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THE AMERICAN SPELLING BOOK; CONTAINING THE RUDIMENTS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE FO

THE AMERICAN SPELLING BOOK; CONTAINING THE RUDIMENTS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES ________ BY NOAH WEBSTER. ESQ ________ THE REVISED IMPRESSION, WITH THE LATEST CORRECTIONS This edition of the American Spelling Book was published in 1824 by Holbrook and Fessenden of Battleborough, Vermont This “Easy-to-Read, No Frills” typed edition was prepared by Donald L. Potter, Odessa, TX, 2006-2007 www.donpotter.net 1 Publisher’s Preface to the Twenty-First Century Editon of Noah Webster’s The American Spelling Book from Internet Publisher: Donald L. Potter This edition of The American Spelling Book was published in 1824 by Holbrook and Fessenden of Brattleborogh, Vermont. The woodcuts are by A. Anderson “Spelling-Book: n. A book for teaching children to spell and read.” Definition from Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language. Mr. Potter finished typing Noah Webster’s The American Spelling Book, except for personal and place names, on February 19, 2007. Latest revison, June 20, 2014. It is now available for free download from www.donpotter.net. Courier New Font was used in order to keep the columns perfectly aligned. This is impossible with Times New Roman. The pages numbers do not correspond with the original edition due to the complications with formatting. The purpose of this “Easy-to-Read, No-Frills Edition” is entirely practical: I believe parents and teachers will use these pages to teach young children to read and spell on advanced levels unheard of since the days of Noah Webster. Note carefully that Webster considered long, multi-syllabic words of four syllables to be EASY and taught them early, but one syllable words with vowel digraphs and silent letters he considered DIFFICULT and taught them later. Students who begin with Webster will be reading long words at least three years earlier than those beginning with modern phonics programs. This will have a tremendous impact on student reading levels. Webster, also, teaches long vowels at the end of syllables (open syllables) near the beginning of his program, another feature largely neglected in most (if not all) modern phonics programs. The main accent is typed in bold font to make it easier for younger students to better visualize the accented syllable. This is a new feature added with the publication of this edition. 2 PREFACE The American Spelling Book, or first Part of a Grammatical Institute of the English Language, when first published, encountered an opposition, which few new publications have sustained with success. It however maintained its ground, and its reputation has been gradually extended and established, until it has become the principal elementary book in the United States. In a great part of the northern States, it is the only book of the kind used; it is much used in the middle and southern States; and its annual sales indicate a large and increasing demand. Its merit is evidenced not only by this general use, but by a remarkable fact, that, in many attempts made to rival it, the compilers have all constructed their works on a similar plan; some of them have most unwarrantably and illegally copied a considerable part of the tables, with little or no alterations; and others have altered them, by additions, mutilations, and subdivisions, numerous and perplexing. In most instances, this species of injustice has been discountenanced by the citizens of the United States, and the public sentiment has protected the original work, more effectually than the penalties of the law.* Gratitude to the public, as well as a desire to furnish schools with a more complete and well digested system of elements has induced me to embrace the opportunity when the first patent expires, to revise the work, and give it all the improvement which the experience of teachers, and my own observations and reflections have suggested. In the execution of this design, care has been taken to preserve the scheme of pronunciation, and the substance of the former work. Most of the tables, having stood the test of experience, are considered as susceptible of little improvement or amendment. A few alterations are made, with a view to accommodate the work to the most accurate rules of pronunciation, and general usage of speaking; as also to correct some errors which crept into the work. A perfect standard of pronunciation, in a living language, is not to be expected: and when the best English Dictionaries differ from each other, in several hundred, probably a thousand words, where are we to seek for undisputed rules? and how can we arrive at perfect uniformity? The rules respecting accent, prefixed to the former work, are found to be too lengthy and complex, to answer any valuable purpose intended for children; they are therefore omitted. The geographical tables are thrown into a different form; and the abridgment of grammar is omitted. Geography and grammar are sciences that require distinct treatises, and schools are furnished with them in abundance. It is believed to be more useful to confine this work to its proper objects, teaching the first elements of the language, spelling and reading. On this subject the opinion of many judicious persons concurs with my own. The improvements made in this work chiefly consist of a great number of new tables. Some of them are intended to exhibit the manner in which derivative words, and the variations in nouns, adjectives and verbs, are formed. The examples of this sort cannot fail to be very useful; as children may be well acquainted with a word in the singular number, or positive degree, may be perplexed when they see it in the plural number or comparative form. The examples of derivation, will accustom youth to observe the manner, in which various branches spring from one radical word, and thus lead their minds to some knowledge of the formation of the language, and the manner in which syllables are added or prefixed to vary the sense of the word. In the familiar lessons for reading, care has been taken to express ideas in plain, but not vulgar language; and to combine with familiarity of objects, useful truth and practical principles. In a copious list of names of places, rivers, lakes, mountains, &c. which are introduced into this work, no labor has been spared to exhibit their just orthography and pronunciation, according to the analogies of our language, and the common usages of the country. The orthography of Indian languages has not, in every instance, been well adjusted by American 3 authors. Many of these names still retain the French orthography, found in the writing of the first discoverers or early travelers; but the practice of writing such words in the French manner ought to be discountenanced. How does an unlettered American know the pronunciation of the names, Ouiscounsin or Ouabsche, in this French dress? Would he suspect the pronunciation to be Wisconsin and Waubosh? Our citizens ought not be perplexed with an orthography to which they are strangers. Nor ought the harsh guttural sounds of the natives be retained in such words as Shawangunk, and many others. Where popular practice has softened and abridged words of this kind the change has been made in conformity with the genius of our own language, which is accommodated to a civilized people; and the orthography ought to be conformed to the practice of speaking. The true pronunciation of the name of a place, is that which prevails in and near the place. I have always sought for this, but am apprehensive, that, in some instances, information may not be correct. It has however been my endeavor to give the true pronunciation, in the appropriate English characters. The importance of correctness and uniformity, in the several impressions of a book of such general use, has suggested the propriety of adopting effectual measures to insure the desirable objects; and it is believed that such measures are taken, as will render all future impressions of this work, uniform in the pages, as well executed and perfectly correct. In the progress of society and improvement, some gradual changes must be expected in a living language; the corresponding alterations in elementary books of instruction, become indispensable; but it is desirable that these alterations should be as few as possible, for they occasion uncertainty and inconvenience. And although perfect uniformity in speaking not probably attainable in any living language, yet it is to be wished, that the youth of our country may be, as little as possible, perplexed with various different systems and standards. Whatever may be the difference of opinion, among individuals, respecting a few particular words, or the particular arrangement of a few classes of words, the general interest of education requires, that a disposition to multiply books and systems of teaching the language of the country, should not be indulged in to an unlimited extent. On this disposition, however, the public sentiment alone can impose restraint. As the first part of the Institute met with general approbation of my fellow citizens, it is presumed the labor bestowed upon this work, in correcting and improving the system, will render uploads/Geographie/ spelling-guide.pdf