New-York tribune., 1870-12-16
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
,r,,,,c wopns AND THEIR USES.
1ropns AND THEIR UsES PAST AND fhhShSna 70 d. n -
"oINDD "oIIn ar ruR FsGIIsH LANGUAGE. By fuVhAhD

bao
.,,,ono the cooqual expressions of the day may be
sscred in part to the irregular structure OF the IAN
vuare. with no Academy to guard against the en-
tonoe Of illepitimate phrases, and in part TO the
.rverse and fantastic taste Of individuals who wish
Co. he+ter bread than can be made of wheat and aim
a. more striking style than is consistent with the
r,r,y of the vernacular. Many of these expressions
are not confined to the intercourse of conversation
bnt have crcpt into the language of some reputable
writers and more especially perhaps, to those
who contribute to the periodical press ~
"a the latter class Of Ofenses that have their oIig
In pretension or afeetatiOn, TO which NJ "ii'0
mainly directs his structures in the present VOiue
The suggestions which il offers have aire"uS ~
tr.cted not little public notice as tneS pa's,u
Through the press in q popular maeaZino' anu ~
whole have exerted wholesome lnnuence' ai'nousn
shey have not been accepted without eoihihon'' anu
n, some coses more or less rcmonstrance on the part
AZ .everol intelligent critics. II is easier, however,
aisnting Mr.. White than to put him in the wrong
He NAV appear at times somewhat hasty and self
x;sI in the utteranoe Of his verbal decisions; they
NAV be referred TO arbitrary individual taste rather
than 10 the laws of the language but IN the end We
Snartne they will be found to grow out OF keen
ense of the propretes of English expression and to
rest on sound analogies, as well as the usage
of the most eminent authorities In literature.
IL ia question, lnuotO, Wnat coHelltuAtS rhh'
court Of appeal in disputed of phraseOlogy. Mr.
White Justly contends that usage cannot be the ex-
elusive and absolute law of language for then there
could I've no progressive development of speech cor
responding with the acquisition of ideas and the
advancement Of society. There could be no hope of
Improvement in popular expression however corrupt
and degraded, no well-fOunded protest against the
most grotesque and disgusting phraseOlogy. The
common Of a word, or OF combination of words,
even though of a mean and repulsive character,
would be the sanction Of its legitimacy. But the
truth is that many forms Of expression find their
way into general use especially into the language of
oolloquial intercourse, which no plea OF Gus
tom can excuse, and which must be treated
like pestilent weeds in a fertile soil. Speech,
- Mr.. White well remarks, is the product
Of reason it might have been added in its sponta
neOus exercise, not in any act of refiexion; and
hence it tends more and more to harmonic itself
with reason II usage, even when sustained by
grammatical rules, Is opposed to reason conflict
ensnes between logic and precedent in which the
former is to gain the victory. The question of
good English then is 10 be decided not only by
usage even that of high authorities but by its
nance with reason, and above all perhaps with the
genius and spirit of the language. In every case,
good deal must be left to personal impression,
tact; authoritative law usually be laid down;
and will occasion dissent from many Of the stric-
tures of the author in this work.
The private conclusions of Mr. White are accord
ingy of less value to the readers of the present
voume than the zeal and JUNCTION with which he
tnveighs against the mental habits that lead TO the
current abuses of words He makes perpetual war
upon the innate vulgarity which is manifested in
vagabOnd expressions The force of his examples
may not always be recognized but he fails to
Impress the offender against verbal decorum with
sense OF the enormity of his misdOing His severity
against the afectation Of superior knowledge in the
use Of language is especially well applied He has
no patience with the pretenders who make up in
parade what they lack in reality, and whose little
thoughts let off in phrases sound like fire.
crackers in an empty barrel" The newspaper press
which is chosen by many prentice hands' as the
field for their experiments in phraseology, comes in
for large share Of aptly administered rebuke. Nor
our high public officials free from stain in this
matter. The language of these virtuous dig
Ritaries. Mr.. White alleges, is often not
only aborninable in point of style, but fails
20 express their meaning. We suffer much from
che improper of words in the drafting Of
our laws In this respect have grievously fallen
as from the admirable precedent of the American
Constitution. When that instrument was framed,
the utmost taken TO secure the c6freciness
submitted 10 the revision of a committee on style,
without whose sanction not line was adopted.
Herce there is hardly sentence in the Constitution
the meaning of which can be doubted whatever dis
putes may arise TO its practical application. But
ur0st Of the laws enacted at the present day so
obscure in their language, 70 bear any construc-
tion that may he put upon them by Court Indeed
some Of the laws passed in the last two sessions of
Congress have little moro conference consistency
than some of Mother Gooses rhymes"
The use of stilted language, against which Mr.
White directs his most pointed anathemas he admits
is not peculiar 10 this country although il is the
natural fruit Of the superficial culture of restless
sef-confdent, and ambitious people, and is COM
mon in our newspapers in legislative debates, and
in the pulpits of certain religious denOmina-
tions. In his opinion, there are more people here
than elsewhere to whom such a style is nuisance
But they disposed to remain quietly in the back
ground, while the conceited and comparatively
Eterate members of society brought TO the front
The faults Of English writers in the use of their
mother tongue are pointed out by Mr.. White in
seues OF acute criticisms the force Of which il is not
rssy to Set aside. lie does not undertake TO de-
termine whether English is better spoken, on the
whole throughout the United States than through.
cut Great Britain but he is confident that Of the
language common 10 the people of both countries.
NO purer form is known TO che Old England than TO
.the New. The standard among educated and we'll
bred persons Is the same in botl, although IN
sIixed company Of English aud Americans, if their
words taken down in writing the former would
most probably show more slang phrases. and a
greater amount of familiar deviaiions from correct
English speech But though the written L,,,ooa
t1nhits hS Ftr21ps 'pecui'ariti6s in either class
ts-;ere il q great difference in iutonaton. The sheen
are known from the goats by their bleat The pitch
Of the Engishmans voice is higher than that of the