Preparatory French reader

Ovando Byron Super

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• French language
• Reader

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• Publié par: les_archives_du_savoir
• Nombre de lectures: 11
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 10 Mo

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Gr.
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PREPARATORY
READERFRENCH
BY
O. B. SUPER, PH.D.,
PROFESSOR OF MODERN LANGUAGES IN DICKINSON COLLEGE.
BOSTON :
D. C. HEATH & PUBLISHERS.CO.,
1890.COPYRIGHT, 1888,
BY D. C. HEATH & CO.
rt,
f%PREFACE.
DOUBTLESS the best method of to read orlearning French, any
other is to since to be able to read Frenchread; and,language,
texts with ease is what is most desired our studentsgenerally by
of it follows that that method of instruction is theFrench, best,
which leads most to this A can best bedirectly goal. language
""
studied in action and to make
; pupils, especially young begin-
for weeks and months overners, grammatical bones,perspire dry
before them to come in contact with the enallowing language
is irksome both to and andmasse, teacher, can, therefore,pupil
never the best results.produce
It was to meet the wants of teachers who believe in andearly
that The selectionsthis book has beencopious reading, prepared.
are all to the time to interestedsufficiently long give pupil get
in and thus him to read on his own account inthem, encourage
advance of what is the instructor. I haveactually required by
found to finish a even if thealways pupils willing piece, beyond
of the while would have read with faraverage length lessons, they
less if the additional had been a newspirit pensum piece.
"
This is in no sense a Classical French Reader" There are
of those in the and whoever wants a bookalready many market,
"
of that kind need not to examine this notone.stop Here,IV PREFACE.
are called." Even where selections have been mademany mighty
from standard such as Daudet andauthors, have beenDumas, they
more or less modified to meet the ends I had in view. Since my
has not to of Frenchbeen,design present specimens literature,
but to as far as and forfurnish, possible, easy interesting reading
I have not hesitated to take such liberties with thebeginners,
texts as the necessities of the case seemed to In somerequire.
cases the are so that few would discover themchanges slight,
without for them. consist insearching They chiefly simplifying
a difficult or in for an unusual word aconstruction, substituting
more common if the latter had elsewhereone, especially appeared
in the book. One of the in view has beenobjects steadily kept
to restrict the as much as in order thatvocabulary possible, (i)
the be his inpupil may encouraged by finding facility reading
he and in orderincrease as advances; that, by having(2) many
of the words recur thus be fixedfrequently, they may permanently
in the mind.
The first six selections are not from French sources at and
all,
have been chosen because a certain withthey chiefly familiarity
contents will render more the of thesetheir easy reading pieces
which are intended for Those whoprincipally young beginners.
find it to withare more mature better beginintellectually may
These six selections have all been either translated orPart II.
the end offor this withbook, makingadapted specially always
as as It isthe constructions simple possible. believed, however,
are notthat no have been admitted which genuinely
of translations in a French ReaderFrench. The publication
be somewhat of an but I see no reasonmay innovation; goodPREFACE. V
in French as inAndersen's tales are not aswhy appropriate
and are to do hard serviceGerman Readers, they usually obliged
that one has ever beenin the I am not awarelatter, although any
for thus them.censured using
intended tothis as has been is notbook, intimated,Besides,
of French literature. The student must knowserve for the study
a before he can use it as a medium for the of thelanguage study
the latter means of andliterature and to to; by chipstry study
"would be like a house means of ascraps buying by specimen
brick."
of the difficulties in the texts have beenSince many original
few notes have been for Ieliminated, comparatively required;
it better to allow the to read on unhinderedconsidered pupil
than to him to the ofsubject annoyance frequently referring
named in which the notesto the notes. French Readers bemight
to the earlier selections take far more than the selectionsup space
themselves. I have not this of andimitation,thought worthy
diminished the difficulties and so avoided thehave, therefore,
for numerous notes.necessity
to suchIn the notes has as far asbeen, givemy object possible,
as would show the the force of each andrenderings pupil word,
in translation. I there-not instance to him a model ofevery give
fore leave to call the attention of teachers to thebeg importance
reci-of translations into idiomaticinsisting upon English. Every
tation can and should be made a drill in English.
The have been chosen on account of their sim-poems chiefly
For am Macmillan'sseveral of them I indebted toplicity.
French Reader.vi PREFACE.
The contains one feature believed to be newvocabulary ; viz.,
the as far as a difference in would theshowing, type permit,
indebtedness of the to the French. I am awareEnglish language
of a few inconsistencies in the to the factslight printing, owing
that a word is and Frenchoccasionally partly English partly ;
but I do not think one will be misled In theany thereby.
I have followed Skeat.etymologies usually
I desire to make a confession of to thegeneral obligation
numerous teachers who have aided me in but the fol-work,my
merit mention : Professor of the Uni-lowing special Joynes,
of South has been counsellor fromCarolina,versity my trusty
the of this work Professors of Tuftsvery beginning ; Fay College,
Fontaine of Fortier of TulaneWashington, D.C., University,
of Newton of and Van DaellGarnerLouisiana, Ohio,Annapolis,
of have also rendered valuable assistance.Boston,
O. B. SUPER.
DICKINSON 1888.COLLEGE, Sept. 24,