About this Item
Hugo?s Simplified System: French Grammar Simplified. An Easy & Rapid Self-Instructor. Exercises and Vocabulary; With the Pronunciation of Every Word Exactly Imitated. ?Standard Edition,? Revised and Entirely Re-Written.
Publisher: Hugo?s Language Institute, 64-66 Oxford Street, London, W.1 (and Branches). Printed in Great Britain. No publication date stated, but based on pre-decimal currency references in internal advertisements (e.g., 5/- monthly for courses), stylistic elements, and historical context of the publisher, this edition is estimated to date from the 1920s to 1940s, likely circa 1930s. This aligns with similar vintage editions from Hugo?s Language Institute, known for their postal and self-tuition language courses during the interwar and post-WWII periods.
Binding: Paperback. Original beige wraps with black lettering and border design. Pages: [iv] + 124, including front matter, lessons, exercises, verb conjugations, and vocabulary list.
Condition: Very Good for its age. Exterior shows light wear, including minor edge rubbing, faint creases to corners, and some age-toning to the covers. No significant tears, chips, or losses. Interior pages are clean and unmarked, with expected uniform yellowing due to paper quality typical of the era. The front cover is loose at the spine up to about half the length, but the rest of the binding remains tight and secure, with no loose pages. Notably, the original yellow insert?a detachable postal application form for Hugo?s Self-Tuition Courses?is still attached inside the front cover. The form is partially filled in by hand with the name ?Joyce Churchouse? and address ?7 Barford Street, Islington N.1.? (likely a historical London address in the Islington district, postal code N1). This adds a charming layer of provenance, suggesting use by a mid-20th-century learner, possibly for enrolling in French, German, Spanish, or Italian courses as advertised. Overall, a well-preserved example of this vintage language primer, with the intact insert enhancing its collectible appeal for those interested in historical self-study methods or ephemera, suitable for collectors, linguists, or those interested in historical self-study methods. No other ownership inscriptions, stamps, or bookplates observed.
Description: This compact self-instruction manual is part of Hugo?s renowned ?Simplified System? series, designed for rapid acquisition of French grammar without formal tuition. The ?Standard Edition? has been fully revised and re-written for clarity and efficiency, emphasizing practical learning through imitated pronunciation (using phonetic approximations to mimic ?exact? French sounds), progressive exercises, and essential vocabulary.
Content highlights:
? Preface: Explains the book?s innovative approach, noting numerous reprints and updates to the electro-plates for the ?Standard Edition.? Highlights simplicity, elimination of unnecessary rules, and focus on everyday language.
? Additional Exercises: School-oriented drills to reinforce rules, with keys available separately (advertised within).
? Verb Conjugations: Comprehensive tables for regular verbs (e.g., -er, -ir, -re endings) and auxiliaries like avoir and être. Includes complete conjugations for être, avoir, and others in present, imperfect, future, etc.
? Irregular Verbs List: Reference-only table of key irregulars for quick lookup.
? Advertisements: Rear pages and internal ads promote Hugo?s postal self-tuition courses in French, German, Spanish, Italian (e.g., 5/- monthly for 12 months), commercial correspondence books, verb simplifiers, and pocket dictionaries. Emphasizes ?hours of labour saved? and real-world applicability.
Hugo?s Language Institute, founded in the late 19th century, was a pioneer in distance learning for languages, making this book a fascinating artifact of early 20th-century education. Ideal for collectors of vintage language texts, ephemera enthusiasts, or French learners seeking a nostalgic method.
Seller Inventory # ABE-1773515088569
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