three men on the bummel(三个闲逛的人)-第20节
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woman。 Ver' talkative woman she is； sar； very 〃
〃Yes； never mind her； there are other people very talkative in this town
besides your wife。 Deacon Abraham's house is half a mile out of your
way home from Mr。 Jordan's。 How did you get there？〃
〃Dat's what I'm a…gwine ter explain； sar。〃
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〃I am glad of that。 And how do you propose to do it？〃
〃Well； I'se thinkin'； sar； I must ha' digressed。〃
I take it we digressed a little。
At first； from some reason or other； Hanover strikes you as an
uninteresting town； but it grows upon you。 It is in reality two towns； a
place of broad； modern； handsome streets and tasteful gardens； side by
side with a sixteenth…century town； where old timbered houses overhang
the narrow lanes； where through low archways one catches glimpses of
galleried courtyards； once often thronged； no doubt； with troops of horse；
or blocked with lumbering coach and six； waiting its rich merchant owner；
and his fat placid Frau； but where now children and chickens scuttle at
their will； while over the carved balconies hang dingy clothes a…drying。
A singularly English atmosphere hovers over Hanover； especially on
Sundays； when its shuttered shops and clanging bells give to it the
suggestion of a sunnier London。 Nor was this British Sunday atmosphere
apparent only to myself； else I might have attributed it to imagination；
even George felt it。 Harris and I； returning from a short stroll with our
cigars after lunch on the Sunday afternoon； found him peacefully
slumbering in the smoke…room's easiest chair。
〃After all；〃 said Harris； 〃there is something about the British Sunday
that appeals to the man with English blood in his veins。 I should be sorry
to see it altogether done away with； let the new generation say what it
will。〃
And taking one each end of the ample settee； we kept George
company。
To Hanover one should go； they say； to learn the best German。 The
disadvantage is that outside Hanover； which is only a small province；
nobody understands this best German。 Thus you have to decide whether
to speak good German and remain in Hanover； or bad German and travel
about。 Germany being separated so many centuries into a dozen
principalities； is unfortunate in possessing a variety of dialects。 Germans
from Posen wishful to converse with men of Wurtemburg； have to talk as
often as not in French or English； and young ladies who have received an
expensive education in Westphalia surprise and disappoint their parents by
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being unable to understand a word said to them in Mechlenberg。 An
English…speaking foreigner； it is true； would find himself equally
nonplussed among the Yorkshire wolds； or in the purlieus of Whitechapel；
but the cases are not on all fours。 Throughout Germany it is not only in
the country districts and among the uneducated that dialects are
maintained。 Every province has practically its own language； of which it
is proud and retentive。 An educated Bavarian will admit to you that；
academically speaking； the North German is more correct； but he will
continue to speak South German and to teach it to his children。
In the course of the century； I am inclined to think that Germany will
solve her difficulty in this respect by speaking English。 Every boy and girl
in Germany； above the peasant class； speaks English。 Were English
pronunciation less arbitrary； there is not the slightest doubt but that in the
course of a very few years； comparatively speaking； it would become the
language of the world。 All foreigners agree that； grammatically； it is the
easiest language of any to learn。 A German； comparing it with his own
language； where every word in every sentence is governed by at least four
distinct and separate rules； tells you that English has no grammar。 A
good many English people would seem to have come to the same
conclusion； but they are wrong。 As a matter of fact； there is an English
grammar； and one of these days our schools will recognise the fact； and it
will be taught to our children； penetrating maybe even into literary and
journalistic circles。 But at present we appear to agree with the foreigner
that it is a quantity neglectable。 English pronunciation is the stumbling…
block to our progress。 English spelling would seem to have been
designed chiefly as a disguise to pronunciation。 It is a clever idea；
calculated to check presumption on the part of the foreigner； but for that
he would learn it in a year。
For they have a way of teaching languages in Germany that is not our
way； and the consequence is that when the German youth or maiden leaves
the gymnasium or high school at fifteen； 〃it〃 （as in Germany one
conveniently may say） can understand and speak the tongue it has been
learning。 In England we have a method that for obtaining the least
possible result at the greatest possible expenditure of time and money is
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perhaps unequalled。 An English boy who has been through a good
middle…class school in England can talk to a Frenchman； slowly and with
difficulty； about female gardeners and aunts； conversation which； to a man
possessed perhaps of neither； is liable to pall。 Possibly； if he be a bright
exception； he may be able to tell the time； or make a few guarded
observations concerning the weather。 No doubt he could repeat a goodly
number of irregular verbs by heart； only； as a matter of fact； few foreigners
care to listen to their own irregular verbs； recited by young Englishmen。
Likewise he might be able to remember a choice selection of grotesquely
involved French idioms； such as no modern Frenchman has ever heard or
understands when he does hear。
The explanation is that； in nine cases out of ten； he has learnt French
from an 〃Ahn's First…Course。〃 The history of this famous work is
remarkable and instructive。 The book was originally written for a joke；
by a witty Frenchman who had resided for some years in England。 He
intended it as a satire upon the conversational powers of British society。
From this point of view it was distinctly good。 He submitted it to a
London publishing firm。 The manager was a shrewd man。 He read the
book through。 Then he sent for the author。
〃This book of yours；〃 said he to the author； 〃is very clever。 I have
laughed over it myself till the tears came。〃
〃I am delighted to hear you say so；〃 replied the pleased Frenchman。 〃I
tried to be truthful without being unnecessarily offensive。〃
〃It is most amusing；〃 concurred the manager； 〃and yet published as a
harmless joke； I feel it would fail。〃
The author's face fell。
〃Its humour；〃 proceeded the manager； 〃would be denounced as forced
and extravagant。 It would amuse the thoughtful and intelligent； but from
a business point of view that portion of the public are never worth
considering。 But I have an idea；〃 continued the manager。 He glanced
round the room to be sure they were alone； and leaning forward sunk his
voice to a whisper。 〃My notion is to publish it as a serious work for the
use of schools！〃
The author stared； speechless。
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〃I know the English schoolman；〃 said the manager； 〃this book will
appeal to him。 It will exactly fit in with his method。 Nothing sillier；
nothing more
