THIS course reduces to a minimum all preparatory work, and introduces the learner at the earliest possible moment to the literature of the language. Among its distinctive features are:
I. It includes only topics absolutely essential for any progress whatever, and it presents them as briefly as is consistent with perfect clearness.
II. It makes large use of “the living grammar.” In this way it enlivens instruction in grammar, stimulates self-activity, and develops the feeling for correctness, which is the chief thing to be looked for in all language study.
III. It lends itself excellently to conversational practice. The vocabulary has been selected very carefully from everyday language, and the phrases of the German exercises are all of a colloquial and strictly idiomatic character. While primarily intended to illustrate definite grammatical phenomena, their tone and language are so natural that whole exercises may be turned into impromptu conversation, thus combining drill in speaking and in grammar. This is still more true of the connected readings, which are very simple.
IV. It offers a firm foundation on which a solid superstructure can be erected. The lessons are steadily progressive; no attempt is made to minimize difficulties at the beginning. The English exercises give the pupil a chance to test his knowledge and power, while the exercises in word formation stimulate his interest in the building up of his vocabulary, which will be of great service in future sight reading.
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
FRANÇOIS’ ESSENTIALS
OF FRENCH
By VICTOR E. FRANÇOIS, Ph.D., Associate Professor
of French, College of the City of New York.
A COURSE for beginners, whose acquirement of a foreign language is often hampered by an incomplete mastery of English grammar. The development here proceeds from the known English form to the unknown French form, with constant comparison and contrast of the two languages. This system will tend to fortify students by forcing them to notice and analyze the English as well as the French forms of expression.
¶ The models precede the rules, the salient features being made prominent by heavy type. The rules cover the necessary facts of the language as simply and completely as possible, but the student is not confused by masses of exceptions, peculiarities, and idioms rarely seen and still more rarely used. The vocabulary, of moderate extent, is composed of ordinary words likely to be used in everyday conversation, and is increased slowly, care being taken to repeat the words again and again in succeeding exercises.