A new practical and intellectual method of learning French, grounded on nature's teachings; adapted to the system of Nöel and Chapsal

Front matter

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Preface

It is needless to expatiate here upon the many advantages of a knowledge of the French tongue, the repeated efforts to provide our youth with that indispensable finish for a polite education being sufficient proof that those advantages are thoroughly appreciated by our people. A want, however, hitherto much felt has been that of a good French text-book for schools, and which in the prosecution of their studies might be advantageously consulted by French scholars.

Numerous works for this purpose have been published in the United States and England. Recommended by promising titles, they are put forth as the desideratum looked for ; yet among them, we are sorry to say, none have explained with accuracy the simple principles of the French tongue, or have remained free from discreditable errors. Inaccurate in definitions and theories, equally at variance with French syntax and with common sense,* some of these productions serve only to demonstrate the deficiency of their authors as French grammarians. Complete failures, insurmountable obstacles to progress, echoing each other, these compilations are known only by their negative results.

Our verdict is just, though to some it may appear severe. It is a fair rendition of public opinion on this matter. It is easy for any one to point out and descant on the beauties of French literature; but if we wish to indicate the path leading to those summits, we must first teach how to be correct.

To supply this want we offer the present Practical and Intellectual Method, containing a complete accurate syntax of the French language, with the means of conforming English thought to the necessities of that syntax. Blending practice with theory, by the repeated application of rules of the French syntax, the principal object of our system is to familiarize learners with the peculiarities of French composition and modes of thought.

Our work is divided into three parts, each arranged and explained methodically by numerous references to general principles.

Part First contains exact definitions and a thorough practice on the ten elements of the French tongue. In this part, practice and theory, though thrown together, are independent of each other; the former — the study of words — being adapted to the capacity of the youngest class of learners..

* That a noun the object of a verb conjugated negatively has a partitive meaning, is a grammatical fallacy promulgated originally by the professor of the University of Michigan, and repeated by others.

See Fasquelle, p. 37-5, I have no money ; Pujol and Van Norman, p. 30-8, 7 have no knife. In either French or English such sentences are negative.

Such errors manifest on the part of their authors a complete ignorance or disregard of the general principles of language.

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Contrary to the system adopted in other methods, we abstain from giving rules on French pronunciation, believing as we do that such rules can only result in the corruption of the sounds of the language in study. Baffling analysis or written descriptions, oral sounds must be learned from the mouths of teachers.*

The practice of verbs, that essential though sadly neglected department of study, has in our book received special attention. Learners are not required to memorize verbs on paradigms, as is recommended in mechanical methods. To prevent routine or unintelligent memorizing, we give models of exercises on the general principles of verbs, wherein learners are taught to distinguish mode, tense, person, and number, by means of inflexions and general principles, or are expected to reconstruct paradigms with our resumes on verbs, where mode, tense, person, etc., have been purposely inserted in a promiscuous manner. This simple and efficient mode of tuition on verbs, which is peculiar to our system, is a severe test for the capacity of students on that important branch of study. So long as learners cannot distinguish mode, tense, person, and number by means of inflexions or general principles, they do not possess the degree of knowledge of the verb requisite to use with success that great motor of speech.

The subjunctive — always represented in former methods by one unmeaning verb in French and two corresponding verbs in English, but given in our text-book under the shape of incidental propositions — need no longer be a stumbling-block for the beginner. Presented in our method under its true form, there can be no difficulty in arriving at a clear idea of its uses and meanings.

In our list of irregular verbs, we have 'purposely given the irregular part alone, and by means of rules on the four regular conjugations have left it for pupils to fill up the blank, thus securing them matter for practical intellectual exercises.

Our resumes on the four regular conjugations must be used to develop our entire practice on verbs ; regular or irregular verbs may be substituted for them. Intended as the groundwork of simultaneous practice on the different parts of speech as they present themselves in the order of study, and combining the practice of verbs with that of the other parts of the language, these resumes will guide learners to the construction of impromptu French sentences, such as they find ready-made in other Methods. This intellectual system of teaching we recommend to the friends of progress in study; combining practice with theory, it tends to develop the learners' ideas and to familiarize them with the art of French composition. Aside from its character as an introduction to more important studies, this part of our book in its simple practical exercises constitutes a complete preparatory French course for be* ginners. Answering to the practice of our mother-tongue acquired in early childhood, the foundation of every language, these exercises form the groundwork of our system and point out the only path leading to an exact knowledge of the French tongue.

* If to teach pronunciation we must make use of such vague expressions as " nearly like," it would be better not to attempt to teach at all. See Fasquelle, Pujol and Yan Norman.

The French u, the nasal sounds, and the liquid I, having no equivalent in English, must be taught by practical teachers.

PREFACE. V

Part Second contains a complete and accurate exposition of French syntax. With the exception of a few additional remarks indispensable for English learners, it is a translation of the excellent work of Noel and Chapsal,. an eminently classic production adopted in French schools. Pointing out the errors and false theories of certain French methods used in this country, a few critical remarks on those works may prove acceptable to teachers and those in charge of our educational institutions.

At this second stage of tuition our exercises will be : —

(1.) Translations and recitations, in French, of rules of grammar, in order perfectly to memorize and understand them. These recitations, completing our oral system, will answer the French questions accompanying our lessons. (2.) Translating our English exercises on the French syntax, and correcting the French exercises on false syntax, extracted from Noel and Chapsal's Grammar. These corrected exercises, coming as many of them do from the works of French writers, and constituting models of construction, are incomparably superior to the trivial phraseology employed for the same purpose in methods adopted. (3.) As a prominent feature of our system of practical application of the French syntax, the literal translation of the Yicar of Wakefield into French. Accompanied by numerous references to our method, indicating the proper use of verbs, their modes, tenses, persons, objects, etc., the text of that charming production of Goldsmith teaches practically their irregularities, their different acceptations, and their general principles. The comparison of this literal translation with our own, contrasting the idioms of the two languages, will render the student familiar with those peculiarities of each which can never be learned by the study of rules. To render the work complete as a guide, copious references to the synthetic, idiomatic, and figurative parts of the French syntax have been made in the English text of the Vicar of Wakefield, explaining minutely the composition of sentences, when consisting of comple^ elliptic, or implicit propositions. Our free translation as justified by references to that syntax, forming a complete analytic system of the French tongue, demonstrates the power of that language to render with conciseness, clearness, and grace the expressions of the English. The versatility of Goldsmith's ge*hius has enabled us to display the different styles of literary composition; from the sublime and pathetic to the light and humorous, — from the grave ufterances of the profound divine in the pulpit to the rantings of the comedian of a strolling stage; giving us also specimens of the most lively narrative and descriptive styles, interspersed with passages of familiar conversation.

In these practical exercises lies the characteristic feature of our method, viz. : they furnish learners with good materials for translating grammatically into French, without regard to English constructions, the primitive idea of the text. That practice is fully illustrated by references to the appropriate parts of syntax. The main object of our system is the memorizing of rules by their repeated application ; rendering the most tedious or repulsive part of study easy and attractive to the learner. This practice and that used in acquiring the correct knowledge of our mother-tongue are essentially alike : such a knowledge can be attained in no other way than by education and the practical study of syntax.

To render our work as complete as possible, we have introduced some

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examples of logical parsing. They form an introduction to the syntax, giving an insight of general grammar, and develop a fundamental principle of that grammar so woefully misunderstood by most if not all American grammarians, who class to be among neuter verbs, though the verb to be, used alone, is to all intents a substantive verb differing from any other.

In introducing the four figures of syntax, we have made good another deficiency of former methods. How our Anglo-Franco grammarians could hope to teach a figurative language like the French, without the help of those four figures, is to us inexplicable. Those figures are the only means of throwing light on certain parts of languages. Students must bear in mind that, generally, French sentences have two forms of construction. One, direct, answering always to the English construction, is called grammatical; the other, differing from it, is called figurative. Such are French sentences in which pronouns becoming objects through inversion are placed before verbs. In its practice with cases of ellipsis, pleonasm, syllepsis, and inversion, our method explains to the learner every part of the syntax. The general principles of punctuation are also defined in the second part of this book. ■

Part Third is a methodical exposition of some characteristic idioms of the French tongue contrasted with corresponding English expressions. The differences between the two languages are also summed up minutely in this part, where will be found many verbs and substantives susceptible of several meanings. The work concludes with an appendix on the different offices which words may fulfil in speech, and a general index will be found after the third part, page 603. It is, undoubtedly, the most complete system for learning French ever published in any country, and a book much needed in our schools. Raising the study of the French tongue to the height of a science, and making it attractive for adults, its natural and simple mode of teaching principles makes it also accessible to the youngest class of learners.

Such as we have described abo^ are some of the methods used in this country, with their unfathomable principles, theoretical bubbles, and unaccountable errors. Differing entirely from them, and based on the most reliable text-books used in the schools of France, our practical intellectual method will, by means of accurate theory and good practice, teach effectually how to read, write, speak, and compose French grammatically.

COMPLETE FRENCH COURSE.

FIRST PART.