A Brief Analysis on the Application of the Grammar Translation——Form the Perspective of Its Popularity and Adaptation in China

刘 峤

(四川外语学院，重庆 400031)

As one of the oldest foreign language teaching methods，the Grammar-Translation Method has a long history of more than two hundred years.Although it still has great influence in many countries and areas today，people haven’t reached an agreement on the issue of the Grammar-Translation Method value.I think only if we take the factual situation into consideration when assessing it，can we give it an impartial adjudication.If we want to give a fair evaluation to it，it is necessary for us to know firstly its origin and historical evolution.So now I will make an historical retrospect for it as follows.

I.Historical Retrospect

As is known to all，Latin has been the dominant language for communication utill the sixteenth century.It was used widely in the field of education，commerce，religion，and government.However，since entered the sixteenth century，with the change of politics in Europe，modern languages，such as French，English，and Italian，had played a gradually important role for communication in various aspects among various countries，whose influence on communication had exceeded that of Latin.Under the circumstances，schools，especially the secondary schools，still taught Latin，or Greek.But it’s worth noting that，they didn’t teach Latin as a communication tool，but in order to treat students’intelligence and improve their quality.The students learned Latin through the study of classical works and the analysis of the grammar and the structure of sentences and plenty of practice on translation out and into the target language.So from then on，Latin had diminished from a living language to a“dead”language(or classical language).On contrary，those modern languages had become living languages.The study of Latin was disciplined and systematic and became indispensable as a basis for all forms of higher education.With the conflict of the society’s need of the excellent persons who could speak modern languages and schools never or rarely teaching modern languages，the books of Franz Ahn’s and H.G.Ollendorf’s met the demand of the society.Their books，one named A New，Practical，and Easy Method by Ahn while the other named A New Method of Learning to Read，Write，and Speak，a Language in Six Months by Ollendorf，created the success of adults’study of modern languages.Their books were easy，compact and useful，suitable for private learners who had a certain basis of classical grammar.With these books，one could learn one language by himself with no instruction by others.In the book of A New，Practical，and Easy Method，after a brief introduction to the pronunciation，the basic learning materials begin.They are arranged in short，consecutively numbered sections.Each odd-numbered section gives a grammatical summary，usually in the form of a paradigm，and about a dozen new vocabulary items，followed by a set of sentences to translate into the mother language.Each even-numbered section contains sentences to translate into the foreign language，and no new teaching points［1］.The vocabulary was useful and the practice sentences were easy to translate.It was the origin of the Grammar-Translation Method.Of course，from the books of Ahn’s and Ollendorf’s，we can know that，in fact，as result of the long-established status of Latin，the creation of the Grammar-Translation Method is deeply influenced by the ways of teaching Latin.Strictly speaking，the origin of this method didn’t aim to teach language by grammar and translation which just were taken for granted.The traditional scholastic approach for individual learners in the eighteenth century had been used to acquire a reading knowledge to the interpretation of texts with the use of a dictionary.With the expansion of the stress of the social need of talented persons who could speak modern languages，schools began to bring modern languages into their core curriculum.So one of strands of the language teaching development in the nineteenth century is that foreign modern languages teaching has been integrated in the core curriculum of the secondary schools.They wanted to use Grammar-Translation Method，but under the pressure of classical language specialists，they had to teach modern languages according to the way of teaching Latin so as not to make modern language become soft options.In this case，the Grammar-Translation Method has been distorted in its application to the secondary schools teaching.Therefore，the effect of the Grammar-Translation for secondary school students is far reaching expectation but very slim.Generally speaking，the reasons that the Grammar Translation makes a bad effect and doesn’t meet the initial expectation are as follows.The first reason is due to the misleading of the Grammar Translation.The origin of the Grammar-Translation is suitable for individual learners who has learned some classical grammar and knowledge as a basis，but not suitable for pupils who has little basis of scholastic methods and learned modern language mainly with the help of teachers’instructions.Secondly，the distorted Grammar Translation is difficult，obscure，tediously long，and not easy to understand.The most outstanding representatives were the schoolmasters who hoped to demonstrate that the study of modern languages were no less rigorous than the study of the classical languages.Tiark and Weisse，for instance，were the worst users of the Grammar Translation.In their textbooks，the Grammar-Translation seed became a jungle of obscure rules and endless lists of gender classes［1］.Students could study languages with the help of grammar and translation，while the fact is that they had to burden rote learning of grammar rules，which made them lose interests and confidence.Last but not least，in my opinion，it was limited by its own drawback.According to the need of the market，the foreign language talented person must be able to communicate with others with learned languages.That is to say，these persons must have proficiency in speaking foreign languages.However，the Grammar Translation method paid much attention to reading and writing，and ignored speaking and listening，leaving students not having speaking ability and blocking their communication.Faced with the serious stress，more and more people try to make some reforms.Because of the association between the public examination system and educational privilege，England successfully blocked the reform of modern language teaching by institutionalizing the special status of the classics and effectively.On contrary，Germany accepted reform influence more easily，due to its state-run education system.Nevertheless，no one could stop the advance of the history——reform is inevitable.Before the coming of Reform Movement，there are several individual reformers，such as Jean Joseph Jacotot，Claude Marcel，Thomas Prendergast，Francois Gouin and so on.In A Compendious Exposition of the Principles and Practice of Professor Jacotot’s Celebrated System of Education，Jacotot(1830)raised his most famous motto“All is in all”，which means“learn something thoroughly and relate everything else to it”.Jacotot and Marcel both pointed out the study of vocabulary ought be combined with content，rather than being from sentences in isolation.Besides，Marcel raised not only the distinction between analytic and synthetic methods of instruction，but also the four skills of language proficiency——reading，writing，listening，and speaking and how to contribute to the teaching with the help of four skills by means of acceptance and production.Also he raised“method of nature”which is created by the enlightenment of mother language acquisition.Prendergast，as the only English man among the earlier nineteenth-century reformers，is known to his“Mastery System”for learning languages.He thinks that each sentence should refer to basic grammatical rules as much as possible when we are making sentences in order to enhance the number of grammar rules to be learned and reduce the number of the exemplificatory sentences.He emphasizes that it is an effective way of teaching foreign languages to memorize sentences and practice repeatedly.In that case，we can avoid inaccuracy and can make fluency.Gouin was the last of the nineteenth-century individualists，famous for his“series method”in his major work，The Art of Teaching and Studying Languages，published in Paris in 1880.Gouin’s central concept was that structure of a language text must be the reflection of the structure of the experience it described.He believed that sequentiality was the primary feature of experience and all events could be described in terms of a series of smaller component events.For example，opening the door could be analysed into moving towards the door，turning the handle，opening it，holding it open，and so on.This sequential structure provided the framework for the associated language［1］.His series method became a standard technique in direct method language teaching.These individualists make sufficient foundation to the up-coming Reform Movement.Since the implication of the movement，it is more obvious that the new teaching method，the Direct Method，has displaced Grammar-Translation Method.［2-3］

II.Reasons for Popularity and Adaptation in China

After the Grammar-Translation Method，new teaching methods emerge constantly.For example，the Direct Method，the Situational Language Teaching，the Audiolingual Method，Communicative Language Teaching are all familiar to us.What’s more，the newest popular methods are Cognitive Approach，Task-based Approach，etc.These methods or approaches all have their theoretical basis.It is perhaps interesting that although the Grammar-Translation doesn’t have any theories and always are criticized in its development，it experienced two to three centuries and is widely used nowadays in many countries and areas through constant adjustment and change.Particularly in China，it is very influential.Where the reasons lie?［4］

A.Internal Factors

We know from the above illustration that the Grammar Translation has been distorted when it is used in secondary schools in the nineteenth century.However，we must note that after its constant improvement，we teach the language on the basis of grammar rules and strengthen and investigate the effect of study by translation practice.It conforms to Chinese national situation.

Chinese unique national temperament contains intense sense of national pride，stubborn and unyielding will and endurance，with pursuit of peace and harmony.They are stable and quiet，because of their introversion.On the other hand，they are too cautious to challenge authority and to reform current situation.So it’s not difficult to see why，although there are so many differences between Chinese and English，we are willing to accept western traditional research achievement and apply them to our teaching practice in order to maintain stability and safety.And learners are willing to and able to study foreign languages assiduously.

From the ancient times up to now，upholding traditional thought is one of Chinese traditional culture’s characters，which is beneficial to carry forward the good traditions，but strangles people’s creation and hinder the development of thought.With the deeply potential influence of traditional culture and educational thought on foreign language teaching，we attach importance to the instruction of language knowledge，for instance，to the explanation of new word，sentence structure，and grammar rules;practice of sentence-making and translation.We mainly improve our study through reading and writing，ignoring the application of the language in the real life.

Like the Grammar Translation，our traditional mother language teaching pay attention to word study，sentence-making，reading and writing practice，neglecting listening and speaking.In Grammar Translation，teachers explain texts by mother language and translate every sentence in the texts，which is similar to that we study classical Chinese by the traditional way of making notes.In terms of learning approach，we emphasize rote learning of words and grammar rules，which is accordance to the old saying——“Practice makes perfect!”Under the circumstances，the Grammar Translation is familiar to Chinese teachers and students，and easy to be grasped and applied.［5］

B.External Factors

Firstly，language，as a means of communication itself，needs to be improved by a lot of practice of real communication.However，in China，the means of oral communication in real life and medium of broadcast and television is Chinese.Under such circumstances of lacking surroundings like that of second language acquisition，Chinese students get very little chance to communicate by English.In countries those who view English as the second language，people must speak English for pursuit of career and better life.Their motives to learn English is much more intense than ours.With different situation，Chinese students are not willing to communicate by English in real life.Because of little communication，knowledge studied from classes can’t be firmed and practiced and easily forgot.Ultimately，students’ability of communication can’t be improved easily，so their English are poor.

Secondly，the quantity and quality of teachers are both limited.There are nearly 50 students in one class，even more than 70 sometimes，but on contrary，only one English teacher teaches all of them.If the teacher wants to practice much communication in class，it’s surreal.Because it’s difficult for the teacher to evaluate students’study by communicating with one another.What’s more，if students themselves practice by group without the supervision of teacher，they may take strategy of avoidance to finish communication task.Therefore，some knowledge studied in class still can’t be used in communication，and the language pragmatic mistake can’t be corrected immediately which will become language pragmatic inhabit.On contrary，if teachers use the Grammar Translation，students can learn knowledge more easily in class，and the teaching is more effective.So the Grammar Translation is suitable for Chinese class scale.On the other hand，the problem of the poor quality of teachers is serious.Although the number of foreign teachers is gradually increasing，most of the teaching tasks are still completed by Chinese teachers，most of who have never been abroad for further study or never talked with foreigners，especially the teachers working in primary and secondary schools.So these Chinese teachers themselves don’t have a good ability in oral English，and the use of the Grammar Translation will avoid the difficulties of speaking English.

Thirdly，the application of the Grammar Translation is greatly influenced by the system of education.With the background of long-time system of education，the teaching and learning language must deeply controlled.Keeping fair is essential to examinations，so the content of examination must be beneficial to judge the achievement of students impartially.Therefore，the objective questions take main parts of the examination questions.Then，English examination mainly contains questions on vocabulary，grammar，and reading.So the Grammar-Translation is the best language teaching method to accord with the system of education，for it pays attention to grammar rules，word-memorizing，translation out of and into the target language，as well as the reading practice［6］.

III.Suggestions

With the influence of the internal and external factors，we must realize the necessity of regarding the Grammar Translation as the basic way of China’s foreign language teaching.We must acknowledge the Grammar Translation’s great contribution on improving abilities of reading，translation and writing.We must acknowledge the Grammar-Translation is suitable for Chinese.In my opinion，it will be a long time for the Grammar-Translation dominating Chinese foreign language teaching，so what we should do is to give some constructive suggestions to improve the Grammar-Translation.

First of all，we should change the view on and ways of grammar teaching.The grammar teaching is not the aim of language teaching，but the measure of teaching.In terms of how to teach and learn grammar rules，we should give up rote learning，but learn them from situation or context.

Next，we must realize the importance of speaking and listening，which will limit or contribute to the all-round language ability.As we realize the shortcoming of the Grammar-Translation，neglecting the indispensability of speaking and listening，we should absorb the advantages of other teaching methods，such as Communicative Language Teaching，to enhance the ability of communication by creating chances of oral exchanges，encouraging students speaking.

Last but not least，view the role of translation in language teaching and learning rationally and correctly.We can’t overemphasize the role of translation，because it may form the habit of rely on mother language when using foreign language，and it’s not beneficial to encourage students to communicate with foreign language directly.Besides，because of the great difference between Chinese and English，such as social difference，cultural difference，sometimes we can’t find the absolutely equal translation.Furthermore，what we should attach importance to is that the role of translation in learning will change with the time passing and the accumulation of the acquired knowledge.Generally speaking，at the beginning，we study with more help of mother language，but later with less and less help of it［7－8］.

IV.Conclusion

In this essay，I firstly narrate the origin of the Grammar-Translation Method and its development under the historical background.Then I analyze the reasons of the popularity of the Grammar-Translation Method in China.Finally I offer some advices on the improvement of the Grammar-Translation Method and hope them useful and beneficial for the development and progress of Chinese foreign language teaching and learning［9］.

Although once，with the rise of the Communicative Language Teaching，the Grammar-Translation Method has suffered from much criticism for its limitation，we should treat with it rationally and fairly.Now that any teaching method has its own shortcomings，we should realize there is no perfect teaching method.So I’m convinced that as long as we absorb other teaching methods’advantages into the Grammar-Translation Method and adjust and improve it with the change of the situation，it will be applied well in China and can do its due contributions to Chinese foreign language teaching.

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