Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1850-08-15
Language standard Of Prapriety,

Those who ADVOCATE the doctrine, that
''cqslom gives law 10 language qnde rs.and
ky il, 81 the practice of our bes, writers aud
| speakers" That these should be regarded
aud acknowledged as "lhe standard Of pro-
priely," is argued from the belief Of their
superior knowledge Of the use and meaning
Of language.
A litlle reflection will show the merits Of
this argument. That such men haye a
greater command of Language, is readily
admitted but, that they necessarily have
mote accurate knowledge Of it, is. with a
few exceptions, extremely doubtful. This
will appear from The following considera-
tons:
LIST. That very few of those whom we
regard as our best writer's and speakers,
have ever made language a stu 'y. Most
of them are professional men aud their
TING and energies are chiefly Gevn,ed 10 the
business of their profession and, having a
ready use Of language, they are generally
con.ent 10 use it as they find it. Even those
of them who have given attention 10 the
subject, have pursued a course that would
hardly be allowed in the investigation Of
other subjects. They have begun where
they ought to have ended; they have start.
ed with theory. and ended with its esiab>
lishmen., RICH. Or wrong because their
Investigations we're le!.fEed BY their defrr>
ence to the authority Of custom.
"a. That these same Distinguished men
are either The immediate, or NOT very re-
mote, descendants Ut illiieTa,e ANCESTORS,
from whom they learned the use OF language
in their use OF which they retain many Of
the Inaccuracies OF early life. This is evi>
dcnl, not only from the difficulty Of chang
ing established habits, hut also from the
fact thai The hes. seminaries OF learning are
generally less thorough in the department.
of language. than in almost any other.-
Besides, even the heads of these institutions
not untreQuently use forms Of expression
which are condemned ly the grammarian'
else, why SO many examples of false syn>
tax" selected from our best writers? What
shall we think of the following" had
like to bayc cost him his liie." coming from
one who 10 generally acknowledged to be
second 10 none Tor his ready and accurate
use Of language
Sd This standard is not acknowledged by
those who advocate IL. Every treatise on
English Grammar abounds in examples Of
the supposed erroneous use Of language la
ken from this acknow lodged standard Ev>
cry treatise on Rhetoric contains chapter
nj least, devoted TO the criticism OF the IAN
gnsgs of these " standard authors" way
Is this. il these advocates acknowledge their
own s.aDdaSdi
Now lf custom u 10 give Law to Ian
enage." these examples Of false synsax'
are no, errors. since they are supported oy
the hlshes. acknowledged authority II
,hey are errors. then wha, becones Of the
sAndasaf So of the eEllicisms-h they
are lust, what bec0mes Of the s'andards
shall ws then make the grammar'an shs
s,aaaara.s Ba. grammarises 90 mol as
ways agree amoas shsmselvs'. These di!>
Ssrsnoss Of orlnlon ere one principal cause
OF the multiplicity and almost endless vaFi'
e,y IL Engllsh GsammeEs. Have We then
1 no standard . /. TIE aasweE.t ~ this saes!iQn
w,ll BE- he sahises Or my nsxI comm nnless
,les. =