The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-01-08
Errors of Speech In Common Use.

EdltOrs OIL the Register.
In q late issue of your paper, saw al
attempt by some would-be purist to cor
rect two seeming errors in dialogue he
overheard on the street. Tho dialogue
in substance was as follows:
Wont you please open my umbrella
for me?' asks u lady ola gentleman.
"Certainlv;' and il was opened.
"Thank YOU said the lady.
Not at all, was the reply.
The critic maintains that in this short
soliloQuv were committed two gross err
rors.-one. by the lady who asks, ne
saws, for what she dees not want; and the
second. by the gentleman who fatty con-
tradict, the lady, implying by his answer
that she does not thank him, which, if
true, would be an objectionable bit Of
rudeness. But permit me to say
that the criticism is utterlys uncalled
for; aud the only error of
which either party was guilty, is over
looked. ] refer to the word won't,
which, with it, companion ''ain t, Is sim
PLY detestable
/ say that, with this exception, no ob
lection on the score either of accuracy or
of politencss can b. made. la the case
of the lady, there Is used form OF pre-
ferring request sanctioned by the best
authorities. Little indeed must the FRO
lessor, II think the critic had that awful
title prciaced to his name) have read, or
much must he have read to little purpose
if he condemn her innocent phrase,
will YOU not please raise my umbrella!
Il is rs different from viii you please not
raise my umbrela?' IT. II Is possible To
imagine any twoscntence, to be. Taken
in if, strictcst SENSE the lady onl y deli
cately and gracefully insinuates that the
genticman's gallautry torbld5 his not ac-
commodating her; and her mode oi re-
our,t is therefore correct III grammar,
with the exception mcntlOned) sense ana
etiquette.
with regard to the gentleman SEEM
inv rudeness. it yauishcs when we supply
the obvious elhpsc> in his answer. The
lady thanks him; and he as any true
Gentleman i bound to do, simply in
forms her, in correct and concise phrase,
Thanks are not at all necessary for SO
triiing II service.
It is very proper 10 correct mistakes,
but only Don Quixote can find amuse-
mcnt in battling with wind-miils. There
are thousands of errors of speech dinned
in our ear, every day, enough to give
employment to competent instructors,
without wasting their time i'll hunting
mares nests, which, when found, afford
neither pleasure to themselves, nor profit
to their readers. And here, though |
know | am trcspassing too much on your
valuable space, let me remark that the
evil is growing. The rapid rate at which
we Americans DO everything, at the table
or in the study, is destructive of all criti-
cal study of language, which requires
close thought, and patient comparison.
Fortunately there are some
found who do weigh words TO
Il nicety. hut their researches, the
fruit of their labors must remain dead
letter to many. Much may be done,
however, in the schoolrodm, if the prac-
tice of original composition were more
insisted upon than it is. We find very
few who. after wear, Of study IN schools,
and even in more pretentious academies
and colleges, are able 10 commit To- paper
i'm fluent, correct and nervous language,
the thoughts that are struggling within
for utterance. The remedy lies within
our grasp, and OF our heads be the blame
if We do not use It.
This is a subject full of matter Tor med
itation, which, however, must leave to
other, Ia elaborate, and will close by ho-
pipr have sue ,ecded in quoting any