Page:The Journal of English and Germanic Philology Volume 18.djvu/486

 482 Cur me however, is quite different from that claimed by the author. Of the vast throng who teach English in this country few are thoroly acquainted with the growth and development of the language. Few have enthusiastically dedicated their life to its study. Few really know how hungry American boys and girls are after a deeper knowledge of their native tongue. A teacher whose soul has been stirred by a close insight into the growth and development of English can in a moment as if by magic convert a listless class into keen attention by telling it even a little bit of the rich life of the language. Even rules can stir up interest in a class if they are presented as a part of the life of the pupils' daily speech. In this great country there is not a single periodical exclusively devoted to the scienti- fic study of English that is supported and maintained by public subscription, such asAnglia and Englische Studien in Germany. Our teachers of English are not interested in English and hence they don't know much about it and can't interest American boys and girls in it. Indeed, it is sad! It is cheering, however, to know that the English language is not on this account going down. It will continue to go on growing and developing, for it is connected with all we do and think, intimately connected with the life of a great people, and will grow as it grows. Its growth will not be much impeded by the poor instruction in our schools, but on the other hand the American people will be deprived of a great boon that might become theirs. A good teaching of English would bring a closer insight into its nature and thus increase our power and enjoyment in using it. Among other good points that the author makes is his repeated reference to the lack of interest in American English on the part of American scholars. It is only too true, but the evil is hard to remedy. We need several live periodicals exclusively devoted to the study of English backed by large bodies of contributors interested in various phases of the English of America and England and her colonies. Just now we have a poor prospect of getting such periodicals or such investigators. For the present we shall in general have to send our contribu- tions to our American periodicals of larger scope or send them to the periodicals of Germany that deal exclusively with English. It does not seem desirable to limit the scope of such periodicals to American English alone. The study of American English must always be kept in close touch with other forms of English, or we are liable to run into error. The author discusses at length differences in pronunciation and orthography. Of course it is perfectly clear that natural forces are at work bringing about new developments of sounds. To a timid thinker it often seems sure that the parts of the great English-speaking territory will ultimately drift apart and become independent. On the other hand, there is the