedy being in his own hands, +he becomes responsible for his own failure. If he cannot translate +freely and easily, when with the teacher, he cannot expect later to speak +freely and naturally, when he comes to engage in actual conversation with +foreigners. His remedy is to translate his exercises alone, until he can +do so, as readily, as if they were English. The shyness and diffidence +that so frequently accompany first attempts to converse are not +experienced under this method. + +One reason why pupils in conversation fail to understand readily is +because they do not know the verbs well; do not know their grammar; a +sentence does not convey to them at once a definite meaning, and whilst +engaged in puzzling out the meaning of what has already been said they +cannot give their undivided attention to what their interlocutor is just +saying. + +I have described the manner in which on Mr. Wm. Rodger’s visit in March +1891, I was led to this method. Theoretically it seemed to me sound, and +after having since tested it practically, I do not think its merit +exaggerated. In April last 1894, a French Grammar by Mr. Paul Baume was +brought under my notice. Mr. Baume recommends a similar method between +teacher and pupil, but omits to state how the pupil can best prepare +himself for it. Mr. Baume, will, I think find the difficulties he +mentions to disappear, if the pupil prepare himself as I have prescribed. +I have never encountered such difficulties, and attribute this to the +fact, that I always recommend pupils to prepare themselves by studying +aloud. Mr. Baume says he has practised his method with considerable +success during twenty years. I was not very much surprised at having +been partially anticipated by Mr. Baume, for, while error is infinite, +the truth is one; there can be only one straight line between two points, +and this seems to me the most direct, the straightest way to the +_simultaneous fourfold acquirement_ of a language. + +With a Grammar like that of Otto an expeditious mode of learning words is +desirable. Perhaps the quickest, is to transcribe the words to be +learnt, into parallel columns and covering up each column in turn, to run +down them ten or more times. Whilst doing this the foreign words should +always be pronounced aloud. The transcription impresses the spelling on +the memory, and where the written alphabet differs from the English +affords valuable practice. Arminius Vambery thought it a matter for +congratulation when having begun by learning ten words daily, he was able +to reach sixty. The column of twenty foreign words can be mastered in +about one quarter of an hour, and I have myself done over 200 at this +rate on some days, though I do not say they can be retained without +repetition. + +Lord Dufferin says that in a work of about 600 pages, there will probably +be three thousand words of which the meaning will be unknown to the +student. A list should be made of them, and they can be conveniently +mastered at the rate of forty daily and thus all learnt in three months. +With each successive work, the process should be repeated, until it +becomes unnecessary. He adds that this has the advantage that, if +necessary, after a long interval, by preserving such lists, the words can +be relearnt with little trouble. + +An able Swiss authority recommends the pupil to learn from 10,000 to +12,000 words of each language, dividing them into three or four classes +according to their usefulness or frequency of occurrence. He recommends +their periodical repetition. + +Asher’s German Correspondent and Booch-Arkossy in the “Eco de Madrid” +recommend the translation of a good idiomatic work into English and its +translation into the language of the original, carefully comparing such +retranslation with the original and noting mistakes. With the teacher, +such translation may be made by word of mouth, the teacher translating +into English and the pupil retranslating each sentence when uttered into +the language of the original. + +Another method is to read and translate some idiomatic foreign work. At +the end of the paragraph, the teacher forms questions from each sentence, +to which the pupil replies. So soon as able, the pupil, in turn, +questions. This is I believe substantially the old “Robertsonian +method.” The pupil can prepare his lesson by framing both question and +answer himself. It is excellent drill. + +Good practice in speaking is also to be obtained by the pupil’s narrating +to the teacher in the language of the original, the contents of each +paragraph. He need not of course attempt to recite by heart the words of +the text, but merely repeat the sense. + +Mr. Chardenal recommends the pupil to translate mentally an increasing +number of sentences daily and to repeat them as frequently as possible +during the day. The sentences should illustrate important rules. His +object is to induce mental work, personal labour on the part of the +pupil. + +Arminius Vambery’s method was to enter into imaginary conversations with +himself. + +All these methods do not mean discordance but agreement. All methods +which concurrently with Grammar, mean practice or induce it, are good. +This is the pith and secret of all successful systems: _practice with +method_ often, much, and aloud but by all means master the Grammar as +quickly and thoroughly as possible, and thus practice strengthens +grammar, while grammar guides and illumines practice. + +Dr. Abercrombie in his work, “Intellectual Powers” chapter “Memory,” says +the depth, the permanence of an impression on the mind depends upon the +distinctness of the perception, the intensity with which it is +contemplated, the length of time during which it is kept before the mind, +the impression being very much strengthened by being repeatedly brought +before the mind. This labour must be a voluntary act on the part of the +individual. He adds: “The habit of listless activity should be carefully +guarded against by the young, and the utmost care should be taken to +cultivate the opposite, namely, of directing the mind intensely to +whatever comes before it in reading or observation. This may be +considered as forming the foundation of a sound intellectual character.” + +Lord Macaulay attributed his marvellous memory to a very simple method, +adopted when a boy. When reading, at the bottom of each page, he +required himself to give an account of its contents. At the outset, said +he, he needed to reperuse the page three or four times, but he ended by +being able almost to recite a book from beginning to end after having +once read it through. This is also the essential feature recommended by +Dr. Abercrombie in his “Intellectual Powers” chapter on memory. Such a +method of summarising each letter, order, invoice, or conversation at its +close would also give good results to the Merchant, Clerk, or Traveller, +both in leaving a clear impression and in strengthening the memory. + +It certainly seems to me an excellent way for mastering the rules, and +would admit of their recapitulation each time the exercises are gone +through. + +Reading aloud is also an excellent practice. It improves the +pronunciation and trains or keeps the ear in practice. Its benefit is +not to be measured by what is retained by the memory. It confers also a +benefit similar to that which is derived from a course of arithmetic. +Grammatical peculiarities may be noted at the end of the book, and the +page added. As the limbs are invigorated and strengthened by suitable +exercise, so the powers of the mind are strengthened and developed by +following a great mind at its best, following its train of thought, of +reason. + +Mr. John Cryer in his school board electioneering address, 1894, ranges +promising pupils in the order of workers, plodders and bright ones. The +last are frequently overrated, the memory more quick than retentive. +“Wie gewonnen, so zerronnen,” “Lightly come, lightly go,” mere quickness +may prove a will o’ the wisp, and may be peculiar to one subject, but the +capacity for patient, honest, painstaking work is a vastly more valuable +quality, which can be applied with fair success to any pursuit. It gives +earnest of the sense of duty, of responsibility, and that capacity for +self-sacrifice, which peculiarly fit and qualify their possessor for +positions of trust and responsibility; it is a pledge that the amount of +labour will be forthcoming to render equal to the position. “Practice +makes perfect” says the proverb. “Habit becomes second nature” and the +facility and aptitude which nature sometimes bestows as a free gift can +be acquired at the cost of application and diligence. + +Whilst mastering the first language the pupil is also learning how to +learn languages, each successive one becomes more easy. + +Let the pupil make it a rule always to do his best. He will naturally +take a pride and a pleasure in work well done, and by continually +striving and studying to do better, he cannot fail to improve in it. +This is the road to honest success, to happiness and to self-improvement: +this will continually enlarge his capabilities and strengthen his natural +powers, and, even if he fail in accomplishing all he aimed at, there can +be no better consolation than that of knowing that he has nothing to +reproach himself with that he has manfully done his best, and that he is +the better for the effort. + +In their desire to disparage and discredit the already existing system of +learning Foreign Languages by means of a Grammar, the exponents of the +“Natural Method” and “Method of Nature” choose to ignore the existence of +the large number of Linguists who have acquired their knowledge through a +Grammar. + +Mr. GOUIN is of opinion that one can learn a language perfectly in 900 +hours, or 300 lessons of three hours each, one can know enough French to +feel at home in France, to understand what is said in street, cafe, or +railway, to read a French newspaper with ease and to talk French with a +French accent in six months lessons of 2 hours each, five days per +week—_see_ “_Review of Reviews_” 1892, _page_ 512, _and January_, 1893. + +Most teachers under the Grammatical Method have to achieve success or +make the best of one lesson of one hour weekly. This is one-fifteenth, +or one-tenth of the time per week mentioned by Mr. GOUIN. + +The saving of time shown by the Grammatical Method is due to +generalisation. It distributes words into classes, defines the laws or +rules that govern their use, and regulates the construction of sentences. +Sentences are thus taught in groups and not singly. The pupil learns to +construct sentences, and does not simply learn by heart to repeat them. +He can thus supply himself at will with an infinite number. If he fail +thus to apply his knowledge, only his own lack of diligence is in fault. + +The writer first commenced the study of languages nearly forty years ago, +and during this time he has spent nearly twenty years abroad, in various +foreign countries, but he never met with a case where a pupil had +continuously, daily, earnestly, and honestly devoted one-fourth of the +time mentioned by Mr. Gouin to the study of a good grammar of a foreign +language who could reasonably complain of failure, nor indeed a shorter +space of time applied under the same conditions which did not meet with a +proportionate measure of success. + +The titles of the new methods have been adroitly chosen, they claim to be +those of nature and by implication stigmatise the Grammatical method as +unnatural. They profess that they teach a foreign language as a child +learns to speak its mother tongue. A very high classical authority +coupled “ratio et oratio” reason and speech as complements and +indubitably speech can only improve and develop as the mind unfolds and +matures. Those who adopt the new method appear to think the limitations +imposed by the immature child’s mind worthy of imitation when dealing +with the riper adult. Rule of Thumb has the advantage that being born of +and acquired by practice it can be applied and put into practice, but it +is certainly rather late in the day to revert to it in the acquirement of +languages. We have had some experience of Rule of Thumb in this town. +The Grammatical Methods of teaching languages are those of teaching any +science in a thorough manner. They classify the various parts of speech +for the purpose of reducing them to rule, these are studied in detail and +the rule defines the conditions and limitations under which they can be +used in construction. This rule teaches us how we can correctly form +thousands of sentences on the model of one, instead of regarding each as +so many distinct phenomena. One Grammarian, Lennie, 47th Ed., defines +Grammar as the art of speaking and writing the English Language with +propriety. I venture to say that in dealing with a foreign language one +cannot express one’s self with accuracy, nay one cannot be confident of +expressing one’s own meaning at all without a grammatical knowledge of +it. But, of course, speech means practice, and no amount of theory can +become a substitute for this. + +Mr. Gouin was a youthful unmarried student of Caen University +distinguished by a capacious but not very retentive memory. He was sent +by the Professors to attend lectures at Berlin University and Hamburg and +proceeded to master German. He learnt the German Grammar in ten days. +But being unable to understand the lectures he learns the 1000 German +roots in four days, and again tries the lecture room with the same +ill-success. He then decided to learn the German Dictionary by heart and +did so in one month, but on again attending the lecture room, he was +still unable to understand. He passed ten months in similar efforts and +states that on one occasion he attended the lectures for a whole week, +without understanding a single sentence. He subsequently states, that +his previous ten months work, so far from being useful to him in a new +effort was detrimental. He had a wrong pronunciation, and there was not +a single verb in the whole language to which he did not attribute a +meaning other than the true one. He had to unlearn, then relearn. After +ten months labours he returned to France unsuccessful. Under a teacher’s +guidance, with much less labour, he would have achieved an unqualified +success. + +By observing a young nephew of four years he is led to his present +method. He returns to Germany, puts it into practice, and is speedily +and eminently successful. He banishes Dictionary, Grammar, Roots, +Ollendorf and Robertson. + +Mr. Gouin appears to have thought that since a language is made up of +grammatical rules and words, it was only necessary to commit them to +memory to have mastered the language. His mistake was that of the person +who should suppose that since strength is derived from food, the more +food he swallows the stronger he becomes. He exceeded his capacity of +mental digestion and assimilation. + +Another cause of Mr. Gouin’s failure was that of supposing that a +knowledge of the theory carries with it the ability to practice. + +Mr. Gouin states that his memory was in his eye not in his ear, and that +a month’s interruption of his labours proceeding from disease of sight +brought on by overwork was sufficient to efface from his memory Grammar, +Dictionary all previously learnt. Dicken’s Yorkshire schoolmaster, Mr. +Squeers recognised that knowledge acquired, ought speedily to be put into +practice. Mr. Gouin would have found in Paris, many young Frenchmen +engaged in commercial pursuits who speak Italian or Spanish or +Portuguese, and even English or German, well, who have never been in any +country where these languages are spoken. This was the case so far back +as 1866. + +_Review of Reviews_, 1892, _page_ 88.—Professor Blackie says that after +five months in Germany, he knew German as well as his mother tongue. He +attended Professor’s lectures, took regular lessons in German. He added +to this the text-book used by Professor, daily intercourse with students, +and the constant reading of easy German books. By this combination of +social intercourse, primary training of the ear, and secondary use of +relative books both in reading and writing, he spoke German like English +in five months. Memory depends upon force of original impression and +frequency of repetition. He says that at the University pupils did not +learn to speak Latin. A new professor came who spoke it, made a speech +in it, and called upon the pupils to reply, Blackie was the only one who +ventured to do so, and had learnt by “spouting” Latin speeches of Cicero +etc. in his room. He used Italian vowels. + +Dr. Hanes says it is impossible to learn a language by the translation of +disconnected sentences, referring to the usual exercises of the +Grammatical Methods, and by learning lists of words. The sentences are +only disconnected in that they do not always form question and answer, +but this the student can easily and profitably remedy. Besides all +speech is not dialogue. _See page_ 7. They are no more disconnected +than are so many soldiers of a regiment, moving at the impulse of one +mind, and marching to the attainment of one object. The connection is +that all the soldiers act in unison in execution of the command of their +officers. The connection between the so-called disconnected sentences is +that they have been selected to illustrate and inculcate the rule under +study. This is the true connection that unites and harmonises them all, +that each leads the pupil directly to the attainment of his object—the +mastery of the rule. The illusory connection of some insipid narrative +is only delusive. + +What can a method be which, from the beginning excludes the mother tongue +of the pupil when he knows no other? it is necessarily confined to dumb +show and practice. It is no more to be compared for thoroughness to the +Grammatical Method than would be instruction in weaving by a weaver, with +the instruction of Master of the Technical School in constructing a +piece. Doubtless a person can learn to weave a piece in a Factory but no +one will compare such an acquirement with the course of instruction in +manufacturing, in the construction of a piece, imparted at the Technical +School, under the guidance, of Mr. Ashenhurst’s text books. Grammar, in +the study of language is such a text book, it imparts order and method to +the study. + +We have suffered from the divorce and the dissociation of theory and +practice. Until recently our universities, or seats of learning, catered +only for the aristocracy, the land-owning class, and the clergy: science +was neglected. Originating in the natural advantages of an abundant +supply of easily-worked coal and iron, an extensive coast line, and a +favourable geographical situation, we had achieved an undeniable +pre-eminence in industry and manufactures, which was supported by +abundant cheap capital and a spirit of enterprise; it was backed by +workmen possessed of natural ability, and such skill as practice and +highly sub-divided labour can impart. All this was found insufficient to +enable us to hold our own, our supremacy was passing away, and when the +cause of our inability to maintain it was investigated, our deficiency +was declared to be the lack of a systematised higher education. Public +Spirit founded our Technical Schools to supply the remedy and they have +been found effective. + +Owing to the neglect of modern languages by our Universities and a system +of higher education which took no cognizance of industrial needs we were +amongst the most backward in this branch of study, but when interest was +aroused our grammars were largely borrowed from our more successful +competitors from those who excelled as much in modern languages as we +ourselves in industry. They were often the work of foreign specialists +and experts they are the very instruments of success used by our most +successful rivals, how then can they be inadequate? Translation has put +us into possession of the best works used by our foreign rivals, and if +we are less successful than they it is due as a Swiss correspondent of +the “Manchester Guardian” recently stated not to the superior aptitude +but the superior application of the foreigner. He is less sensible to +the attractions of football and out-door sports or at least they are not +of such an all-absorbing irresistible temptation. With a mother tongue +compounded of the Teutonic and Romance languages, no other people than +the British enjoys such a natural facility for acquiring both the German +and French and their sister tongues. + +In 1893 the Scotch Education Department issued a report to the Lords of +the Committee of Council on Education for Scotland, by Professor Herbert +A. Strong, L.L.D. on + + METHODS OF TEACHING MODERN LANGUAGES IN BELGIUM. + +Belgium was selected as a field for investigation, says Professor Strong, +because, from force of circumstances it has paid particular attention to +this branch of instruction, the necessity of learning modern languages +being there felt, much more strongly than in Britain. It is a small +country, thickly populated, with an extensive commerce, for which as well +as for its literature, it is compelled to look to countries larger than +itself. It embraces three languages within its borders—Flemish, spoken +by more than three millions; Walloon by over two millions, and French the +language of literature and commerce. + +In the Primary Schools, French, the language of their Literature and +Commerce is studied six years. Every child must study one language +besides its mother tongue. This is compulsory. + + 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th + year + +Girls 2 2 3 3 3 3 hours +weekly + +Boys 2 2½ 4 4 3 3 hours +weekly + + + +It is understood, it is no part of the duties of the primary school to +teach the literature of a language. + +In the Athénées, or Secondary Schools, French or Flemish compulsory +courses comprise six lessons a week during first two years, and three +lessons per week in following years:— + + + +German six years, page 11. 7 years, page 12. + +1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th + year + + 2 4 3 3 3 3 hours + + + +The degree of proficiency of the pupils is also stated page 17. In these +schools the method of teaching from objects is not anti- but simply +ante-grammatical as is apparent from the classes in which the two methods +are respectively in use. In the two lowest classes of a primary school, +ignorance of their own language, and their unripe mental powers would not +admit of children of such tender age learning otherwise than from +objects. + + + + +Supplement. + + +The following French Numerals are differently pronounced according 1st—as +they stand alone, or are joined to Noun or Adjective beginning, 2nd—with +Vowel. 3rd—with Consonant. + +Compound numbers as simple ones. + +Practise the sounds given with _the words_ + + alone ans livres + + un un un n’arbre un + + deux deu deuz deu + + trois troi troiz troi + + quatre quatre quatr’ quatre + + cinq cinq cinq cin + + six siss siz si + + sept sèt sèt sè + + huit huitt huit hui + + neuf neuf neuv neu + + dix diss diz di + + 17 diss-sett, 18 diz-huit, 19 diz-neuf, + + vingt vin vint vin + + quatre-vingts quatre-vin quatre-vinz quatre-vin + + cent san sant san + + + +In ils étaient neuf a diner, neuf en tout, the f keeps its natural sound. + +No tie is ever made before onze + +In 21 to 29 the t of vingt is sounded, 22, vint-deu, 23 vint troi etc. +From 80 to 99 the t of vingt is everywhere mute, and the n is sounded +nasal. Quatre-vingt-un is sounded quatre-vin-un. + +Cent un is sounded san un; but 200 deu sanz hommes. + +Mille, thousand has no plural form. deux mille 2000; deux milles means +two miles. Mil is used in Christian era, l’an Mil huit cent, 1800. + +In pronoun Tous, the is never silent and always pronounced like ç or ss. + +In Belgium for 70, septante, for 80, octante, for 90 nonante are used. + +“The Aural System” Supplement. + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AURAL SYSTEM*** + + +******* This file should be named 29163-0.txt or 29163-0.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/9/1/6/29163 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Aural System + + +Author: Anonymous + + + +Release Date: June 19, 2009 [eBook #29163] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AURAL SYSTEM*** +</pre> +<p>Transcribed from the 1895 Thomas Brown pamphlet by David +Price, ccx074@pglaf.org</p> +<p>[<span class="smcap">Entered at Stationer’s +Hall</span>.]</p> +<h1>THE AURAL SYSTEM;</h1> +<p style="text-align: center"><span +class="smcap">being</span></p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">the most +direct</span>,</p> +<p style="text-align: center">THE STRAIGHT-LINE METHOD</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">for +the</span></p> +<p style="text-align: center">SIMULTANEOUS FOURFOLD MASTERY</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">of a</span></p> +<p style="text-align: center">FOREIGN LANGUAGE</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">teaching +simultaneously to</span></p> +<p style="text-align: center">SPEAK, UNDERSTAND, READ, AND +WRITE,</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">by</span></p> +<p style="text-align: center">A Linguist of nearly 40 years +standing, and nearly 20 years resident abroad.</p> +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center"><span +class="smcap">Bradford</span>:<br /> +<span class="smcap">Thos. Brown</span>, <span +class="smcap">Printer</span>, 311, <span class="smcap">Manchester +Road</span>.<br /> +1895.</p> +<p><!-- page 2--><a name="page2"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +2</span><i>Respecting the time required to learn a language</i>, +<i>the writer ventures to recommend the way he himself took when +a boy to solve this question</i>. <i>Having made choice of +a known grammar</i>, <i>the exercises of which promise a +satisfactory degree of proficiency</i>, <i>let the student affix +to each and all of the lessons at the outset</i>, <i>the dates +when they are to be done and observe them</i>. <i>Some +weeks a little perseverance and determination may be +necessary</i>, <i>but let him be inflexible with himself</i>, +<i>curtail his indulgences if required and his task will be done +with ease</i>.</p> +<p><i>Subsequent studies are pleasant and easy</i>.</p> +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p><!-- page 3--><a name="page3"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +3</span>Some time ago, a Mr. Wm. Rodger came down from Glasgow +for the purpose of showing how foreign languages should be +taught. He brought on a gentleman, a clergyman from Leeds, +who had gone through Otto’s German Grammar without being +able either to speak or understand German; this gentleman was +able to bear testimony to the merit of Mr. Rodger’s system +because by it he had learnt to do both. Of course his +testimony rested on one assumption. It assumed that having +gone through Otto’s Grammar all learnt from it had been +forgotten, and that the whole merit of his success was due to Mr. +Rodger’s method.</p> +<p>Mr. Rodger was of opinion, that foreign languages should be +learnt as a child learns its mother tongue. It seemed to me +a strange use to make of the reason and intelligence of the +adult, to cast it aside as useless and to ask the youth and man +to become a child again. It appeared to me the most +wasteful of methods. Is language a science, and if so, what +would be thought of a similar proposal for acquiring any other +science? But are the cases parallel? Is there any +similarity of circumstance? Can the youth and man again +place themselves in the circumstances of the child?</p> +<p>The child is constantly hearing the language spoken, everyone +around it is teaching it to speak, everything around it +stimulates it to do so. Nearly everything it learns, comes +to it through its mother tongue; at play it hears, it +speaks. At five years of age it begins to go to school, and +from that time until its fourteenth or sixteenth year, whatever +else it studies, it must study its mother tongue. All other +knowledge reaches it through this medium. Every other study +compels the study and practice of its mother tongue and allowing +ten hours per day for sleep, by the time it is fourteen years of +age seventy-one thousand six hundred hours have been spent in +such study and practice.</p> +<p>Let us take the case of the youth or man who commences the +study of a foreign language. He has found that a foreign +language will be of use to him or has become necessary to him in +his work. He begins to study it and takes the usual one +lesson per week of one hour’s duration. In a year he +has spent fifty hours with the teacher; if he devoted two or +three hours weekly to the preparation of each lesson, he will +have spent 150 to 200 hours per annum upon it, or, less absences +and omissions, perhaps <!-- page 4--><a name="page4"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 4</span>140 or 180 hours upon its study. +This makes fourteen days of ten hours or perhaps three weeks as +against fourteen years spent by the child upon its mother +tongue. Multiply this amount of fourteen days by two or +three, and grammar is still seen by comparison to have +accomplished a stupendous miracle. But even this disparity +is not complete, for whilst the child, whether at work or play, +never ceases to study and practice its native language, and this +is by far its principal occupation, the youth and man, on the +other hand, devote to the study of a foreign language, the +remnants, the odds and ends of their time, after having exhausted +their energies in their work.</p> +<p>These were the considerations that occurred to me on thinking +over Mr. Rodger’s prospectus. Nevertheless, it was +impossible to regard as satisfactory a method of tuition or +study, which left the pupil unable to understand or speak a +language after having gone through a grammar like that of +Otto. The Grammatical Method being one which does not seek +to render easy and simple at the cost of efficiency, by eluding +and evading the difficulties and peculiarities of a language, but +being the one which fairly meets and masters them: there can be +no question of dispensing with its valuable assistance. The +wise course is to adopt that method of using it, which will +enable us to derive most benefit from its teachings, and ensure +success. It is for this purpose the following has been +written. It follows from this, that if the pupil’s +time admit, the most complete Grammar is the best.</p> +<p>We have been amongst the most backward in this branch of +study, but our grammars since then have been largely borrowed +from our more successful competitors; from those who excelled as +much in modern languages as we ourselves in industry. They +are in many instances the work of foreign specialists and +experts, they are the very instruments of success used by our +most successful rivals, how then can they be inadequate? +Translation has put us into possession of the best works used by +our foreign rivals, and if we are less successful than they, it +is due, as a Swiss correspondent of the “Manchester +Guardian” recently stated, not to the superior aptitude, +but to the superior application of the foreigner.</p> +<p>The writer first commenced studying foreign languages nearly +forty years ago, and has resided for nearly twenty years in +various foreign countries. His experience with regard to +those who learn foreign languages has been that those who +commence the practice of a foreign language with a previous +knowledge of <!-- page 5--><a name="page5"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 5</span>its Grammar, learn to speak it with an +ease, confidence and correctness never attained by those who try +to dispense with such preparation and study. On the other +hand those who have learnt to speak without such study, contract +vicious and faulty locutions, and rarely if ever make good the +deficiency. They are compelled of course to form a rough +Grammar of their own, upon incomplete information, and have to do +so hastily and imperfectly. For writing, where precision +and accuracy are required a knowledge not based upon Grammar is +next to worthless.</p> +<p>Most pupils have a fourfold object in studying a language; +they wish to be able to read and write, to speak and to +understand it. By what method could this be most easily +achieved? If this work could be performed simultaneously, +it would effect a saving of time and labour, as well as impress +what was being studied more deeply upon the memory. The +memory for sound, form, music, figures, spelling, etc., appears +to be distinct and to vary in each one. If the memory for +sound could be brought more into play, it must help to retain +more tenaciously what was learnt.</p> +<p>Of course, the pupil can only expect to be master of the +language so far as he has studied and learnt. He cannot +expect to reap where he has not sown. Within this limit he +learns to read, in preparing the lesson, and to write, in writing +out the exercises.</p> +<p>But Mr. Charles Sauer says in the preface to his Italian +Grammar 5th Ed., page iv., “Everyone who has occupied +himself with study of modern languages knows, that by far the +more difficult task is to <i>understand</i> the foreign +language,” (<i>i.e.</i>, when spoken.)</p> +<p>That cannot be called a success which leaves the most +difficult part of the task unaccomplished, nor can it be wise to +allow difficulties to amass and accumulate, if they can be +mastered in detail as they present themselves. The task is +the education of the ear and tongue and this can only be done by +practice.</p> +<p>To learn to understand the language when spoken, one must hear +it spoken; to learn to speak it, one must speak it. It may +even have its advantages if such conversation keep within the +range of the pupil’s knowledge. He thus feels that he +ought, must, and can understand, if he try.</p> +<p>If the pupil speak to himself both these results are +attained. This he can do by studying aloud. His +tongue will educate his ear and familiarise it with the new +sounds, whilst the ear will correct the tongue. I assume, +of course, that he is under the <!-- page 6--><a +name="page6"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 6</span>guidance of a +teacher; in this case with attention to the teacher’s +pronunciation and care, and a little effort on his own part, he +should soon pronounce correctly, easily, and well. By +translating the exercises aloud, from five to twenty times, they +should become as familiar to him as English. But whether +translating into or from English, the foreign sentences should +always be uttered <i>aloud</i> clearly and distinctly. It +is, of course, a drawback, that in this translation aloud and +alone of the exercises, the eye should anticipate the ear in +conveying the words to the brain, but, when full allowance has +been made for this, the gain for the pupil is still immense as +compared with the silent method of study.</p> +<p>The learner should not be satisfied with being able to +translate the exercises, he should aim at being able to use his +new tongue with the same ease, readiness and fluency, as his +native language. At each successive translation, he gains +in this respect whilst engraving his newly acquired knowledge +more deeply on his memory. The exercise which the first +time required fifteen minutes to translate, the fifth time will +probably take but three.</p> +<p>A chief difficulty being the education of the ear, and the +time spent with the teacher being the pupil’s best +opportunity for this, the lesson for the pupil so far as possible +should be aural, the exercises being spoken by the teacher to the +pupil for translation and the pupil’s translations likewise +being spoken. The pupil’s book should be kept closed +during the translation.</p> +<p>Supposing the pupil to be studying French. The teacher +should first speak the French exercise in French, the pupil +translating each sentence as spoken, into English.</p> +<p>2. Then taking the English exercise, the teacher should +translate it aloud into French, the pupil retranslating each +sentence, when spoken, into English.</p> +<p>3. The teacher should then speak each sentence of the +English exercise in English; the pupil translating each sentence +in a distinct voice into French.</p> +<p>4. The teacher should then translate aloud sentence by +sentence, the French exercise into English; the pupil +retranslating each sentence into French.</p> +<p>This will double the exercises, which are usually rather +scanty. As we see, this part of the lesson is for the pupil +exclusively aural and oral; he works through the ear and tongue +only, his book being kept closed.</p> +<p>In working alone at the preparation of his lesson, there is +the disadvantage for the ear, that, before the sound reaches it, +the eye has conveyed the meaning to the brain, but when working +<!-- page 7--><a name="page7"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +7</span>with the teacher as above, this drawback is +obviated. The test is indeed a more severe one than actual +conversation would be. When conversing, the subject is +known, and the question suggests the reply; but with disconnected +sentences, no such help is forthcoming.</p> +<p>The pupil can much hasten his own progress by varying the +exercises, forming of them question and answer, changing tenses +and moods of verbs, varying them so far as he can trying how far +he can make conversation out of them.</p> +<p>This method has further the advantage of showing the pupil +plainly, week by week, the progress he is making and the remedy +being in his own hands, he becomes responsible for his own +failure. If he cannot translate freely and easily, when +with the teacher, he cannot expect later to speak freely and +naturally, when he comes to engage in actual conversation with +foreigners. His remedy is to translate his exercises alone, +until he can do so, as readily, as if they were English. +The shyness and diffidence that so frequently accompany first +attempts to converse are not experienced under this method.</p> +<p>One reason why pupils in conversation fail to understand +readily is because they do not know the verbs well; do not know +their grammar; a sentence does not convey to them at once a +definite meaning, and whilst engaged in puzzling out the meaning +of what has already been said they cannot give their undivided +attention to what their interlocutor is just saying.</p> +<p>I have described the manner in which on Mr. Wm. Rodger’s +visit in March 1891, I was led to this method. +Theoretically it seemed to me sound, and after having since +tested it practically, I do not think its merit +exaggerated. In April last 1894, a French Grammar by Mr. +Paul Baume was brought under my notice. Mr. Baume +recommends a similar method between teacher and pupil, but omits +to state how the pupil can best prepare himself for it. Mr. +Baume, will, I think find the difficulties he mentions to +disappear, if the pupil prepare himself as I have +prescribed. I have never encountered such difficulties, and +attribute this to the fact, that I always recommend pupils to +prepare themselves by studying aloud. Mr. Baume says he has +practised his method with considerable success during twenty +years. I was not very much surprised at having been +partially anticipated by Mr. Baume, for, while error is infinite, +the truth is one; there can be only one straight line between two +points, and this seems to me the most direct, the straightest way +to the <i>simultaneous fourfold acquirement</i> of a +language.</p> +<p><!-- page 8--><a name="page8"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +8</span>With a Grammar like that of Otto an expeditious mode of +learning words is desirable. Perhaps the quickest, is to +transcribe the words to be learnt, into parallel columns and +covering up each column in turn, to run down them ten or more +times. Whilst doing this the foreign words should always be +pronounced aloud. The transcription impresses the spelling +on the memory, and where the written alphabet differs from the +English affords valuable practice. Arminius Vambery thought +it a matter for congratulation when having begun by learning ten +words daily, he was able to reach sixty. The column of +twenty foreign words can be mastered in about one quarter of an +hour, and I have myself done over 200 at this rate on some days, +though I do not say they can be retained without repetition.</p> +<p>Lord Dufferin says that in a work of about 600 pages, there +will probably be three thousand words of which the meaning will +be unknown to the student. A list should be made of them, +and they can be conveniently mastered at the rate of forty daily +and thus all learnt in three months. With each successive +work, the process should be repeated, until it becomes +unnecessary. He adds that this has the advantage that, if +necessary, after a long interval, by preserving such lists, the +words can be relearnt with little trouble.</p> +<p>An able Swiss authority recommends the pupil to learn from +10,000 to 12,000 words of each language, dividing them into three +or four classes according to their usefulness or frequency of +occurrence. He recommends their periodical repetition.</p> +<p>Asher’s German Correspondent and Booch-Arkossy in the +“Eco de Madrid” recommend the translation of a good +idiomatic work into English and its translation into the language +of the original, carefully comparing such retranslation with the +original and noting mistakes. With the teacher, such +translation may be made by word of mouth, the teacher translating +into English and the pupil retranslating each sentence when +uttered into the language of the original.</p> +<p>Another method is to read and translate some idiomatic foreign +work. At the end of the paragraph, the teacher forms +questions from each sentence, to which the pupil replies. +So soon as able, the pupil, in turn, questions. This is I +believe substantially the old “Robertsonian +method.” The pupil can prepare his lesson by framing +both question and answer himself. It is excellent +drill.</p> +<p>Good practice in speaking is also to be obtained by the +pupil’s narrating to the teacher in the language of the +original, <!-- page 9--><a name="page9"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 9</span>the contents of each paragraph. +He need not of course attempt to recite by heart the words of the +text, but merely repeat the sense.</p> +<p>Mr. Chardenal recommends the pupil to translate mentally an +increasing number of sentences daily and to repeat them as +frequently as possible during the day. The sentences should +illustrate important rules. His object is to induce mental +work, personal labour on the part of the pupil.</p> +<p>Arminius Vambery’s method was to enter into imaginary +conversations with himself.</p> +<p>All these methods do not mean discordance but agreement. +All methods which concurrently with Grammar, mean practice or +induce it, are good. This is the pith and secret of all +successful systems: <i>practice with method</i> often, much, and +aloud but by all means master the Grammar as quickly and +thoroughly as possible, and thus practice strengthens grammar, +while grammar guides and illumines practice.</p> +<p>Dr. Abercrombie in his work, “Intellectual Powers” +chapter “Memory,” says the depth, the permanence of +an impression on the mind depends upon the distinctness of the +perception, the intensity with which it is contemplated, the +length of time during which it is kept before the mind, the +impression being very much strengthened by being repeatedly +brought before the mind. This labour must be a voluntary +act on the part of the individual. He adds: “The +habit of listless activity should be carefully guarded against by +the young, and the utmost care should be taken to cultivate the +opposite, namely, of directing the mind intensely to whatever +comes before it in reading or observation. This may be +considered as forming the foundation of a sound intellectual +character.”</p> +<p>Lord Macaulay attributed his marvellous memory to a very +simple method, adopted when a boy. When reading, at the +bottom of each page, he required himself to give an account of +its contents. At the outset, said he, he needed to reperuse +the page three or four times, but he ended by being able almost +to recite a book from beginning to end after having once read it +through. This is also the essential feature recommended by +Dr. Abercrombie in his “Intellectual Powers” chapter +on memory. Such a method of summarising each letter, order, +invoice, or conversation at its close would also give good +results to the Merchant, Clerk, or Traveller, both in leaving a +clear impression and in strengthening the memory.</p> +<p>It certainly seems to me an excellent way for mastering the +<!-- page 10--><a name="page10"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +10</span>rules, and would admit of their recapitulation each time +the exercises are gone through.</p> +<p>Reading aloud is also an excellent practice. It improves +the pronunciation and trains or keeps the ear in practice. +Its benefit is not to be measured by what is retained by the +memory. It confers also a benefit similar to that which is +derived from a course of arithmetic. Grammatical +peculiarities may be noted at the end of the book, and the page +added. As the limbs are invigorated and strengthened by +suitable exercise, so the powers of the mind are strengthened and +developed by following a great mind at its best, following its +train of thought, of reason.</p> +<p>Mr. John Cryer in his school board electioneering address, +1894, ranges promising pupils in the order of workers, plodders +and bright ones. The last are frequently overrated, the +memory more quick than retentive. “Wie gewonnen, so +zerronnen,” “Lightly come, lightly go,” mere +quickness may prove a will o’ the wisp, and may be peculiar +to one subject, but the capacity for patient, honest, painstaking +work is a vastly more valuable quality, which can be applied with +fair success to any pursuit. It gives earnest of the sense +of duty, of responsibility, and that capacity for self-sacrifice, +which peculiarly fit and qualify their possessor for positions of +trust and responsibility; it is a pledge that the amount of +labour will be forthcoming to render equal to the position. +“Practice makes perfect” says the proverb. +“Habit becomes second nature” and the facility and +aptitude which nature sometimes bestows as a free gift can be +acquired at the cost of application and diligence.</p> +<p>Whilst mastering the first language the pupil is also learning +how to learn languages, each successive one becomes more +easy.</p> +<p>Let the pupil make it a rule always to do his best. He +will naturally take a pride and a pleasure in work well done, and +by continually striving and studying to do better, he cannot fail +to improve in it. This is the road to honest success, to +happiness and to self-improvement: this will continually enlarge +his capabilities and strengthen his natural powers, and, even if +he fail in accomplishing all he aimed at, there can be no better +consolation than that of knowing that he has nothing to reproach +himself with that he has manfully done his best, and that he is +the better for the effort.</p> +<p>In their desire to disparage and discredit the already +existing system of learning Foreign Languages by means of a <!-- +page 11--><a name="page11"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +11</span>Grammar, the exponents of the “Natural +Method” and “Method of Nature” choose to ignore +the existence of the large number of Linguists who have acquired +their knowledge through a Grammar.</p> +<p>Mr. <span class="smcap">Gouin</span> is of opinion that one +can learn a language perfectly in 900 hours, or 300 lessons of +three hours each, one can know enough French to feel at home in +France, to understand what is said in street, cafe, or railway, +to read a French newspaper with ease and to talk French with a +French accent in six months lessons of 2 hours each, five days +per week—<i>see</i> “<i>Review of Reviews</i>” +1892, <i>page</i> 512, <i>and January</i>, 1893.</p> +<p>Most teachers under the Grammatical Method have to achieve +success or make the best of one lesson of one hour weekly. +This is one-fifteenth, or one-tenth of the time per week +mentioned by Mr. <span class="smcap">Gouin</span>.</p> +<p>The saving of time shown by the Grammatical Method is due to +generalisation. It distributes words into classes, defines +the laws or rules that govern their use, and regulates the +construction of sentences. Sentences are thus taught in +groups and not singly. The pupil learns to construct +sentences, and does not simply learn by heart to repeat +them. He can thus supply himself at will with an infinite +number. If he fail thus to apply his knowledge, only his +own lack of diligence is in fault.</p> +<p>The writer first commenced the study of languages nearly forty +years ago, and during this time he has spent nearly twenty years +abroad, in various foreign countries, but he never met with a +case where a pupil had continuously, daily, earnestly, and +honestly devoted one-fourth of the time mentioned by Mr. Gouin to +the study of a good grammar of a foreign language who could +reasonably complain of failure, nor indeed a shorter space of +time applied under the same conditions which did not meet with a +proportionate measure of success.</p> +<p>The titles of the new methods have been adroitly chosen, they +claim to be those of nature and by implication stigmatise the +Grammatical method as unnatural. They profess that they +teach a foreign language as a child learns to speak its mother +tongue. A very high classical authority coupled +“ratio et oratio” reason and speech as complements +and indubitably speech can only improve and develop as the mind +unfolds and matures. Those who adopt the new method appear +to think the limitations imposed by the immature child’s +mind worthy of imitation when dealing with the riper adult. +Rule of Thumb has the advantage that being born of and acquired +by <!-- page 12--><a name="page12"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +12</span>practice it can be applied and put into practice, but it +is certainly rather late in the day to revert to it in the +acquirement of languages. We have had some experience of +Rule of Thumb in this town. The Grammatical Methods of +teaching languages are those of teaching any science in a +thorough manner. They classify the various parts of speech +for the purpose of reducing them to rule, these are studied in +detail and the rule defines the conditions and limitations under +which they can be used in construction. This rule teaches +us how we can correctly form thousands of sentences on the model +of one, instead of regarding each as so many distinct +phenomena. One Grammarian, Lennie, 47th Ed., defines +Grammar as the art of speaking and writing the English Language +with propriety. I venture to say that in dealing with a +foreign language one cannot express one’s self with +accuracy, nay one cannot be confident of expressing one’s +own meaning at all without a grammatical knowledge of it. +But, of course, speech means practice, and no amount of theory +can become a substitute for this.</p> +<p>Mr. Gouin was a youthful unmarried student of Caen University +distinguished by a capacious but not very retentive memory. +He was sent by the Professors to attend lectures at Berlin +University and Hamburg and proceeded to master German. He +learnt the German Grammar in ten days. But being unable to +understand the lectures he learns the 1000 German roots in four +days, and again tries the lecture room with the same +ill-success. He then decided to learn the German Dictionary +by heart and did so in one month, but on again attending the +lecture room, he was still unable to understand. He passed +ten months in similar efforts and states that on one occasion he +attended the lectures for a whole week, without understanding a +single sentence. He subsequently states, that his previous +ten months work, so far from being useful to him in a new effort +was detrimental. He had a wrong pronunciation, and there +was not a single verb in the whole language to which he did not +attribute a meaning other than the true one. He had to +unlearn, then relearn. After ten months labours he returned +to France unsuccessful. Under a teacher’s guidance, +with much less labour, he would have achieved an unqualified +success.</p> +<p>By observing a young nephew of four years he is led to his +present method. He returns to Germany, puts it into +practice, and is speedily and eminently successful. He +banishes Dictionary, Grammar, Roots, Ollendorf and Robertson.</p> +<p>Mr. Gouin appears to have thought that since a language is +<!-- page 13--><a name="page13"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +13</span>made up of grammatical rules and words, it was only +necessary to commit them to memory to have mastered the +language. His mistake was that of the person who should +suppose that since strength is derived from food, the more food +he swallows the stronger he becomes. He exceeded his +capacity of mental digestion and assimilation.</p> +<p>Another cause of Mr. Gouin’s failure was that of +supposing that a knowledge of the theory carries with it the +ability to practice.</p> +<p>Mr. Gouin states that his memory was in his eye not in his +ear, and that a month’s interruption of his labours +proceeding from disease of sight brought on by overwork was +sufficient to efface from his memory Grammar, Dictionary all +previously learnt. Dicken’s Yorkshire schoolmaster, +Mr. Squeers recognised that knowledge acquired, ought speedily to +be put into practice. Mr. Gouin would have found in Paris, +many young Frenchmen engaged in commercial pursuits who speak +Italian or Spanish or Portuguese, and even English or German, +well, who have never been in any country where these languages +are spoken. This was the case so far back as 1866.</p> +<p><i>Review of Reviews</i>, 1892, <i>page</i> +88.—Professor Blackie says that after five months in +Germany, he knew German as well as his mother tongue. He +attended Professor’s lectures, took regular lessons in +German. He added to this the text-book used by Professor, +daily intercourse with students, and the constant reading of easy +German books. By this combination of social intercourse, +primary training of the ear, and secondary use of relative books +both in reading and writing, he spoke German like English in five +months. Memory depends upon force of original impression +and frequency of repetition. He says that at the University +pupils did not learn to speak Latin. A new professor came +who spoke it, made a speech in it, and called upon the pupils to +reply, Blackie was the only one who ventured to do so, and had +learnt by “spouting” Latin speeches of Cicero etc. in +his room. He used Italian vowels.</p> +<p>Dr. Hanes says it is impossible to learn a language by the +translation of disconnected sentences, referring to the usual +exercises of the Grammatical Methods, and by learning lists of +words. The sentences are only disconnected in that they do +not always form question and answer, but this the student can +easily and profitably remedy. Besides all speech is not +dialogue. <i>See page</i> 7. They are no more +disconnected than are so many soldiers of a regiment, moving at +the impulse of one mind, and marching to the attainment of one +object. The connection is that all <!-- page 14--><a +name="page14"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 14</span>the soldiers +act in unison in execution of the command of their +officers. The connection between the so-called disconnected +sentences is that they have been selected to illustrate and +inculcate the rule under study. This is the true connection +that unites and harmonises them all, that each leads the pupil +directly to the attainment of his object—the mastery of the +rule. The illusory connection of some insipid narrative is +only delusive.</p> +<p>What can a method be which, from the beginning excludes the +mother tongue of the pupil when he knows no other? it is +necessarily confined to dumb show and practice. It is no +more to be compared for thoroughness to the Grammatical Method +than would be instruction in weaving by a weaver, with the +instruction of Master of the Technical School in constructing a +piece. Doubtless a person can learn to weave a piece in a +Factory but no one will compare such an acquirement with the +course of instruction in manufacturing, in the construction of a +piece, imparted at the Technical School, under the guidance, of +Mr. Ashenhurst’s text books. Grammar, in the study of +language is such a text book, it imparts order and method to the +study.</p> +<p>We have suffered from the divorce and the dissociation of +theory and practice. Until recently our universities, or +seats of learning, catered only for the aristocracy, the +land-owning class, and the clergy: science was neglected. +Originating in the natural advantages of an abundant supply of +easily-worked coal and iron, an extensive coast line, and a +favourable geographical situation, we had achieved an undeniable +pre-eminence in industry and manufactures, which was supported by +abundant cheap capital and a spirit of enterprise; it was backed +by workmen possessed of natural ability, and such skill as +practice and highly sub-divided labour can impart. All this +was found insufficient to enable us to hold our own, our +supremacy was passing away, and when the cause of our inability +to maintain it was investigated, our deficiency was declared to +be the lack of a systematised higher education. Public +Spirit founded our Technical Schools to supply the remedy and +they have been found effective.</p> +<p>Owing to the neglect of modern languages by our Universities +and a system of higher education which took no cognizance of +industrial needs we were amongst the most backward in this branch +of study, but when interest was aroused our grammars were largely +borrowed from our more successful competitors from those who +excelled as much in modern languages as we ourselves in +industry. They were often the work of foreign specialists +and experts they are the very instruments of success used by our +<!-- page 15--><a name="page15"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +15</span>most successful rivals, how then can they be +inadequate? Translation has put us into possession of the +best works used by our foreign rivals, and if we are less +successful than they it is due as a Swiss correspondent of the +“Manchester Guardian” recently stated not to the +superior aptitude but the superior application of the +foreigner. He is less sensible to the attractions of +football and out-door sports or at least they are not of such an +all-absorbing irresistible temptation. With a mother tongue +compounded of the Teutonic and Romance languages, no other people +than the British enjoys such a natural facility for acquiring +both the German and French and their sister tongues.</p> +<p>In 1893 the Scotch Education Department issued a report to the +Lords of the Committee of Council on Education for Scotland, by +Professor Herbert A. Strong, L.L.D. on</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">Methods of +teaching Modern Languages in Belgium</span>.</p> +<p>Belgium was selected as a field for investigation, says +Professor Strong, because, from force of circumstances it has +paid particular attention to this branch of instruction, the +necessity of learning modern languages being there felt, much +more strongly than in Britain. It is a small country, +thickly populated, with an extensive commerce, for which as well +as for its literature, it is compelled to look to countries +larger than itself. It embraces three languages within its +borders—Flemish, spoken by more than three millions; +Walloon by over two millions, and French the language of +literature and commerce.</p> +<p>In the Primary Schools, French, the language of their +Literature and Commerce is studied six years. Every child +must study one language besides its mother tongue. This is +compulsory.</p> +<table> +<tr> +<td><p> </p> +</td> +<td><p>1st</p> +</td> +<td><p>2nd</p> +</td> +<td><p>3rd</p> +</td> +<td><p>4th</p> +</td> +<td><p>5th</p> +</td> +<td><p>6th year</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Girls weekly</p> +</td> +<td><p>2</p> +</td> +<td><p>2</p> +</td> +<td><p>3</p> +</td> +<td><p>3</p> +</td> +<td><p>3</p> +</td> +<td><p>3 hours</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Boys weekly</p> +</td> +<td><p>2</p> +</td> +<td><p>2½</p> +</td> +<td><p>4</p> +</td> +<td><p>4</p> +</td> +<td><p>3</p> +</td> +<td><p>3 hours</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<p>It is understood, it is no part of the duties of the primary +school to teach the literature of a language.</p> +<p>In the Athénées, or Secondary Schools, French or +Flemish compulsory courses comprise six lessons a week during +first two years, and three lessons per week in following +years:—</p> +<p> </p> +<table> +<tr> +<td colspan="4"><p>German six years, page 11.</p> +</td> +<td colspan="3"><p>7 years, page 12.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>1st</p> +</td> +<td><p>2nd</p> +</td> +<td><p>3rd</p> +</td> +<td><p>4th</p> +</td> +<td><p>5th</p> +</td> +<td><p>6th</p> +</td> +<td><p>7th year</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p> </p> +</td> +<td><p>2</p> +</td> +<td><p>4</p> +</td> +<td><p>3</p> +</td> +<td><p>3</p> +</td> +<td><p>3</p> +</td> +<td><p>3 hours</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<p><!-- page 16--><a name="page16"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +16</span>The degree of proficiency of the pupils is also stated +page 17. In these schools the method of teaching from +objects is not anti- but simply ante-grammatical as is apparent +from the classes in which the two methods are respectively in +use. In the two lowest classes of a primary school, +ignorance of their own language, and their unripe mental powers +would not admit of children of such tender age learning otherwise +than from objects.</p> +<h2>Supplement.</h2> +<p>The following French Numerals are differently pronounced +according 1st—as they stand alone, or are joined to Noun or +Adjective beginning, 2nd—with Vowel. 3rd—with +Consonant.</p> +<p>Compound numbers as simple ones.</p> +<table> +<tr> +<td colspan="2"><p>Practise the sounds given</p> +</td> +<td colspan="2"><p style="text-align: center">with <i>the +words</i></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td colspan="2"><p style="text-align: center">alone</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">ans</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">livres</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">un</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">un</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">un n’arbre</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">un</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">deux</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">deu</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">deuz</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">deu</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">trois</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">troi</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">troiz</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">troi</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">quatre</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">quatre</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">quatr’</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">quatre</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">cinq</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">cinq</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">cinq</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">cin</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">six</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">siss</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">siz</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">si</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">sept</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">sèt</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">sèt</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">sè</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">huit</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">huitt</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">huit</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">hui</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">neuf</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">neuf</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">neuv</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">neu</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">dix</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">diss</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">diz</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">di</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">17 diss-sett,</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">18 diz-huit,</p> +</td> +<td colspan="2"><p style="text-align: center">19 diz-neuf,</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">vingt</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">vin</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">vint</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">vin</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">quatre-vingts</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">quatre-vin</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">quatre-vinz</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">quatre-vin</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p style="text-align: center">cent</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">san</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">sant</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: center">san</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<p>In ils étaient neuf a diner, neuf en tout, the f keeps +its natural sound.</p> +<p>No tie is ever made before onze</p> +<p>In 21 to 29 the t of vingt is sounded, 22, vint-deu, 23 vint +troi etc. From 80 to 99 the t of vingt is everywhere mute, +and the n is sounded nasal. Quatre-vingt-un is sounded +quatre-vin-un.</p> +<p>Cent un is sounded san un; but 200 deu sanz hommes.</p> +<p>Mille, thousand has no plural form. deux mille 2000; +deux milles means two miles. Mil is used in Christian era, +l’an Mil huit cent, 1800.</p> +<p>In pronoun Tous, the is never silent and always +pronounced like ç or ss.</p> +<p>In Belgium for 70, septante, for 80, octante, for 90 nonante +are used.</p> +<p>“The Aural System” Supplement.</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AURAL SYSTEM***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 29163-h.htm or 29163-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/9/1/6/29163 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Aural System + + +Author: Anonymous + + + +Release Date: June 19, 2009 [eBook #29163] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AURAL SYSTEM*** + + +Transcribed from the 1895 Thomas Brown pamphlet by David Price, +ccx074@pglaf.org + +[ENTERED AT STATIONER'S HALL.] + + + + + + THE AURAL SYSTEM; + + + BEING + + THE MOST DIRECT, + + THE STRAIGHT-LINE METHOD + + FOR THE + + SIMULTANEOUS FOURFOLD MASTERY + + OF A + + FOREIGN LANGUAGE + + TEACHING SIMULTANEOUSLY TO + + SPEAK, UNDERSTAND, READ, AND WRITE, + + BY + + A Linguist of nearly 40 years standing, and nearly 20 years resident + abroad. + + * * * * * + + BRADFORD: + THOS. BROWN, PRINTER, 311, MANCHESTER ROAD. + 1895. + +_Respecting the time required to learn a language_, _the writer ventures +to recommend the way he himself took when a boy to solve this question_. +_Having made choice of a known grammar_, _the exercises of which promise +a satisfactory degree of proficiency_, _let the student affix to each and +all of the lessons at the outset_, _the dates when they are to be done +and observe them_. _Some weeks a little perseverance and determination +may be necessary_, _but let him be inflexible with himself_, _curtail his +indulgences if required and his task will be done with ease_. + +_Subsequent studies are pleasant and easy_. + + * * * * * + +Some time ago, a Mr. Wm. Rodger came down from Glasgow for the purpose of +showing how foreign languages should be taught. He brought on a +gentleman, a clergyman from Leeds, who had gone through Otto's German +Grammar without being able either to speak or understand German; this +gentleman was able to bear testimony to the merit of Mr. Rodger's system +because by it he had learnt to do both. Of course his testimony rested +on one assumption. It assumed that having gone through Otto's Grammar +all learnt from it had been forgotten, and that the whole merit of his +success was due to Mr. Rodger's method. + +Mr. Rodger was of opinion, that foreign languages should be learnt as a +child learns its mother tongue. It seemed to me a strange use to make of +the reason and intelligence of the adult, to cast it aside as useless and +to ask the youth and man to become a child again. It appeared to me the +most wasteful of methods. Is language a science, and if so, what would +be thought of a similar proposal for acquiring any other science? But +are the cases parallel? Is there any similarity of circumstance? Can +the youth and man again place themselves in the circumstances of the +child? + +The child is constantly hearing the language spoken, everyone around it +is teaching it to speak, everything around it stimulates it to do so. +Nearly everything it learns, comes to it through its mother tongue; at +play it hears, it speaks. At five years of age it begins to go to +school, and from that time until its fourteenth or sixteenth year, +whatever else it studies, it must study its mother tongue. All other +knowledge reaches it through this medium. Every other study compels the +study and practice of its mother tongue and allowing ten hours per day +for sleep, by the time it is fourteen years of age seventy-one thousand +six hundred hours have been spent in such study and practice. + +Let us take the case of the youth or man who commences the study of a +foreign language. He has found that a foreign language will be of use to +him or has become necessary to him in his work. He begins to study it +and takes the usual one lesson per week of one hour's duration. In a +year he has spent fifty hours with the teacher; if he devoted two or +three hours weekly to the preparation of each lesson, he will have spent +150 to 200 hours per annum upon it, or, less absences and omissions, +perhaps 140 or 180 hours upon its study. This makes fourteen days of ten +hours or perhaps three weeks as against fourteen years spent by the child +upon its mother tongue. Multiply this amount of fourteen days by two or +three, and grammar is still seen by comparison to have accomplished a +stupendous miracle. But even this disparity is not complete, for whilst +the child, whether at work or play, never ceases to study and practice +its native language, and this is by far its principal occupation, the +youth and man, on the other hand, devote to the study of a foreign +language, the remnants, the odds and ends of their time, after having +exhausted their energies in their work. + +These were the considerations that occurred to me on thinking over Mr. +Rodger's prospectus. Nevertheless, it was impossible to regard as +satisfactory a method of tuition or study, which left the pupil unable to +understand or speak a language after having gone through a grammar like +that of Otto. The Grammatical Method being one which does not seek to +render easy and simple at the cost of efficiency, by eluding and evading +the difficulties and peculiarities of a language, but being the one which +fairly meets and masters them: there can be no question of dispensing +with its valuable assistance. The wise course is to adopt that method of +using it, which will enable us to derive most benefit from its teachings, +and ensure success. It is for this purpose the following has been +written. It follows from this, that if the pupil's time admit, the most +complete Grammar is the best. + +We have been amongst the most backward in this branch of study, but our +grammars since then have been largely borrowed from our more successful +competitors; from those who excelled as much in modern languages as we +ourselves in industry. They are in many instances the work of foreign +specialists and experts, they are the very instruments of success used by +our most successful rivals, how then can they be inadequate? Translation +has put us into possession of the best works used by our foreign rivals, +and if we are less successful than they, it is due, as a Swiss +correspondent of the "Manchester Guardian" recently stated, not to the +superior aptitude, but to the superior application of the foreigner. + +The writer first commenced studying foreign languages nearly forty years +ago, and has resided for nearly twenty years in various foreign +countries. His experience with regard to those who learn foreign +languages has been that those who commence the practice of a foreign +language with a previous knowledge of its Grammar, learn to speak it with +an ease, confidence and correctness never attained by those who try to +dispense with such preparation and study. On the other hand those who +have learnt to speak without such study, contract vicious and faulty +locutions, and rarely if ever make good the deficiency. They are +compelled of course to form a rough Grammar of their own, upon incomplete +information, and have to do so hastily and imperfectly. For writing, +where precision and accuracy are required a knowledge not based upon +Grammar is next to worthless. + +Most pupils have a fourfold object in studying a language; they wish to +be able to read and write, to speak and to understand it. By what method +could this be most easily achieved? If this work could be performed +simultaneously, it would effect a saving of time and labour, as well as +impress what was being studied more deeply upon the memory. The memory +for sound, form, music, figures, spelling, etc., appears to be distinct +and to vary in each one. If the memory for sound could be brought more +into play, it must help to retain more tenaciously what was learnt. + +Of course, the pupil can only expect to be master of the language so far +as he has studied and learnt. He cannot expect to reap where he has not +sown. Within this limit he learns to read, in preparing the lesson, and +to write, in writing out the exercises. + +But Mr. Charles Sauer says in the preface to his Italian Grammar 5th Ed., +page iv., "Everyone who has occupied himself with study of modern +languages knows, that by far the more difficult task is to _understand_ +the foreign language," (_i.e._, when spoken.) + +That cannot be called a success which leaves the most difficult part of +the task unaccomplished, nor can it be wise to allow difficulties to +amass and accumulate, if they can be mastered in detail as they present +themselves. The task is the education of the ear and tongue and this can +only be done by practice. + +To learn to understand the language when spoken, one must hear it spoken; +to learn to speak it, one must speak it. It may even have its advantages +if such conversation keep within the range of the pupil's knowledge. He +thus feels that he ought, must, and can understand, if he try. + +If the pupil speak to himself both these results are attained. This he +can do by studying aloud. His tongue will educate his ear and +familiarise it with the new sounds, whilst the ear will correct the +tongue. I assume, of course, that he is under the guidance of a teacher; +in this case with attention to the teacher's pronunciation and care, and +a little effort on his own part, he should soon pronounce correctly, +easily, and well. By translating the exercises aloud, from five to +twenty times, they should become as familiar to him as English. But +whether translating into or from English, the foreign sentences should +always be uttered _aloud_ clearly and distinctly. It is, of course, a +drawback, that in this translation aloud and alone of the exercises, the +eye should anticipate the ear in conveying the words to the brain, but, +when full allowance has been made for this, the gain for the pupil is +still immense as compared with the silent method of study. + +The learner should not be satisfied with being able to translate the +exercises, he should aim at being able to use his new tongue with the +same ease, readiness and fluency, as his native language. At each +successive translation, he gains in this respect whilst engraving his +newly acquired knowledge more deeply on his memory. The exercise which +the first time required fifteen minutes to translate, the fifth time will +probably take but three. + +A chief difficulty being the education of the ear, and the time spent +with the teacher being the pupil's best opportunity for this, the lesson +for the pupil so far as possible should be aural, the exercises being +spoken by the teacher to the pupil for translation and the pupil's +translations likewise being spoken. The pupil's book should be kept +closed during the translation. + +Supposing the pupil to be studying French. The teacher should first +speak the French exercise in French, the pupil translating each sentence +as spoken, into English. + +2. Then taking the English exercise, the teacher should translate it +aloud into French, the pupil retranslating each sentence, when spoken, +into English. + +3. The teacher should then speak each sentence of the English exercise +in English; the pupil translating each sentence in a distinct voice into +French. + +4. The teacher should then translate aloud sentence by sentence, the +French exercise into English; the pupil retranslating each sentence into +French. + +This will double the exercises, which are usually rather scanty. As we +see, this part of the lesson is for the pupil exclusively aural and oral; +he works through the ear and tongue only, his book being kept closed. + +In working alone at the preparation of his lesson, there is the +disadvantage for the ear, that, before the sound reaches it, the eye has +conveyed the meaning to the brain, but when working with the teacher as +above, this drawback is obviated. The test is indeed a more severe one +than actual conversation would be. When conversing, the subject is +known, and the question suggests the reply; but with disconnected +sentences, no such help is forthcoming. + +The pupil can much hasten his own progress by varying the exercises, +forming of them question and answer, changing tenses and moods of verbs, +varying them so far as he can trying how far he can make conversation out +of them. + +This method has further the advantage of showing the pupil plainly, week +by week, the progress he is making and the remedy being in his own hands, +he becomes responsible for his own failure. If he cannot translate +freely and easily, when with the teacher, he cannot expect later to speak +freely and naturally, when he comes to engage in actual conversation with +foreigners. His remedy is to translate his exercises alone, until he can +do so, as readily, as if they were English. The shyness and diffidence +that so frequently accompany first attempts to converse are not +experienced under this method. + +One reason why pupils in conversation fail to understand readily is +because they do not know the verbs well; do not know their grammar; a +sentence does not convey to them at once a definite meaning, and whilst +engaged in puzzling out the meaning of what has already been said they +cannot give their undivided attention to what their interlocutor is just +saying. + +I have described the manner in which on Mr. Wm. Rodger's visit in March +1891, I was led to this method. Theoretically it seemed to me sound, and +after having since tested it practically, I do not think its merit +exaggerated. In April last 1894, a French Grammar by Mr. Paul Baume was +brought under my notice. Mr. Baume recommends a similar method between +teacher and pupil, but omits to state how the pupil can best prepare +himself for it. Mr. Baume, will, I think find the difficulties he +mentions to disappear, if the pupil prepare himself as I have prescribed. +I have never encountered such difficulties, and attribute this to the +fact, that I always recommend pupils to prepare themselves by studying +aloud. Mr. Baume says he has practised his method with considerable +success during twenty years. I was not very much surprised at having +been partially anticipated by Mr. Baume, for, while error is infinite, +the truth is one; there can be only one straight line between two points, +and this seems to me the most direct, the straightest way to the +_simultaneous fourfold acquirement_ of a language. + +With a Grammar like that of Otto an expeditious mode of learning words is +desirable. Perhaps the quickest, is to transcribe the words to be +learnt, into parallel columns and covering up each column in turn, to run +down them ten or more times. Whilst doing this the foreign words should +always be pronounced aloud. The transcription impresses the spelling on +the memory, and where the written alphabet differs from the English +affords valuable practice. Arminius Vambery thought it a matter for +congratulation when having begun by learning ten words daily, he was able +to reach sixty. The column of twenty foreign words can be mastered in +about one quarter of an hour, and I have myself done over 200 at this +rate on some days, though I do not say they can be retained without +repetition. + +Lord Dufferin says that in a work of about 600 pages, there will probably +be three thousand words of which the meaning will be unknown to the +student. A list should be made of them, and they can be conveniently +mastered at the rate of forty daily and thus all learnt in three months. +With each successive work, the process should be repeated, until it +becomes unnecessary. He adds that this has the advantage that, if +necessary, after a long interval, by preserving such lists, the words can +be relearnt with little trouble. + +An able Swiss authority recommends the pupil to learn from 10,000 to +12,000 words of each language, dividing them into three or four classes +according to their usefulness or frequency of occurrence. He recommends +their periodical repetition. + +Asher's German Correspondent and Booch-Arkossy in the "Eco de Madrid" +recommend the translation of a good idiomatic work into English and its +translation into the language of the original, carefully comparing such +retranslation with the original and noting mistakes. With the teacher, +such translation may be made by word of mouth, the teacher translating +into English and the pupil retranslating each sentence when uttered into +the language of the original. + +Another method is to read and translate some idiomatic foreign work. At +the end of the paragraph, the teacher forms questions from each sentence, +to which the pupil replies. So soon as able, the pupil, in turn, +questions. This is I believe substantially the old "Robertsonian +method." The pupil can prepare his lesson by framing both question and +answer himself. It is excellent drill. + +Good practice in speaking is also to be obtained by the pupil's narrating +to the teacher in the language of the original, the contents of each +paragraph. He need not of course attempt to recite by heart the words of +the text, but merely repeat the sense. + +Mr. Chardenal recommends the pupil to translate mentally an increasing +number of sentences daily and to repeat them as frequently as possible +during the day. The sentences should illustrate important rules. His +object is to induce mental work, personal labour on the part of the +pupil. + +Arminius Vambery's method was to enter into imaginary conversations with +himself. + +All these methods do not mean discordance but agreement. All methods +which concurrently with Grammar, mean practice or induce it, are good. +This is the pith and secret of all successful systems: _practice with +method_ often, much, and aloud but by all means master the Grammar as +quickly and thoroughly as possible, and thus practice strengthens +grammar, while grammar guides and illumines practice. + +Dr. Abercrombie in his work, "Intellectual Powers" chapter "Memory," says +the depth, the permanence of an impression on the mind depends upon the +distinctness of the perception, the intensity with which it is +contemplated, the length of time during which it is kept before the mind, +the impression being very much strengthened by being repeatedly brought +before the mind. This labour must be a voluntary act on the part of the +individual. He adds: "The habit of listless activity should be carefully +guarded against by the young, and the utmost care should be taken to +cultivate the opposite, namely, of directing the mind intensely to +whatever comes before it in reading or observation. This may be +considered as forming the foundation of a sound intellectual character." + +Lord Macaulay attributed his marvellous memory to a very simple method, +adopted when a boy. When reading, at the bottom of each page, he +required himself to give an account of its contents. At the outset, said +he, he needed to reperuse the page three or four times, but he ended by +being able almost to recite a book from beginning to end after having +once read it through. This is also the essential feature recommended by +Dr. Abercrombie in his "Intellectual Powers" chapter on memory. Such a +method of summarising each letter, order, invoice, or conversation at its +close would also give good results to the Merchant, Clerk, or Traveller, +both in leaving a clear impression and in strengthening the memory. + +It certainly seems to me an excellent way for mastering the rules, and +would admit of their recapitulation each time the exercises are gone +through. + +Reading aloud is also an excellent practice. It improves the +pronunciation and trains or keeps the ear in practice. Its benefit is +not to be measured by what is retained by the memory. It confers also a +benefit similar to that which is derived from a course of arithmetic. +Grammatical peculiarities may be noted at the end of the book, and the +page added. As the limbs are invigorated and strengthened by suitable +exercise, so the powers of the mind are strengthened and developed by +following a great mind at its best, following its train of thought, of +reason. + +Mr. John Cryer in his school board electioneering address, 1894, ranges +promising pupils in the order of workers, plodders and bright ones. The +last are frequently overrated, the memory more quick than retentive. +"Wie gewonnen, so zerronnen," "Lightly come, lightly go," mere quickness +may prove a will o' the wisp, and may be peculiar to one subject, but the +capacity for patient, honest, painstaking work is a vastly more valuable +quality, which can be applied with fair success to any pursuit. It gives +earnest of the sense of duty, of responsibility, and that capacity for +self-sacrifice, which peculiarly fit and qualify their possessor for +positions of trust and responsibility; it is a pledge that the amount of +labour will be forthcoming to render equal to the position. "Practice +makes perfect" says the proverb. "Habit becomes second nature" and the +facility and aptitude which nature sometimes bestows as a free gift can +be acquired at the cost of application and diligence. + +Whilst mastering the first language the pupil is also learning how to +learn languages, each successive one becomes more easy. + +Let the pupil make it a rule always to do his best. He will naturally +take a pride and a pleasure in work well done, and by continually +striving and studying to do better, he cannot fail to improve in it. +This is the road to honest success, to happiness and to self-improvement: +this will continually enlarge his capabilities and strengthen his natural +powers, and, even if he fail in accomplishing all he aimed at, there can +be no better consolation than that of knowing that he has nothing to +reproach himself with that he has manfully done his best, and that he is +the better for the effort. + +In their desire to disparage and discredit the already existing system of +learning Foreign Languages by means of a Grammar, the exponents of the +"Natural Method" and "Method of Nature" choose to ignore the existence of +the large number of Linguists who have acquired their knowledge through a +Grammar. + +Mr. GOUIN is of opinion that one can learn a language perfectly in 900 +hours, or 300 lessons of three hours each, one can know enough French to +feel at home in France, to understand what is said in street, cafe, or +railway, to read a French newspaper with ease and to talk French with a +French accent in six months lessons of 2 hours each, five days per +week--_see_ "_Review of Reviews_" 1892, _page_ 512, _and January_, 1893. + +Most teachers under the Grammatical Method have to achieve success or +make the best of one lesson of one hour weekly. This is one-fifteenth, +or one-tenth of the time per week mentioned by Mr. GOUIN. + +The saving of time shown by the Grammatical Method is due to +generalisation. It distributes words into classes, defines the laws or +rules that govern their use, and regulates the construction of sentences. +Sentences are thus taught in groups and not singly. The pupil learns to +construct sentences, and does not simply learn by heart to repeat them. +He can thus supply himself at will with an infinite number. If he fail +thus to apply his knowledge, only his own lack of diligence is in fault. + +The writer first commenced the study of languages nearly forty years ago, +and during this time he has spent nearly twenty years abroad, in various +foreign countries, but he never met with a case where a pupil had +continuously, daily, earnestly, and honestly devoted one-fourth of the +time mentioned by Mr. Gouin to the study of a good grammar of a foreign +language who could reasonably complain of failure, nor indeed a shorter +space of time applied under the same conditions which did not meet with a +proportionate measure of success. + +The titles of the new methods have been adroitly chosen, they claim to be +those of nature and by implication stigmatise the Grammatical method as +unnatural. They profess that they teach a foreign language as a child +learns to speak its mother tongue. A very high classical authority +coupled "ratio et oratio" reason and speech as complements and +indubitably speech can only improve and develop as the mind unfolds and +matures. Those who adopt the new method appear to think the limitations +imposed by the immature child's mind worthy of imitation when dealing +with the riper adult. Rule of Thumb has the advantage that being born of +and acquired by practice it can be applied and put into practice, but it +is certainly rather late in the day to revert to it in the acquirement of +languages. We have had some experience of Rule of Thumb in this town. +The Grammatical Methods of teaching languages are those of teaching any +science in a thorough manner. They classify the various parts of speech +for the purpose of reducing them to rule, these are studied in detail and +the rule defines the conditions and limitations under which they can be +used in construction. This rule teaches us how we can correctly form +thousands of sentences on the model of one, instead of regarding each as +so many distinct phenomena. One Grammarian, Lennie, 47th Ed., defines +Grammar as the art of speaking and writing the English Language with +propriety. I venture to say that in dealing with a foreign language one +cannot express one's self with accuracy, nay one cannot be confident of +expressing one's own meaning at all without a grammatical knowledge of +it. But, of course, speech means practice, and no amount of theory can +become a substitute for this. + +Mr. Gouin was a youthful unmarried student of Caen University +distinguished by a capacious but not very retentive memory. He was sent +by the Professors to attend lectures at Berlin University and Hamburg and +proceeded to master German. He learnt the German Grammar in ten days. +But being unable to understand the lectures he learns the 1000 German +roots in four days, and again tries the lecture room with the same +ill-success. He then decided to learn the German Dictionary by heart and +did so in one month, but on again attending the lecture room, he was +still unable to understand. He passed ten months in similar efforts and +states that on one occasion he attended the lectures for a whole week, +without understanding a single sentence. He subsequently states, that +his previous ten months work, so far from being useful to him in a new +effort was detrimental. He had a wrong pronunciation, and there was not +a single verb in the whole language to which he did not attribute a +meaning other than the true one. He had to unlearn, then relearn. After +ten months labours he returned to France unsuccessful. Under a teacher's +guidance, with much less labour, he would have achieved an unqualified +success. + +By observing a young nephew of four years he is led to his present +method. He returns to Germany, puts it into practice, and is speedily +and eminently successful. He banishes Dictionary, Grammar, Roots, +Ollendorf and Robertson. + +Mr. Gouin appears to have thought that since a language is made up of +grammatical rules and words, it was only necessary to commit them to +memory to have mastered the language. His mistake was that of the person +who should suppose that since strength is derived from food, the more +food he swallows the stronger he becomes. He exceeded his capacity of +mental digestion and assimilation. + +Another cause of Mr. Gouin's failure was that of supposing that a +knowledge of the theory carries with it the ability to practice. + +Mr. Gouin states that his memory was in his eye not in his ear, and that +a month's interruption of his labours proceeding from disease of sight +brought on by overwork was sufficient to efface from his memory Grammar, +Dictionary all previously learnt. Dicken's Yorkshire schoolmaster, Mr. +Squeers recognised that knowledge acquired, ought speedily to be put into +practice. Mr. Gouin would have found in Paris, many young Frenchmen +engaged in commercial pursuits who speak Italian or Spanish or +Portuguese, and even English or German, well, who have never been in any +country where these languages are spoken. This was the case so far back +as 1866. + +_Review of Reviews_, 1892, _page_ 88.--Professor Blackie says that after +five months in Germany, he knew German as well as his mother tongue. He +attended Professor's lectures, took regular lessons in German. He added +to this the text-book used by Professor, daily intercourse with students, +and the constant reading of easy German books. By this combination of +social intercourse, primary training of the ear, and secondary use of +relative books both in reading and writing, he spoke German like English +in five months. Memory depends upon force of original impression and +frequency of repetition. He says that at the University pupils did not +learn to speak Latin. A new professor came who spoke it, made a speech +in it, and called upon the pupils to reply, Blackie was the only one who +ventured to do so, and had learnt by "spouting" Latin speeches of Cicero +etc. in his room. He used Italian vowels. + +Dr. Hanes says it is impossible to learn a language by the translation of +disconnected sentences, referring to the usual exercises of the +Grammatical Methods, and by learning lists of words. The sentences are +only disconnected in that they do not always form question and answer, +but this the student can easily and profitably remedy. Besides all +speech is not dialogue. _See page_ 7. They are no more disconnected +than are so many soldiers of a regiment, moving at the impulse of one +mind, and marching to the attainment of one object. The connection is +that all the soldiers act in unison in execution of the command of their +officers. The connection between the so-called disconnected sentences is +that they have been selected to illustrate and inculcate the rule under +study. This is the true connection that unites and harmonises them all, +that each leads the pupil directly to the attainment of his object--the +mastery of the rule. The illusory connection of some insipid narrative +is only delusive. + +What can a method be which, from the beginning excludes the mother tongue +of the pupil when he knows no other? it is necessarily confined to dumb +show and practice. It is no more to be compared for thoroughness to the +Grammatical Method than would be instruction in weaving by a weaver, with +the instruction of Master of the Technical School in constructing a +piece. Doubtless a person can learn to weave a piece in a Factory but no +one will compare such an acquirement with the course of instruction in +manufacturing, in the construction of a piece, imparted at the Technical +School, under the guidance, of Mr. Ashenhurst's text books. Grammar, in +the study of language is such a text book, it imparts order and method to +the study. + +We have suffered from the divorce and the dissociation of theory and +practice. Until recently our universities, or seats of learning, catered +only for the aristocracy, the land-owning class, and the clergy: science +was neglected. Originating in the natural advantages of an abundant +supply of easily-worked coal and iron, an extensive coast line, and a +favourable geographical situation, we had achieved an undeniable +pre-eminence in industry and manufactures, which was supported by +abundant cheap capital and a spirit of enterprise; it was backed by +workmen possessed of natural ability, and such skill as practice and +highly sub-divided labour can impart. All this was found insufficient to +enable us to hold our own, our supremacy was passing away, and when the +cause of our inability to maintain it was investigated, our deficiency +was declared to be the lack of a systematised higher education. Public +Spirit founded our Technical Schools to supply the remedy and they have +been found effective. + +Owing to the neglect of modern languages by our Universities and a system +of higher education which took no cognizance of industrial needs we were +amongst the most backward in this branch of study, but when interest was +aroused our grammars were largely borrowed from our more successful +competitors from those who excelled as much in modern languages as we +ourselves in industry. They were often the work of foreign specialists +and experts they are the very instruments of success used by our most +successful rivals, how then can they be inadequate? Translation has put +us into possession of the best works used by our foreign rivals, and if +we are less successful than they it is due as a Swiss correspondent of +the "Manchester Guardian" recently stated not to the superior aptitude +but the superior application of the foreigner. He is less sensible to +the attractions of football and out-door sports or at least they are not +of such an all-absorbing irresistible temptation. With a mother tongue +compounded of the Teutonic and Romance languages, no other people than +the British enjoys such a natural facility for acquiring both the German +and French and their sister tongues. + +In 1893 the Scotch Education Department issued a report to the Lords of +the Committee of Council on Education for Scotland, by Professor Herbert +A. Strong, L.L.D. on + + METHODS OF TEACHING MODERN LANGUAGES IN BELGIUM. + +Belgium was selected as a field for investigation, says Professor Strong, +because, from force of circumstances it has paid particular attention to +this branch of instruction, the necessity of learning modern languages +being there felt, much more strongly than in Britain. It is a small +country, thickly populated, with an extensive commerce, for which as well +as for its literature, it is compelled to look to countries larger than +itself. It embraces three languages within its borders--Flemish, spoken +by more than three millions; Walloon by over two millions, and French the +language of literature and commerce. + +In the Primary Schools, French, the language of their Literature and +Commerce is studied six years. Every child must study one language +besides its mother tongue. This is compulsory. + + 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th + year + +Girls 2 2 3 3 3 3 hours +weekly + +Boys 2 2.5 4 4 3 3 hours +weekly + + + +It is understood, it is no part of the duties of the primary school to +teach the literature of a language. + +In the Athenees, or Secondary Schools, French or Flemish compulsory +courses comprise six lessons a week during first two years, and three +lessons per week in following years:-- + + + +German six years, page 11. 7 years, page 12. + +1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th + year + + 2 4 3 3 3 3 hours + + + +The degree of proficiency of the pupils is also stated page 17. In these +schools the method of teaching from objects is not anti- but simply +ante-grammatical as is apparent from the classes in which the two methods +are respectively in use. In the two lowest classes of a primary school, +ignorance of their own language, and their unripe mental powers would not +admit of children of such tender age learning otherwise than from +objects. + + + + +Supplement. + + +The following French Numerals are differently pronounced according +1st--as they stand alone, or are joined to Noun or Adjective beginning, +2nd--with Vowel. 3rd--with Consonant. + +Compound numbers as simple ones. + +Practise the sounds given with _the words_ + + alone ans livres + + un un un n'arbre un + + deux deu deuz deu + + trois troi troiz troi + + quatre quatre quatr' quatre + + cinq cinq cinq cin + + six siss siz si + + sept set set se + + huit huitt huit hui + + neuf neuf neuv neu + + dix diss diz di + + 17 diss-sett, 18 diz-huit, 19 diz-neuf, + + vingt vin vint vin + + quatre-vingts quatre-vin quatre-vinz quatre-vin + + cent san sant san + + + +In ils etaient neuf a diner, neuf en tout, the f keeps its natural sound. + +No tie is ever made before onze + +In 21 to 29 the t of vingt is sounded, 22, vint-deu, 23 vint troi etc. +From 80 to 99 the t of vingt is everywhere mute, and the n is sounded +nasal. Quatre-vingt-un is sounded quatre-vin-un. + +Cent un is sounded san un; but 200 deu sanz hommes. + +Mille, thousand has no plural form. deux mille 2000; deux milles means +two miles. Mil is used in Christian era, l'an Mil huit cent, 1800. + +In pronoun Tous, the is never silent and always pronounced like c or ss. + +In Belgium for 70, septante, for 80, octante, for 90 nonante are used. + +"The Aural System" Supplement. + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AURAL SYSTEM*** + + +******* This file should be named 29163.txt or 29163.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/9/1/6/29163 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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