The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1873-01-08
HONOLULU,

GOOD LANGUAGE--Everybody understands and
acknowledges that the object to be attained BY
the study of English grammar is to speak and
write our language correctly. Whatever tends
to this accomplishment is therefore worthy Of
consideration.
In order that teachers should succeed in get
ting their pupils to make some practical headway
it is necessary that they should while insisting on
correct reciatiOns be assiduous in their attention
to the expressions that are constantly being used
in the school room. For, 1t does happen that a
correct theoretic knowledge OF the science of our
language is possessed by many an adult scholar
who will be found making use Of provincialisms
and coloquiaiisns that it we're better TO avoid.
To convince ones self of the force of this remark,
it will be enough to listen to some Of what are
really good speeches, arguments and sermons by
our foremost orators, lawyers and preachers.
While the logic is sound, the metaphors poetic
and apt, and the climaxes impressive yet the ora
tiOn is not unlrequently marred by the use of
words that are inadmissible, by the mispronuncia-
tion Of Others, and the numerous examples of
false syutax which the speaker nnntentionay
furnishes. Even the newspapers, in which one
might suppose the editors would be circumspect
in the choice of fitting words are not without er-
rors in grammar that bear internal evidence of
their having been penned unwittingly. For in
stance, an editorial in a leading newspaper con-
tanned the expressions lit don't, "he don't" ETC.,
repeated number of times. Now, don't" is a
contraction for do moi" and of course is plural.
We might mention others, but it is needless
In this western country OF ours idioms seem 10
be as numerous as the leaves that strew the
stream in Vallambrosa" Among the peculiar ut
teranees of a campaign speaker TO whom we list
ened attentively short time ago were the follow
ing: =" We have started in to clean them out
and well do it yet" Also, " They hadn't ought
to be brash in throwing down the gauntlet" etc
Its matter Of taste to be sure, using tarted n
for began or commenced aud cleaned out for de-
feated. etc. but t is The dnty OF all teachers who
notice a tendency 20 the use OF th,s slang crop
ping out 20 repress it ir possible. Al en-
terluined b7 rs te-asi h7t
nu.l California aaa5 sa
DOM a.5 s-oa tast psl.- refresh
con- subscribe 10 this sentiment
pie who become disiucteiy enthr
Bret Harte, John Hay and Joaqaia M may
need to be reminded that not all of VIII. lese
writers have given to the world is poetry. And
furthermore, that at best this diaectic mania pos
sesses no more gracefulness nor respectability,
viewed from a literary stand point, than do the
Grecian bends and Dolly Variens among the pat
rons Of the beau monde. Nor is it . be less
ephemeral. The use Of the word susp as a
verb is quite common. Il saw him@i' Owllag
around at late hour and Immediately | suspi-
cioned something" The correct word would be
suspected. Other inaccuracies such as him aud
me were together,""I done it" and the Ike,
may be heard every day of the year about school
even when teacher does try to correct these
faults