Beginning French

Front matter

Class PC XIII

Book . L 4 3 3

Gopyiight N n _

Preface

Beginning French is strictly an introductory book in¬ tended for first year work in schools and colleges.

Grammatical theory has been cut down to what seems to the authors the irreducible minimum. Much that is ordi¬ narily included in similar books has been omitted. Atten¬ tion is concentrated on a few cardinal facts in the hope that the student will thus acquire a sure knowledge of these, in place of the usual vague smattering of many rules.

A small concrete vocabulary of about 800 words dealing with matters of every-day life has been used. These are so constantly repeated that the student is expected to end by handling the whole list with perfect readiness. The vocabu¬ lary of each lesson runs to about twenty words only, to be learned once for all.

The book, while insisting on a thoroughly mastered back¬ ground of grammatical discipline, encourages oral work in the class-room, and emphasizes the importance of repeated drill on the simplest elements and constructions of colloquial French. The principle of imitation has been utilized to an unusual extent. The Drills enable the student to study in¬ telligently and to make sure that he rightly understands and applies his precepts. The Dialogues offer him the oppor¬ tunity to do this in a larger and freer way — a thing which, without such guidance, he usually finds impossible. It is hoped they will particularly appeal to teachers who em¬ phasize oral work in the class-room, as they furnish not only subject-matter but a practicable device for preparation.

For the sake of variety, much more material for practice has been furnished than is needed. The teacher may pick and choose. Each lesson is divided into two parts, the first

iii

IV

PREFACE sufficient in itself, the second supplementary. The latter may be largely or entirely omitted by those who desire only a rapid survey of the elements of French — or it may be reserved for use in going through the book a second time.

So far as is compatible with its purely elementary char¬ acter, the French text offers to the student consecutive in¬ stead of disconnected matter, a feature whose advantages are now so commonly recognized as to require no comment. The Readings should be read aloud with accuracy and ani¬ mation, and only occasionally and partly translated. The Resumes, prepared in advance, may be given with closed books, the teacher pronouncing the words one by one and calling on the first volunteer to amplify. They should not be allowed to consume much time.

Contents

PAGE