Language Culture

LANGUAGE CULTURE. BY ATTEWALL. WOOTTON.

One of the greatest demands in our educational work is a more careful training in the use of language. It is deplorable how many of our young people show serious defects in their use of English. This is not confined to those engaged in the ordinary avocations of life, but is quite conspicuous among teachers in our public schools, where the errors and defects are liable to be perpetuated in the rising generation. These defects are not due to any negligence in the teaching of the technical grammar or rhetoric, nor, on the part of teachers, to their lack of knowledge of those principles — these subjects are given due prominence in our insti-

tutions of learning— but they are largely due to early habits formed before the technical study of language is taken up, and to association with uneducated or careless speakers in the home surroundings. Many parents, having had but little opportunity for learning, are unable to give suitable models for speech or to correct errors elsewhere acquired, thus leaving the children to form many habits that are erroneous and that must mar the speech through life unless corrected later by the teachers ; and teachers often think their duty done when they have taught the rules of grammar that, if followed, would correct the errors, not realizing that the habits are left unchanged and old errors unconsciously perpetuated. Better that a person be habituated to correct habits of speech, ^even if he should never learn the technicalities of grammar, than

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to learn the rules of grammatical construction after having formed habits that will betray him and bring only chagrin, for his knowledge of rules is generally applied only after the errors are made. A story is told of an excellent teacher of English in a noted educational institution of the United States, having gained his education late in life, who, when irritated would berate his pupils in the very worst English. The old habits would assert themselves in spite of his later learning. Nothing is considered a better indication of a cultured mind than clear, concise forms of expression, careful choice of words, and pure grammatical construction. Where these are lacking, other attainments are thrown in the background for want of appropriate expressions. Although our primary and intermediate schools may be deserving of censure for their failure in language training, finding fault with the schools will never remedy the errors of the past. Here is a field for profitable and valuable work in the Improvement Associations. It is true they have done much in the past to encourage

practice in written language by essays and other forms of composition, but often — — too often these are mere exercises in plagiarism, which often receive unmerited applause to the discouragement of those are who writing honest essays. While practice in writing is very valuable, care should be taken to discourage dishonesty in whatever form it may present itself. As oral language always precedes written, it may be considered the fountain from whence springs all power or excellence in writing, and if from the fountain issues bitter water, the stream must of necessity be impure. To purify the language of our young people, much might be done in the associations by a judicious system of criticism and discussion, at stated periods, of the common grammatical errors observed and collected by the members; all vulgarisms or inelegant expressions might be treated in the same manner. It would be

necessary to carefully avoid any personalities that would be liable to give offense. Some of the finest forms of expression of the best speakers and writers might be selected, brought forward and discussed, that a love for the beautiful in language may be

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cultivated and a desire for self-improvement aroused in the individuals. A habit of memorizing gems of literature should be encouraged, that a taste for the best may be acquired, when the profanity and vulgarity, too often heard among the youth, will die out, being displaced by the better; and our young people will soon realize with the poet, that

Immodest words admit of no defense, For want of modesty is want of sense.

Such work would be especially valuable as a preparation for service in the mission field. Although it is not always the educated that make the best missionaries, still education, especially power in the use of language, will contribute much to the efl^-

ciency of a speaker, provided it be accompanied by faith, integrity and devotion to the work. It is hard for a man who betrays ignorance in his language,, to get a hearing with educated people, no matter how well he may be informed on the principles he has to present. In the past, the Gospel has been preached to the poor generally, but it is to be preached to "every creature," and, as the Latter-day Saints become better known, there will be a greater demand for Elders among the wealthy and educated classes. We need effectually to refute the charge of ignorance that has so universally been brought against us. The elders go forth full of faith, confident that they have principles to present to the world, the purest, the best and the most important that have been promulgated for over eighteen centuries; then, why are not such glorious truths eminently worthy of being clothed in the purest, the best and the most expressive forms afforded by the English language, which has culled from many languages their best and most expressive words and phrases?