MODERN LANGUAGE STUDY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20086, 30 April 1927, Page 13

MODERN LANGUAGE STUDY.

TO THIS EDITOE. Sxb, —Your loader of reoent data entitled “Modern Language Study” merits more than a rapid glance and swift oblivion, I should like to endorse very emphatically what is said there regarding the place of German in our secondary schools. Knowledge of this language is an essential part of the equipment of the serious worker in almost any line of research. It is perhaps not as well known as it should be how great in extent and quality the achievements of the Germans have been and continue to be in all branches of physical and natural science, technology and humanistic study. Measured by mere bulk their intellectual output is impressive, their annual production of books amounting to double that of any other nation. And be it noted, a large proportion of this total represents sound and valuable work. Not to avail ourselves of this wealth of information and suggestion is simply foolish; it is deliberate and needless self-impoverishment. And yet this is precisely what wo are doing by neglecting the study of the German tongue. If it bo said that the best works are accessible in translations, the reply is that this is not the case. Leaving aside the highly important material contained in the many excellent technical journals of Germany, it would be easy to name offhand a scoro of valuable recent works in any of the departments above-mentioned which have not been translated, and in most cases will never bo translated. It is high time indeed, that our schools sot about furnishing their pupils with the linguistic key to the treasure-house of this great literature. May I also suggest that in the teaching of German, os of other modem languages, the chief aim should be to enable (lie pupils to read the language fluently? This is easily posible without an initial souldeadening and laborious acquisition of endless grammatical rules and niceties. Hero at all events real utility should not bo sacrificed to a supposed mental discipline. How many of our acknowledged masters of English could pa=s creditably an examination in the kind of thing sot forth in our English grammars? Rational method makes the learning of a modern language, at least for reading purpose?, a comparatively easy and pleasant process. Hoping that the suggestions of your leader will lie speedily taken up and given effect to by those whom they .specially concern. — I am, etc., E. W. I).