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Read Ebook: The Aural System Being the Most Direct the Straight-Line Method for the Simultaneous Fourfold Mastery of a Foreign Language. by Hardy Charles
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Ebook has 91 lines and 10637 words, and 2 pages
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 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.
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.
Girls 2 2 3 3 3 3 hours weekly
Boys 2 2 1/2 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 Ath?n?es, 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.
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.
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 s?t s?t s?
huit huitt huit hui
neuf neuf neuv neu
dix diss diz di
vingt vin vint vin
quatre-vingts quatre-vin quatre-vinz quatre-vin
cent san sant san
In ils ?taient 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 ? or ss.
In Belgium for 70, septante, for 80, octante, for 90 nonante are used.
"The Aural System" Supplement.
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