New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-17
NaWAnaneH Enalisll.

/ MIR. +. A. Freeman on Nav gave the last
OF set of six lectures on the Use Of the
English l. language" at the London Institu
ton. The part of the subject which was
| treated OF was the present state of the Ian.
guage. After pointing out the leaning TO-
ward the use of French and Latin words
| which showed itself in every column of Ger.
tain daily newspapers. Mr.. Freeman brought
| forward many examples OF foreign words
| which had supplanted good English words.
and Of words which had slipped into daily
use IN q sense very different from their real
meaning. Among these were "ritualist,"
which originally meant scholar yersed in
the rites Of sundry nations or religions, but
which had within the last ten years come to
mean exclusively one who belonged TO an
extreme party in the church. "Ovation,"
again. was one OF those wOrd0 which had
become popular in the penny papers, and
was used by every one without the slight-
est heed to its fitness. What the word
really meant could be gathered from it's
history When Roman General returned
victorious to Rome q ''triumph' was
granted TO him. He was drawn ia q chariot
to the Capitol, and a bull was sacrificed in
his honor. II his deeds did not merit q
triumph he walked and sacrificed sheep
(ovisl. That was an ''Ovation." but the
sense in which the word was now used had
no connection whatever with either sacri-
flee or sheep. During the course Of the
IlchbOrne trial man was brought I'D be.
fore the ma gistrate for making disturb
ance. The excuse he brought forward was
that he was only helping 70 receive tho
claimant with The customary ''ovation," al d
when asked to explain what that wac, he
defined it as "hooting and yelling" There
was another Latin word from which oya-
ton might also be derived, in which the
was long instead of short: but that word
meant an egg, and that sort Of ovation was
commonly kept Tor candidates at contested
elections. "Transpire." which once meant
to come out gradually, as steam might
applied 60 any piece Of news that had got
abroad. 1t was even not uncommon to
hear people say that an event had trana.
pred. when they meant 60 saw that some
thing had happened. So, to allude TO.
though word perfectly good IN itself when |
used in the sense Of drawing attention to |
some person or circumstance without d. 1
1ectly naming him or il. was now 40 turned |
from its real meaning that one might find |
people talking of 1.-THE gentleman alluded to !
by name." The Houses OF Parliament were
the only places where gentlemen could |
only be alluded to. as there it was not a.
lowed to name member. All this misuse
Of words came from . notion it was fine to |
use words not understood either BY the
'peakes or those who heard him. There
vas no such thing new az an ''inn" All
he INNS had become hotels or establish
nents. while the landlord Of the inn had
disappeared to make way for the ..lersee
Il the establishment" Where could
ne find waiter now a DAYS who could
ask or find out" anythinge They must
ii now enquire" or ascertain" Some
ears ago i. was customary for tradesman
D ''send in his bill" but now he rendered
10 account At the same time, if one read |.
ny notice Of a musica! service one would
nd that the ''psalms had been beautifully
by this it was probably meant
IA. psalms were sung. though it was hard
> understand how tbe same word could :
ean sending in bill and singing psalms
inauguration" was another Of these mil.
seq words. IL was put in the place of the ! 7
'od old English word "beginning" But
metimes !! meant more than that; il was
eu TOT uncovering. as when people talked y
wrote OF The inauguration of y statue" *
wenld be just as rational to say that " hen | q
man took his hat off he .'inauSurated bis
ad." Mr.. Freeman. in conclusion. sa;d
at our language had few friends and ~
any foes. ChIes among these were the "
tiers III certain daily newspapers and
noo!masters. lie feared its only friends | 8,
re plowboys and few scholars: bur he 4,
ped that be had enlisted among its Al
ends some AT least from the intelligent AZ
d attentive hearers who had given him 90
arty and cheering reception. The great
OF lectures was TO set people thinking ~,
themselves. and if each one would think ~
at he ought to do FOX the English Ian ~
age. a reform would soon be wrought. ST.
great use OF speaking in PLAIN English | ST
That every one mus: then know wha, !,
that he meant TO say. and that if the NJ
aker mean: nothing at all this was soon
nd out: while ii he used high flown for ba
words. people were not cure Of what ! ID
meant. or whether they really had any Fr
ming. las