Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1864-01-05

A writer in the New York EVsRiag Post has
given numerous instances Of tricks that ingenuity
can play with the English tongue. He says that
our language, perhaps more than any other, is
capable of queer and ingenious uses, misuses,
transformations and combinations. The student
of the curiosties of literature is astonshed at its
wonderful susceptibility to odd pranks in the
way of orthography, syntax, prosody, pronuu-
citation, rhyme and translation Some curious
tifocts are sometimes produced by an ingenious
arrangement of pronunciation. A device has
often been used in political and other pArtizan
songs called " echo verses" in which the sounds
of the last words Of line are repeated after the
manner of an echo, the whole being SO contriyed
as to express some significant meaning This,
though short specimen, is good illustration :;
"what are they who pay three guineas
To hear a tune of Paganinisi
The writer then continues, giving various ex-
amples to illustrate his remarks;
FOREIGNERS AND THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
The English language must appear feArfuly
anil wonderfully made to foreigner. One Of
them, looking at picture Of number Of ves-
sells said, /" See what flock Of ships" He was
told that a flock Of ships was called a fleet, but
that feet of sheep was called flock. And ii
was added, for his guidance in mastering the
intricacies of our language, thai "aock of girls
Is called n DeNyt tnhl u btNJ VI MuiNth ~ Chutu
pack aud pack Of thieves is called gang,
and a gang of angels is called host, and host
of porpoises is called a shoals and q shoal Of
buffaloes is called herd, and II herd Of children
is oalled troop, and II troop Of partrldges is
called covey, and cOvey Of beauties is called
a galaxy, and galaxy OF ruffians is called
horde, and horde oil rubbish is called heap,
and a hemp OF oxen is called drove, and u drove
of blackguards is called mob, and mob of
H.. a .kna1 and Lac Nuar
shippers is called a congregation, and congre
CATION Of engineers is called corps, and corps
Of robbers is called q band, and band Of loousts
is called a swarm, and swarm OF people is
called crowd, aud crowd Of gentle folks is
called the elite and the elite of the city's thieves
and rascals are called the rOughs, and the
miscellaneous crowd Of city folks is called the
public, according as they are spoken of by the
religious community or secular people.
NOW, again. the Hudson river is fast when
the ice is mlnovabe, aud then the ice disap-
peared very fast for it was loose. clock is
called fast when it is quicker than time but
man is told 10 stand last when he is desired to
remain stationary. People fast when they have
nothing to eat and eat fast, consequently, when
opportunity offers"
A story is told Of a German who attempted to
coul in English with the aid of dictionary
Having obtained an interview with an English
lauy Mnut hhNihB ANNNHtiJ iVot MT h"ou"'Ni
must be open to new offers, be opened the busi-
ness thus;
High.bO madam, since your husband have
kicked de bucket"
"sir!" interrupted the lady, asiouished and
disploased.
"Oh, pardon-ninc, ten thousand pardon
Now make new beginning-quite order begin
ming. Madam, since your husband have cut his
'''fsT i. may be supposed this did not mend
matters and reading as much in the lady's
countenanCe. he said, perspiring with shame at
having a second time missed fire;
(" Madam, since your husband bas gone to
kingdom come"
This he said beseechingly, but the lady was
past propii .tion by this time, and rapidly moved
towaId the door Taking last hurried LOOK al
his dictionary, the German few after the lazy,
crying out in q voice OF despair:
y" Madam, since your husband your most res
pected husband, have hoped de twig-"
This was his sheet anchor, and AS this also
ucame home of course the poor man was totally
wrecked. Ii turned out that the dictionary he
/ had used had put down the verb sierben Ito die)
with the following Worshipful series of equiva-
lents; l. To kick the bucket. 2. To cut ones
stick. g. To go to kingdom come. A. To hop
the twig; to hop off the perch into Davy's
locker.
French translator Of CoOper's "Spy," in
which il will be remembered the residence of the
Wharton family is called " The Loeusts," found
this term rendered in his dictionary " Les Ian.
terelles"-" The GrasshOppers" But in one