Houma Ceres. [volume] (Houma, Parish of Terrebonne, La.) 1855-18??, 1857-02-07

I
A correspondent Of the London Athe.
naeum writes as follows to the editor ol
that periodical:
drew your attention to the use Of IN
doubted English words in an unwarranted
sense. Of this perversion I proceed to
give a few examples. l. 1t is hardly
necessary to allude to the strange laxity Of
meaning, almost equal to that Of the French
jolie, with which, though more in talking
than in writing. the word nice is used.
To restrain this laxity. and If possible, to
prevent it from spreading to serious wri-
ting, it is necessary to remember that the
sole meaning of nice is fastidious, or of
delicate taste, as a nice man, or something
requiring such delicacy to be perceived,
rs nice distinction. 2. 1t is an error
not uncommon to use hung, to signify put
10 death as our criminals are. Now, the
verb to hang, when used in this sense, has
its Participle hanged, never hung. "The
man was hung means no more than that
be was suspended, not necessarily by the
neck, or to death. " He was hanged" is
the right phrase for his suffering the last
punishment. The sentence is, "to be
hanged" not to be hung. 8. Infamous is
sometimes perversely used TO signify uery
bad in place Of ucry bad fame, which is
it, only true meaning. Conduct or treat.
ment is often described Is infamous, while,
though il may have deserved to be infa
nous, yet it was not, being little known,
or even secret. However bad, it must re.
quire bad repute to become infamous. 4.
The abuse Of the word party is a great
scandal Of our common speech and wri-
ting. 1t most disallowably supplants the
simpler wore person. 1t is idiomaiic. in
deed, TO speak Of the party to suit or to
IN agreement; but should never be for
gotten that, otherwise party means com.
bination Of persons, and that where there
is no such combination meant, its use is
vulgar. 5. The word such is sometimes
used with vicious latitude Of meaning,
Is If it were . substantive or pronoun.
It is an adjective. and besides, does not
indicate any abstract quality, and there
fore. cannot be used without substantive,
either expressed or clearly understood.
It means Of this or that kind. lile some.
thing else /; in short, it is the equivalent Of
the Latin tails, and can have no greater
latitude Of use. Indeed it must have less,
from its want Of gender. l enclose a
strange example Of the abuse Of this word
Ian advertisement appended by Mr.. C.
knight to the last number Of Little Dor
ritt." He makes "ssch work F" do duty
ior "the former work mot at all mean.
ing work like that to which he refers, but
the very same i which therefore, he ab-
surdly terms such. 6. must reckon it
simply an abuse Of language to apply the
title Lord, enjoyed by the younger sons Of
Dukes and Marquiees. to their surnames.
1t applies As strictly as the title Of Str of
a Baronet, to the Christian name. If for
brevity, one name be suppressed, it must
be the surname, not the Christian. 1t may
be thought needless to notice 30 gross an
error, but to justifysmy SO doiug must
remark that Mr. Dickens, when desert.
bing one Of his characters, Lord Alfred
verisopht, perpetually calls him Lord
Verisopht, instead of Lord Alfred.
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