By the publication of this work I hope to fulfill the wish of many Englishmen, who desire to find a practical Grammar , by which the means of acquiring the dutch language are fimplified and facilitated.

The several parts of Speech are arranged in the usual order,

order, and explained with precision every rule being followed by practical exercises. This mode of teaching being

ing already appreciated, it will not be deemed necessary to point out the utility of it. As to Syntax , ii is fully treated of in the same Throughout the whole composition, my chief aim has been to unite ease and fimplicity with accuracy and precision , whilst care has been taken to

' render the exercises progressively difficult ,

to animate the efforts of the learner.

OF

Τ Η Ε

DUTCH LANGU A G E.

Dutch GRAMMAR is the art of speaking and writing the durch language with propriety.

It is divided into three parts, viz: Ortography, Ety. mology, and Syntax.

Ortography treats of the form and found of letters, the combination of letters into syllables, and syllables into words.

Etymology treats of the different sorts of words, their various modifications, and their derivation.

Syntax treats of the union and right order of words, in the formation of a sentence.

PART. I.

Ortography teaches the nature and power of letters, and the just method of spelling words.

A letter is the first principle, or least part of a word.

The letters of the dutch language, called the dutch alphabet , are twenty fix in number.

A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H I. J. K. L. M. N. 0. P. Q. R. S. T. U. V. W. X. Y. Z.

6, 9, x and y are only used in spelling words, which derive from a foreign language.

Letters are divided into vowels and consonants.

A vowel is a simple found , formed by a continued ef. fusion of the breath, and a certain conformation of the mouth, without any alteration in the position, or any motion of the organs of speech , from the moment the vocal found commences, till it ends. .

A

x.

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A consonant is an articulate found which cannot be perfectly uttered without the help of a vowel.

The vowels, in the dutch language, are five in number a, e, i, o, l.

The other letters are consonants. The confonants are divisible into mutes, semi-vowels and liquids.

The mures are such as emit no found without a vowel, as: b, P, t, d, k, g.

1 he semi-vowels are such as emit a found, without the concurrence of a vowel, as:f, s,

The liquids are such as flow into, or unite easily with, the mutes, as: l, m,

There is another distinction of consonants, arising either from the seat of their formation, or from those organs which are chiefly employed in forming them. The best distinction of this kind seems to be that which divides them into : Lipletters , labials , as : 6, p.v, f. Tandletters, dentals', as: d, +, s. - Keclletters, gut

t

. turals, as: k, s, q. –

Diphtongues, A diphtongue, is the union of two vowels, pronounced by a single impulse of the voice.

The diphtongues, in the dutch langague, are short, kort, or long, lang.

The short diphtongues are : au, ei, eu, ie, of, ои, иі. The long diphtongues are: aai , aau , eeu and ooi.

, A triphtongue is the union of three vowels , pronounce 'ed in like manner, as: ieu , oei.

A syllable is a found, either, simple or compounded , pronounced by a single impulse of the voice, and conftituting a word, or a part of a word.

A word of one fyllable is named a monosyllable; a word of two syllables, a dissyllable; a word of three syllables a tri yllable, and a word of four and more fyllables, a polysyllable.

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