The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-22


pail is often called by city people kettle, |
while others speak of it as bucket, and dis |
tinguish as ''well-bucket' vessel of which |
Woodworth sang,
The old oakon bucket, the ron-bound bucket
The moss-covered bucket which hung in the we'll
Such phrases as "He thinks he is consi- |
derable some, ;" "You can't sometimes always
tell, 81 don't guess 1 shall go, and Things
amt as they used to was, are common as
funny distortions of sentences. But the fol-
lowing among many others are in serious use
in different sections of the United States
school has fetched to, for "School has
begun" 81 didn't go to go, for 81 didn't in
tend to co." ''He talks like he was luny, for
"He talks like lunaticn ''Brown amt not
overly rich;" for "Brown is not very rich"
''He has got a pretty good sum past, for
"laid up" "They lifted a collection, for
'"rhey took up collections" ''Since | can
mind" for "Since 1 can remember" and
Everything is out of kelter," for "out of
order For the last phrase, however we have
the authority of the great DIR. Barrow, who
says, eff the organs of prayer be out of
keItor or out of tune, how can we pray?" We
also read in his works the following: "All
that is apparent in this world doth fit and
soon gives us the g0-bN."
Celia Logan, in pleasant article published
several years ago in The GdJdIy, mentioned
some differences in the Specification of words
as used in England and in the United States.
Thus, If an American asks for pantaloons,
drawers are brought to him; if he asks for
breeches, he is shown knee-breeches such as
are worn by footmen; and it is only when he
calls for trousers that he gets the article de-
sired. Suspenders are called 'braces," vests
''waistcoats, and undershirts ''vests. Socks
are called half-hose, and shirt-maker is
shirt tailor. A shoe coming above the ankle
is q boot; one reaching to the calf is ''hes-
sian" and CATERS are not lady's boot, but
those old-fashioned leggings which were
drawn over the leg when gentlemen wore
knee -breeches and silk stockings. A person
speaking Of a bureau is supposed to mean.
an Office for the transaction of business,
and the word is not synonyme for ''chest of
drawers, which is the common name there,
and also among New England housewives. A
tumbler is not glass, but street gymnast.
A pitcher is called ''jug," and a stove
'grate." Corned beef is salt beef ice cream
is cream ice; and the vender of fruits and
vegetables is fruiterer and a green grocer.
The owner of house never rents it; the per.
son who hires it rents it, and the owner let's
it, There is also similar plain and evident
distinction between sick and i'll; and our
English cousins have such horror of the
word bug, that even in using the American
ism humbug they drop the bug, and say,
''You can't hum me-
1t may be added that in England person
who is said to be starved is not necessarily
very hungry, but may be merely chilled and
frozen.
Peculiar idioms arise from differences of
class and condition. 1t has been mentioned
that in the east of London ''rooms" are al
ways advertised; towards Holborn, ''lodg-
ings;" but west of Regent street, nothing
less than apartments" would seem to let.
Persons in different trades and professions
| use common words with peculiar meanings.
| A man experienced in wines may speak of a
| sweet wine but never of sour wine,
| unless it is spoiled. the opposite quality
| to sweet being dry. Railway men and per-
sons who have had experiences Of col
liding railway trains, describe the course of a
car when lifted up at one end and thrown to
the top of the next in collision, as tele-
scoping. The word may be found nowadays
in any elaborate description in the newspa-
| pers of a collision, and seems to have its
origin merely in the fact that the general
direction which the car takes resembles the
slanting position of telescope when turned
to some heavenly body midway between the
| zenith and the horizon. On the city
horse railways, 'loafer" is driver who is
behind time or ''loafs," and conductor
who ''knocks down" is one who appropriates
portion of the money taken as fares to his
own use. Any one who has frequently Pc
|
museums must have noticed that a curiosity
is not considered of the first Importance un.
less it is Giving" one. In a programme
recently printed the word was repeated ten
times, beginning with a collection of living
fsh-which is undoubtedly much to be pre-
ferred as q spectacle to a collection of dead
fish-and closing with living gorilla, and {
statement that "correct Photographic like
nesses of the giants, dwarfs, Circassians, ant
other living curiosities, may be purchased
from the curiosities themselves. After thi
it is not surprising perhaps that an enthusi
astic exhibitor of unique set of dishes at ;
country fair was heard intoning all day lonl
as follows:-''This way, ladies and gentle
men, this way! Come and witness the great
est living curiosity in the shape of earthen
ware ever imported into the American CONT
nent.'
Various words, from constant use, get al
idiomatjc meaning. With some everything
is lawful, whether it be awful nice, awfu
bad, awful mean, or awful grand. The Eng
lish use the word ''nasty" as frequently an
in as many different senses entirely apar
from its true one. Persons sometimes get
habit of repeating such phrases as ''yo
know ''you see," 'says l., 81 say, ETC.
much oftener than they suppose. The TO
lowing Quaker toast illustrates the idiom c
that sect:-'This is me and mine to thee an
, thine. 1 wish when thou and thine come
see me and mine that me and mine will tres
| thee and thine as kindly as thee and thin
have treated me and mine" Another versio
} of this toast illustrates habit which som
have of using the word ''folks' very FRI
8 quently:-'I wish you and your folks love
me and my folks as well as me and my foil
f love you and your folks. For sure, thel