GRAMMAR AND LANGUAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14292, 11 February 1910, Page 6

GRAMMAR AND LANGUAGE.

LESSON FROM THE MAORI. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN COKEESrOSDENT] Weluxgtox, Thursday. Evkuyhody knows that the Maori belongs to a ra/-e of orators. The fact was emphasied by Professor Kirk, at the Educational Conference to-day, when combating a suggestion made by a brother professor that more attention should be given to grammar in the primary schools, or, at all events, that the grammar of the primary schools' pupils was bad. "We live," he said, "amongst a . race that was —unhappily it is passing away race of orators. I venture to say that to hear a good. Maori speaker is a sufficient indication that a man can speak his own language well if he hears it well. I think that the time spent, on formal grammar in the primary .schools is largely wasted." Professor Kirk mentioned that he knew a man who would extend either Professor Gilray or Professor Thomas on any point of formal grammar, and yet he spoke the vilest English he had ever heard. He was of a type. "No doubt," be added, "some of the classics! writers of the past, if they came before Professor Gilray or Professor Thomas for an examination in formal grammar, would be. hoDelessly, ploughed," ...... t- V"K'- 5 * y!"4si-i i'- •\ T> .•''■