THE LINGUIST. A COMPLETE COURSE OF INSTRUCTIONS IN THE German Language: IN WHICH ATTENTION IS PARTICULARLY DIRECTED TO PECULIARITIES IN GRAMMATICAL FORMS AND CONSTRUCTION. EXEMPLIFIED BY SELECTIONS FROM THE BEST AUTHORS. By D. BOILEAU, AUTHOR OF THE NATURE AND GENIUS OF THE GERMAN LANGUAGE," &c. &c. NEW EDITION, CAREFULLY REVISED AND CORRECTED. LONDON: J. WACEY, BROAD STREET, ROYAL EXCHANGE. 1837. ADVERTISEMENT. To direct the study, and to facilitate the knowledge of the GERMAN language-even to those who never studied it before-is the aim and object of THE LINGUIST. The instructions which it contains are chiefly intended for those, who, under the guidance of proper teachers, have already acquired a tolerably correct pronunciation of GERMAN,-an acquaintance with which, in the present day, is almost indispensable; in a commercial point of view, on account of the very extensive trade which is carried on between Great Britain and the ports of the North Sea and of the Baltic; but principally in consequence of its rising literature, which is admitted to be of the most valuable kind. It is hoped that the work will prove acceptable to the Heads of Families and Schools, and to private Governesses, as attention is frequently directed to those idiomatic niceties which, defying a literal translation, are seldom noticed in Dictionaries. THE LINGUIST, INSTRUCTIONS IN The German Language. 1. THE German language, in spite of the prejudices prevailing against it, is not by any means so difficult for an Englishman as the French. Its guttural sounds are not harsher than the Scotch word "Loch," in Loch-Lomond. The numeral acht, "eighth," is the harshest sound in the language; the German construction, however, requires great attention to be paid to the declension of nouns, articles, and pronouns; but the verbs are infinitely more easy than the French. Short pieces of light poetry, in which the sentences are less involved than in prose writings, will gradually familiarize the learner with these difficulties. We will begin with one of Gellert's Fables. Remember that the v is f, and the w simply v: von is fon-and was, vas; war, var; ei is the English 1, and ie the English EE. DER KUCKUCK. Ein Kuckuck sprach zu einem Staar, Der aus der Stadt entflohen war; Was, spricht man, fing er an zu schreien, Was spricht man in der Stadt von unsern Melodeien? Was spricht man von der Nachtigall? Die ganze Stadt lobt ihre Lieder. Und von der Lerche ? rief er wieder. Die halbe Stadt lobt ihrer Stimme Schall. Und von der Amsel? fuhr er fort. Auch diese lobt man hier und dort. B |
