Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1859-08-24
OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
By JOHN 8. nrrTEii.
AMERICANtSMS.

TTmnsieat IN often used by Americans in such
phrases as i" transient persons, meaning ~ jourucrS
travellers; "transient boar..cr" meaning Loar,lcrs
staying at hO,se for few days only, ''transient
vessels, meaning vessels stopping in port with
out being engaged in its regular trade This use Of
transient is an Amcricanisn,, not adopted ~ yet In
England; but it is good and will tind favor in timr
7ran.pire. in the sense of "happen." or abe
done" is Condemned by Eng.i.h authorities Il u
frequently used in the Cnitsd States.
Heaison, in the Cnitcl States means deer meat
in England It is applied also to the meat Of hare and
game birds. In California, where the meat Of the
antelope and elk is abundant in the MARKET vcsisou
means only deer meat though, in accordance with
English usage. it might undoubtedly lie applied to
the meat Of all wild animals OF the deer kind
Wagon, or rGg"S, according to the usual Amer
lean spelling, Is often used ~ \ verb in the United
States in such phrases ss: THE souls wcrs wagon
cd across the mountains"
Wharees is the American, Is wharfs Is the Eng.
lish plural for wharf
VIII is frequently used improperly in tho rn,e.l
States for "ssll' in the first person VI tho future
tense, indicative mood Americans. when they
wish to express an expectation n'cltion. say -
will do It" "rll do it." The English. II shall ,lo
it, We shall do t." but il he wishes to promise
or to express n strong determination. or threat.
he says 81 will" I'VE WILL" &c. The American
misuse Of Twill" is Of Irish origin A rrvnchnsan
who fell into tho Thames made curious and l,,lic
ro,is ms-applicatioa OF "shall" and "will;" he
cried out ~ aeW be drowned, nobody sAau help
me-" Brightland wrote:
{" In the 6sst pers,u. simply, sia2 f,svsslss;
IN I'll threat. u. ei-e pr..a,i.c dwe'is;
Ssau IN the sc md and the third durs ihrvat;
VIZ simply then G'r,,ls The future fat
| To HH is IL common use in the United States
to signify to begin to withcr. The word Is provin.
cial in England
Woods is the common American name Cor what
| the English term "a wooti"
| Adeoeate, Notice and Progress. used ~ vcrt~l
| were once considered ~ Amcricanisu,s but have
been adopted by the custom Of England
| Clearing is tract Of land in q wooslcd district
from which the timber has bccn cut away, and thu
word usually implies that the land has Lscn psrpar
cd for cultivation.
To Girdle. to cut ring several inches wide
through the bark round the trunk of tree. two o.
three feet from the ground that the trvc will die
Sometimes the chip pierccs through the sap WOO
as we'll as the bark.
4 Deadening is q tract Of tim5crcd land, on
which the trees have ben killed. The wor,l Is OF.
dinarily applied only to placrs where trees have
been killed by girdng, CT fire. to prepare the
land for cultivation
GWberRatOriGl is said to be an Amcricanism
Executive, rs noun, in such phrases a. ThS
Executive" meaning an executive officer, has had
its origin credited BY British critics to American
usage.
Lengthy il said to be Of an American coinage. bu
It now passes current in Britain.
"IH this connection" has been put down Ly Eng
critics as american in its origin and character
they say 1t would be more proper to wrigh. "ll
connection with the subject or something Of tn
kind.-Aha Californian.