Essentials of German (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Essentials of German

As its name implies, the present work aims to present and instil those facts of the German language which are essen tial for the reading of connected texts. At a time when so many of the latter have been edited with a special view to the needs of beginners, the use of an introductory lesson book would seem to possess distinct advantages over that of an extended grammar. The writer makes no apology for the lack of completeness of grammatical statement, his conviction being that a thorough mastery of the leading facts and principles is of far greater value to the beginner than a passing acquaintance with a mass of details. The chief emphasis has accordingly fallen on the practical side of the subject; in the theoretic part clearness rather than fulness of statement has been the end in view.

An effort has been made throughout to set a task that should be within the reach of the average pupil. Especial pains have been taken to limit the vocabulary to words of common occurrence. That the pupil should develop a feel ing for German construction and word arrangement is far more essential than that he should at the outset have an extensive vocabulary at his command. The ability of the average pupil to assimilate a large number of new words with each successive lesson has frequently been overrated.

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