Bohemian Grammar
JAROSLAV VICTOR NIGRIN, A. M.
HARRISON TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL, CHICAGO.
BOHEMIAN LITERARY SOCIETY. CHICAGO.
Copyright, 1918, by the Slavie Publishing Co.,
Chicago, Ill.
“Slavie” Publishing Company 465 2544 S. Millard Ave., Chicago.
To
CHARLES R. CRANE
a true and enlightened friend of the Slavs
this work is dedicated
J. V. N.
Chicago, July 14, 1917
PREFACE.
In preparing the present work it has been my aim to present to Englishspeaking people a practical text book of the Bohemian language writtenalong modern lines, explaining the grammatical principles and supplyingenough exercises to illustrate them. As far as I am aware there areonly two other books published on the same subject in English:—Chas.Jonáš “Bohemian Made Easy” a book based on conversational method andGrammar of the Bohemian language by W. Morfill, a very brief workdestined for philologists rather than general students. As Jonáš’sbook is out of print, and, as there is quite a demand for a practicaltext book of Bohemian among businessmen and students—Bohemian is atpresent taught at several Universities and High Schools in the UnitedStates—this work was undertaken.
The basis of this work was “Mluvnice česká” by Dr. Jan Gebauer, thisbeing the standard Bohemian Grammar sanctioned by the university ofPrague. My task was to arrange, to present the facts of the languagegiven by Gebauer in such a way as to make its study most easy,practical and palatable. To accomplish this aim I have used my ownexperience and also followed suggestions given in various methodsemployed in the teaching of modern languages, in order that the bookmay be of assistance not only in a class-room but also in privateinstruction.
It is perhaps needless to point out that the first part, dealingwith phonetics is very important, because, if the student obtainsa correct pronunciation at the very outset, he will have madeconsiderable progress in understanding and making himself understood.It is further recommended that the oral exercises be really practisedorally—eventually by the entire class in unity. Learn the languageby ear and eye! To the exercises from Bohemian into English very soonare added small articles, fables, stories and poems, which bring thestudent in touch with the living language and not only with preparedgrammatical examples. It is certainly an easier and a surer way tolearn correct Bohemian by reading and hearing as much as possible ofgood Bohemian than by making translation from English into Bohemian.Therefore, the exercises given in Bohemian are more numerous than thosein English. Repetition makes mastery, and I did not hesitate to repeata point that seemed to me to be important and the student ought toreturn again and again to such sections which are more difficult andalso mo