The Aural System Being the Most Direct, the Straight-Line Method for the Simultaneous Fourfold Mastery of a Foreign Language. — Reading Notes

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.