The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1854-02-23
Westerly, February 23, 1854.
The English Language.

~ - uecPiy iute'essiug stuoy W uo'o
the changes and mutations in the Eng
lish language. Like everything else, the
construction Of language is subject to
the immutable laws of change-progress.
AS the arts and sciences receive new
acquisition it becomes necessary to have
new words to express new ideas. This
necessity must be supplied either by the
formation of new words or the adoption
of words from some other languages.
Written language being but the visible
representation Of spoken language, can
of course be modified and improved upon
though it must pass through long and
slow process from one generation to an
other before any very material change
can be effected in the general construc
ton Of this arbitrary representation OF
ideas. But that it is subject to the
laws of change is self evident fact.
Every one, of a mature age, can we'll
remember changes in the spelling and
pronunciation of many words in common
and constant use. New inventions, also
call for many new words by which can
be expressed the ideas that arise from
such inventions; and such new words
invented or adopted for special occa-
sion after q while came to be used in
figures Of speech and finally they be-
came incorporated into the written and
spoken language as an integral part of
the great whole.
But when we look back few CEN
turies we are astonished at the marked
change not only in the formation of SEN
tences and in the spelling of words, but
in the different, aud oftcntimes exactly
opposite meanings Of the same words.
There arc very few who can read un-
derstandingly the written language Of
our forefathers of some five or six hun
dred years ago, even. Here is the
Lords Prayer, as written and in use
six hundred years ago:
"Fader ure in heune, haleweide
beothe tbi neune, cumen thi knuncriche
the willo beotlre idon in hcune and in
erthe. Ure euerych darve breid gi fous
thilk darvc. And vorzif urc dettoures.
And lcde Gus nought into temptatioun
bot delyver Gus from uvel. Amen"
Very few would entertain thought
of that's being English or could read it
intelligently and understandingly did
they not know the import Of it. One
great cause of the difference in the Ian
guage of olden times and of the present
may, perhaps, be found in the greater
facilities for the circulation and inter
change Of thoughts and ideas in the pre-
sent day as compared with the opportu-
mites Of former period. Then, near
neighbors were almost as different and
distant notions. Now such a thing as
"provincialism," except in very un.
important degree, is almost unknown
especially in this country, from the fact
that the continued intercourse causes al
, new coinage or adoption of words te
Immediately coalesce with the forms o
speech previously in use in such man,
nor as to almost wholly destroy any
tendency which there may be to the
formation of such manner Of speech.
While this is peculiarly and especially
r true of this country, perhaps it is mucl
= less so Of our mother country, as may
9 be seen by the following extract from
book published in England so late a
s25, and is perhaps fair specimen o
: the unconth language then, more tha,
I, now, in use in the northern and western
part Of that country
, "To TIL CONNER READER )o' MY BOOK
. "An this lie (littlc) book'll gi' tn
= onny plezer eitor hard days wark,
! sail be fcaful fain ont. But sud onn
outcumlins (strangcrs) liver avn visit
. this outside stanny plat, it may happe
gee'em some insect into awyer plai
mack talk I; at they may larn, at awe
diseowerze hez a meanin int as weel q
If theirs; at they mayn't snert aud title
N at huz, gin (as if) we wor hauf rocktor
o fools) but may undercumstand, an b
innan.od La tLi. laal Ill. o.. L. ,n "a .,