An Outline of English Speech-craft

"An Outline of English Speech-craft" by William Barnes is a late 19th-century guide that studies the complexities of English, highlighting speech and grammar. Barnes seeks to maintain the language’s Anglo-Saxon origins, offering insights to improve learners' understanding and speaking skills. Beginning with an introduction, the author explains his goal and teaching method, emphasizing the book's role in supporting traditional Anglo-Saxon speech, not academic recognition. Barnes introduces a method that uses spoken language as a base and looks at how breath sounds are important, organizing them to show how they help with the construction of meaning, setting the stage for a complete look at English phonetics and grammar.