New-York daily tribune., 1859-06-30
Aewalork DAILY Gribn,re
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


ue Brow Go.
The earliest attemp. 20 mark the pecuiari'ies Of
American speech made, we believe, by Mr.. John
Pickering, in a valusbe paper, communicated to the
American Academy al Boston, AMI published IN its
tranta ,tions in 1902 This paper was afterward eX
panded aui published in 1876 in separate volume,
with the title O: Ilary of Words and ldioms
supposed 10 be peculiar the United States Though
the work OF Mr.. Pickering obtained at that early Pc
riod only limited circulation and Is now very rare
il was of immense in ealing attention to the sub
ieot and insprrg among the educated classes OF the
country salutary caution 20 the use of tae words
which it enumerated. Il also gave rise to the practice
Of more carefully observing the local pecuarities of
the languag aud stimulated The publication OF sew
ers other works relating TO the dialects Of particular
portions OF the country. classes Of the people
The most considerable, however, Of all the work, Of
this kind which have appeared is Mr. Bartetts " Die
toDery of Amercansms,' a copy OF the second edit
ticn OF which have jus. received. In comprehen-
.iveness of words and dioms and in ullness and va
rety ofurations i far surpasses all lie predecessors
The first edition was published in lSiS, and WAS re-
ceived With marked favor both sdes of the Allan
tic II met with rapid sae, and copies Off for several
years past have been in such demand thar, IN some
instances, they have b.en sold a, public auction for
four or five times the original price. II has also been
,ranslatsd d into Dutch and printed in Holland.
The present edition of Mr.. Bartletts work con.
ta.ps The additions and improvements which eleven
years Of careful attention to the peculiartes of our
American speech in all parts of the United States
in Canada, have suggested 10 the author ln the
course Of those years he has had unusual opporuni
ties while in the public service of the Government. to
increase his familiarity with the provincial idioms
E, h.. ,l.W ard nf thp uew rpDiOns
acquired from Mexico. He has been able to avail
himself Of the services of others who engaged in
similar studies both individual sch olars and learned
societies in illustrating the usage Of particular local-
ties. To these qualifications we may aso add that
Mr. Bartlett has for several years filed the Office of
Secretary Of State in Rhode Island and. in that ca
psci,y has compiled aud published the Colonial Rec
ords of the State from its rs. planting, labor cmi-
pepy ftted TO bring to his notice large class Of
ciept New-Epglahd words.
Thus prepared az the fruit Of high qualifications,
pro,racttd industry and variel research Mr. Bart
letts volume contains an exceedingly full collection OF
the word. and phrases that have either been manu-
featured in different parts Of the Untcd States and
British America or have received new and unsu-
thorzed sgni fcations in the usage I the people
| portion Of these words i. should BE kept in mind,
have arisen from the circumstances and institu-
,ion. of the oonn.ry a.J though American origin.
they must be regarded as reputable English words.
Others, by being aaopted in American literature, wild
aso fad their way into that Of England, and will, o.
be naturszej in the language. But the greater
| par. of these "Americsnisms' are 20 be separated
from the true Epgleh language, spoken in commen
b. the people ofssgea Britain and the United States
IN reality they do not form parts of this language out
bold about the ssme relation to it as do the CockLey
l Ill, lIo n q
country peoplei m Yorkshire and Cornwall
| Mr.. Bartlett makes the following classification
of the words vhich heenbraces under the head Of
Americansms 4. Old English words obsolete nearly
so in England, bu, used in this country. 9 English
words used in epecnlar in this country. g. Words
! which have retained their genealogical meaning in
the United States, though no. in England, 1. En-
slish provneislisms generally adopted in America.
s. New words originating in the circumstances, pro-
duetions, or institutions Of the country. g. Werie
borrowed from other European languages With which
the English ia brought into contact 10 this county
| :. IIdian words. 8. Negro words. 9. Peculian,iss
Of pronunciation. These several classes ofthemselves
indicate the great variety of corrupting nfuencesto
which the English language in this country has been
continually exposed snd ;he fac. that these nfueanes
have wroughtso little mischief is 10 be ascribed not
only 10 the care Of our scholars bat still to sie
. general education Of the people The English Ian
guage il undoubtedly spoken in this oorniry, or the
TIE whole, far correctly than in Great Britain
The Edinburgh Revrer not long since estmated the
number Of separate provincialsms used in England
slone at upward Of 1000. Many of tbese are also
used in this ecantry though they do pet properly
eosne under the designation Of Amenes,LsIns. After
x,setipg about 500 Of those which common tothe
txo countries, end which embraced an thefirst
edition the preses contains only about 800 thai are
deemed TO be peCx sr 10 the United States.
9se of the curious textures Of Mr.. Bartlss 9
yolzne and that 1hieh will especially interest the
archaeological resde. is the very large variety tspe-
e .sns of local te,s.ure with which il sbe"Ids iHe
has searched the wbe.e mass 81 rnbcations-now es-
essdilyly numerous l. this counry-whieh L!astrase
the odi dialects that prevail amozg different eiisses q
Il the American people. His pages abound in PssSages
of thisA ad selected sscm newspapers in nearly every
STATE fasn the letters g: Samuel Sick and MsS sacE
! Dowuing; from the Bglow and tie Bedott Pe2ers
from fneh favorite woris as the Writings OF Co9nel
\ Crockett, tie Library Of Humorous American
Works, Tales of Wes.srn Border Life, faAfee
scpgs, snd tho Negro melodies. Illustrations TAKEN
from boois Ike these are scattered in great numoe
over the veiue and as DR.. johnson ss-s OF the quo
aions in bis dictionary, thes serve 10 inersPerss
with verdure and flowers the dusty desea OF oarren
philoogy' May Of these iA1strations are gems OF
border wit or of negro droery. that inve. the book
wiih singular interest, and MAKE 1t redoenH OF tne
provincial or plantation life with which theIs "ofas
are Eor the most part sSsociated.
This Dictionary a Amercsnisf's unioaetely
deserves TO rank among the most igporsnt 'i th'
contributions which the scholarship af the age Las
made to this department, * literature L. is no mere
A. d;sn rvoris but