Transactions and Proceedings of Modern Language Association of America, 1886, Vol. 2 (Classic Reprint)

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Excerpt from Transactions and Proceedings of Modern Language Association of America, 1886, Vol. 2 The opposition to the modern languages exhibited by the friends of classical learning and the impatient recoil of the friends of the newer culture against the classics have to a large extent proceeded from a failure to define clearly the purposes in view, and to show how differently in one or two respects the two groups of study stand related to training and culture. The overlooking of this difference has tended to confuse the issues and to sharpen the antagonism. With the spirit that accepts or rejects the old, because it is old, a company of scholars can have no sympathy. In estimating the value of the ancient or modern language in systems of education, we must inquire first what the methods of study are, then how the two groups of languages stand related to these methods as applied to one or the other of these groups. We concern ourselves this evening mainly with the modem. I. An important aim in studying a language may have reference to the practical use of the language in conversation. In days when Latin was the language of the church and the courts, and later the medium of conversation between learned men and diplomatists, a method of study tributary to fluency in speech had for that language some importance. But the increase in travel, the facility with which men of different nations visit one another, and the broader interest of scholars in common things and common men make some knowledge of foreign languages now a matter to many of advantage. Whereas three centuries ago the number studying modern languages for conversational use was relatively small, it has become essential in the leading countries of Europe, that at least two modern languages should be thoroughly studied in the schools with this practical use in view. - As far as our own country is concerned, we are three thousand miles from European culture, and England is the country which we as a rule first visit when traveling in the old world, England offering our own language and conferring in that language on all lovers of wisdom and culture a priceless literature and impressing, if I may say so, her language on the great cities of Europe. Certainly we are not forced by geographical position to this as the chief method of study of the new tongues, as are the French and Germans. Undoubtedly, however, this is the earlier and first idea with which foreign languages were studied. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully, any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.