Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-06-10
Abuse Of Dictionaries.


in hand. And yet teachers tell us that
dictionaries are most grievously abused
in this respect. Many people go TO
dictionary with an indistinct idea Of
what they want and an inadequate
knowledge of the methods used in trans
hitting information They are confused
often, rather than instructed, not because
rules are not clear and information def
mite, but because they do not familiarize
themselves with rules and methods; do
not become acquainted, so to speak, and
lose the advantage of their investigation.
A curious result OF this confused sense OF
not being able TO comprehend is that the
seeker after knowledge becomes resentful
and stubborn, interprets for himself, and
assumes that he has the best authority for
his Interpretation in any given case. He
uses the dictionary to give responsibility
to decision that Is at variance with the
truth. He builds on vague impression,
on fact misconstrued, and does more in
Jury than he would do If wholly uDin-
formed.
A man once committed to an assertion
of this kind becomes an influential agent
in disseminating wrong impressions, be-
cause he speaks in the name OF unques-
toned authority and people accept his as
sertion as truth This state Of affairs VIII
continue so long as people fail TO consnt
a dictionary in the spirit of inquiry-ial
to enter upon the inquiry with due pre-
liminary preparation.
The man who familiariZes himself with
rules of pronunciation, accent, etc., tells It
a Glance whether his use of pronunciation
of word is right or wrong. lie is clear
as to what is meant in any given case,
whereas other persons, MOI deeming amy
preliminary matter worthy OF consldra-
tion. are not clear as to what is meant,and
their want of clearness distorts any pro
nunc;;s ion or definition that is TRANSPORTED
through their clouded understanding
A man who returns from new q dis
tant country is very apt to enlarge upon
facts in regard to that country, and upon
incidents of his tour. He caught but
vague impressions of people and country
and he is scarcely conscious OF upeemly
cxaggeration in his reports. IH takes
pride in having been there, and although
he may have had unpleasant experiences
he forgets these in his desire TO enlarge
upon the importance of the occqson He
talks with an authoritative aighowever,
and brooks no contradiction, beause, has
he not Just come from the county OF which
he speaks? Now, in the salp spirit are
incursions often made into dictionaries
and books of reference. one case
wrong ideas of country aretissemlnated
and in the other wrong ideao1 disputed
points. In both cases the Dnesty OF the
party concerned is not to beIo much cues
toned as his capacity forreceiving in
formation.
Teachers and parents 3not be TOO care
full in directing children hd young per-
sons in the securing OF tlch knowledge.
They are prone TO invesfgate III tle de-
FAINT and arrogant spit, whereas the
genuine student is humbs ana receptive
And vet mere wiIlin mss to receive is
NOT in itself a good qualiy-is rather an
feature if 3 20 no further
than that. There mustoea willingness
on the part of anyone to plspare himself
for a right understands % what is of
fered and a readiness 70 Dmpare views
with some one of moreahdough knowl-
edge.
Bows often lump to bncnsions with
leap-frop recklessness and bold fast to
their conclusions with sonerful tenacity.
Fix the pronunciation orsmeaning of a
word in bows understanding in that
way, and not even NOD Webster himself
could unsettle his c9vhions ON THAI
point. Let some careesteacher give
boy notion in regard ue pronuncIa-
ton Of word and he tilgiye eager bat
tie with every learned loo9r In the coun-
ty as to the correctnessofni s view. ms
would be laughable di [ go no further
than boyhood, but aw4hg taken into
the understanding as b right often
remains fxtur there despite
all efforts to remov. low many men
and women use word olg In the sense IN
which they caught thmlp In some SUCH
way as above desci4. How many
adults quote the factsoftheir childs his
tory against Macald and Prescott.
How many BOYS andydng men get their
entire stock of knowbdF of one period of
French history from Buffers ''Richelieu,"
and how MANY thei OH idea of the life
and times of Mary Sud from the drama
of that name. They aeontent TO know
no more. and vet they unwilling to adj
NIT thew do not know about the whole
affair. They get ideiof words In the
same shirt. The wriI of this article re-
members well cd in point. The
itinerant possessor of hagic lantern land
magic lanterns werekonders in those
days) was to exhibit dhe village school
house. This exhibit{was, of course, the
hero of the hour II mental capacity
and his culture wee tied far above that
of the village naJtes. After school
hours in the epnik he took posses
sion of the scliol- buse to make his
few preparations number OF chill
dren fingered abot, ilch interested In the
proceedings andmul impressed by the
pompous airs o. TIL Snowman. When
preparations wercodleted he said to his
assistant, in dee, rib tones, Let's re-
turn to the hotel admitting the first sylla-
BILE, possibly in spit Of fun. But, being
the possessor Of n3gic lantern, he was
authority, and & wtks and months the
youngsters of It'd village held stubbornly
TO the pronunciio1 hotel. The protest
of teachers andparhts availed nothing.
This magic laprn han used the word
that way, and bknF.
Again, the ANN mind is prone TO
take advantage aiy interval OF time or
distance from b. phce in making author I
itative assertid. boy corrected in ths
pronunciationf Il word is apt to fy
back on the,ssftion that old PrE
Blank, at COLI, denounced it that W,
and to stick lit. And man who gas
run through 5glald on the railwayTrs
will graveIy 4 ypu that the peop7oi 4
certain pacsha ntually say SO II 500 AZ
They assunsto speak aulhorfuVeiy.N
simply becad offhe distance om uE