John Locke’s Educational Theory on Gentlemen’s Language Learning

Classical languages represented by Latin and Greek have always been an essential part of gentlemanly education. However, with the rapid development of the bourgeoisie and the rise of empirical science in the 17th and 18th centuries, social needs began to change, and traditional learning courses could not adapt to society's development. John Locke conceives that the focus of language learning should be shifted from classical languages to English. An English gentleman should learn his own mother tongue. Moreover, English learning is not only about grammar but also about propriety and civility. English is not only a tool to learn knowledge but also a symbol of one's social rank. Therefore, a gentleman should show his propriety in the conversation.