Meaning/concept:
Rooted in formal teaching of Greek and Latin-originated in
Germany also called Prussia so Prussian Method-used in classical language
teaching such as Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, Arabik, Persian etc. so called Classical method- popular in 1840s
to 1940s-popular today-it is a way of learning a language through detailed
study of its grammar-then learner applies the rules of grammar in translating
texts-all linguistic items are translated
Principles:
1. Translation interprets
foreign phraseology best.
2. In the process of
interpretation, the foreign phraseology is assimilated.
3. The structures of foreign
language are best learnt when compared and constrated with that of mother tongue.
Characteristics:
1. Mother tongue dominates
2. Basic unit of teaching is
word
3. Grammar is taught
prescriptively-deductive method-first rule then examples
4. Main activity if
explanation of grammar rules and translation exercises
5. Grammar is the soul
6. Reading and writing
stress, little emphasis on listening and speaking
7. Syllabus of prose, poetry,
grammatical structure exercises
8. Communication function is
ignored
9. Teacher is dependent on
text-bilingual list of words-rigid exercises
10. Focus on translation
Merits/advantages
1. Teaching activity
easy-known to unknown-suits average teacher-no use of audio-visual aids
2. Foreign phraseology
quickly explained-translation saves time
3. Rapid expansion of
vocabulary
4. Correct knowledge of
language-as grammar stressed
5. Pupils are able to understand-no
vagueness
6. Concrete and definite
ideas as translated in mother tongue
7. Strong memory bond between
mother tongue and foreign language
8. Compared with mother
tongue -makes easy
9. Comprehension can easily
tested
10. Translation skill
developed
11. Reading and writing skill
accuracy
12. Stress on rules so
accuracy and correctness
13. Useful in over-crowed
classed such as in India
Demerits/disadvantages:
1. Unnatural and
un-psychological method-lSRW no followed
2. Spoken
aspect-phonetics-stress-intonation-articulation not taught
3. Speech is neglected-no
oral work-listen more to mother tongue-no fluency is developed
4. Cultural differences
ignored-translation can not be applied
in all-idioms-phrases-proverbs-special usage have problems in
translation-word-to-word translation impossible
5. No pattern practice-habit
no developed
6. Literal translation ruins
the beauty of language
7. fails to arrest delicacy,
colour and soul of a language
8. no direct bond between
thought and expression-children think in mother tongue before speaking in
English
9. a language is a skill-to
speak any language whether native or foreign entirely by rules is quite
impossible
10. learner is passive
listener-dull activity of translation
11. unit of teaching is words
so hinders in developing habit of rapid reading
12. no silent reading
13. psychologically
wrong-stress of eyes not of ears
