Produced by Curtis Weyant, Chuck Greif and the PG Online Distributed
Proofreading Team.
===============================================================Transcriber's note: The details on the edition of the book thatwas used to produce this eText, have been moved to the end ofthis document for the benefit of those who might be interested.===============================================================
1917
With the best intention of justifying Messrs. PITMAN'S confidence inentrusting me with the compilation of a Spanish Grammar to form part ofthe series of "Commercial Grammars," I set to work to produce a bookwhich, while avoiding pedantry and the agglomeration of superfluous andintricate rules which puzzle the student, should equally avoid fallinginto the extreme of coarseness which debases the subject under study, orthe scrappiness resulting in gaps that perplex and discourage him. Ihave tried to be brief and clear in the rules given.
The vocabulary has been chosen carefully, avoiding the artificiality oftoo much commercial technology, but keeping constantly in view theobject of the Series, viz., to produce grammars specially suitable forstudents preparing for a commercial career.
Whether I have succeeded in my efforts it is for the public to judge. Ican only say that, after more than twenty-five years' teaching ofSpanish in all its stages, privately, at the Manchester University andin the large classes of our public Institutions, I have tried my best togive the fruits of my experience to any interested young people who maybe eager to learn a language beautiful, noble, and most useful.
I do not claim to have reached perfection. I only trust the book, suchas it presents itself, will be of real help to the student.
A (a) G (ge) M (eme) Rr (erre)
B (be) H (hache) N (ene) S (ese)
C (ce) I (i) Ñ (eñe) T (te)
Ch (che) J (jota) O (o) U (u)
D (de) K (ka) P (pe) V (ve)
E (e) L (ele) Q (cu) X (equis)
F (efe) Ll (elle) R (ere) Y (y griega or ye)
Z (zeta)
K (ka) and W (doble ve) are only found in foreign wordsused in Spanish.
a as English a in f_a_there[1] " a " f_a_te[2]i " i " magaz_i_neo[1] " o " n_o_te[2]u " u " r_u_le
These five sounds never vary, except that they are a little longerwhen they are stressed and shorter when they are not, as Yo amo (Ilove),[3] Amigo (friend), El cielo (heaven), Celeste (heavenly), Unrecibo (a receipt), Interés (interest), Yo como (I eat), Contar (tocount), Un buque (a ship), Una butaca (an armchair).
Y is considered a