The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-08-12
( Linguistic Sinners.
THE COMMON CRIMES OF CoNvERsATl

TIE COMMON C1SlhibS VI MANIFESTATION
There are the careless people, those
who know the right, and yet the wrong
pursue They plunge recklessly on with
out thought for the words they use; their
sentences abound with the EXPLANATIONS
and expletiyes more expressive than select.
Their slang phrases are an offence to cul-
tivated ears; and they exhaust the SUPER
latives OF the languages on the most ordi-
nary occasions. 1t is they who preface
every sentence, even on trivial topics, with
Nv stars, BY George! BY Jupiter! Ora
cious! Good Lord! Thunder! You betl
No YOU don't! is their vocabulary. Oh!
Indeed. yes! Well. and All! are rs thickly
strewn rs caves in Vallambrosia. With
them funeral is jolly. prayer-meeting,
funny, an ordinary performance IS frst.
rate, the lowest round on the ladder OF
beauty is real preaty, and their indis-
criminate admiration Is expressed by the
much abused epithets, splendid. beautiful,
magnificent, superb, 5ewitching. flscina-
ting, delicious, charming. exquisite, etc.
ANY violation Of law belonging to their
code Is shamefnlly; refusal to conform
10 their wishes is horrid mean; n common
cold is terrible. and headache is beyond
endurance. They are always roasted, or
frozen, or melted; their friends are beauti-
fled with every virtue, and their enemies
are the ofiscourings OF the race. They so
completely exhaust the language on COM
mon occasions that no words are lett TO give
expressions to their deeper feelings.
A second class includes those who violate
the laws of etymology. They have been
thoroughly trained in the grammar OF the
language, and yet refuse to be regulated
by its precepts. This class is large one,
and includes among its audacious sim
ners- rrr . ..r .......... a.-
1. Those who use the objective case for the
nominatiye; as, 1T is me- for, 1T Is IL 1T Is
her. for 1T Is she's 1T is u.s. for 1T Is we.
2. Those who use the nominatiye case for the
objective; as. between you and l. for between
you and met like you and l, for like you and
me;' Il know who you mean,' for Il know whom
you mean y,
8. Those whose subjects and verbs do no,
agree in number and person; As, 'ssysl for
say L. you was, for 'yon were;' my feet's
cold.' for my feet are cold;' there's thirty.
for there are thirty f.er, ,
4. Those who use the indicative mood for the
subjunctive. as, If was you,' for If were
you s.r 49,. =,
5. Those who use the present tense for the
past; .ss, I see you yesterday, for i saw you
yesterday
6. Those who use the intransitive verb for the
transitive; as, If be Is mind to- for III be
has mind to-
7. Those who use incorrectly the much abused
verb sit and lie: as, Il am going to lay down,
for Il am going 10 lie down. Il laid down thi.
morning. for II lay down this morning. y
shall set there for Il shall sit there. ,
8. Those who use the adyerb for the adjective
as. She looks beautifully, for she looks beau
tiful; or its opposite, she walks graceful FOL
she walks gracefully ....ya..,.....,,,
o. Those who use plural adjective with .
singular noun; as. Those kind for That Kind
six pair for six pairs .-...r-....-- =
10. Those who use the compound relative ion
the copjunction, as. Il do not know but what
will for Il do not know but that will
IL. Those who use the objective case AFTER the
copjun elton 'thsn,' as, He knows more thsu
me- for lie knows more than l. 7J-1.ET
- Those who use double negatives; Is, nc
you don't, neither for No you don't, ether
Is. Those who use the wrong proposition; as
Different to- for Different frOm;' In reyarJ
Of for with regard to-
Is, rhose who usd tLe superlstise degree foi
the comparative; as, The oldest OF the two, foI
The older Of the two.' % ' s.'' t..'''