The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-06-08
Amlersua1 gntelligeneer,
Use Good English.

Use Good English.
In these days of ignorance and poverty
we must occasionally commend an educa-
tional article to our readers that will
profit them as lesson to be taught in
the family circle. Scores of young peo-
pie throughout our country are now
growing up without educational facilities,
and this misfortune is one that has
weighed with every man of common
sense in after life. And where school ad-
vantages cannot be had, much can be
accomplished in the way of education by
habits and observation.
The following article suggests some ex-
cellent ideas upon this subject, and we
commend it to our youthful readers,
especially the female sex, to whose many
lovely graces much polish can be added
by the use of good language:
GA great deal depends on early habit,
and correct language learned in early
life is easily continued ever afterwards.
Whenever young persons use a wrong
word, let them Immediately select the
right expression and repeat it to them
selves number of times, and in this way
it will soon become easy and natural.
Without such repetition in use they will
certainly fail. Everything in life de-
pends on good use of English, and on
the other hand, nothing will retard sue
cessful progress in life sooner than bad
English, bad pronunciation, and slang
words. Edward Everett said, that to
read the English language well, to write
neat, legible hand, and to be master of
the first four rules of arithmetic-I call
this good education. And ifyou add
the ability to write pure grammatical
English, regard it as an excellent edu-
cation
''Now, to correct errors and establish
a good practice, the work must be taken
in detail. One thing must be done at
time. One of the first steps then, is to
use simple language to express just what
we want to say. There are several words
often improperly used for many different
meanings, and in this way they lose their
force. Take for example, the word fr-
the strict meaning is to make fast, to settle.
But it is improperly used in many other
ways, as 4 fixed my hair, l fixed the
wagon, I fixed my gloves, 1 fixed the
room,' ETC.. instead of I brushed my
hair, I repaired the wagon, I sewed my
gloves, put my room in order etc.
"Another word used still more loosely
and widely, is, nice This properly
means ocer eract, punctilious, delicate,
subtle. But it is often employed to denote
all commendable qualities. We often
hear careless speakers say, this apple is
NICE instead of delicious, she is nice
girl instead of good or agreeable. "a
nice landscape for lovely landscape;
"a nice COTTAGE instead of snug one
"a nice man., instead of genial man; a
nice mountain instead of grand or lofty
one; "a nice drink of water for REFRESH
ing one; "a nice story instead of an IN
teresting one; "a nice smell, Ito flower,
for pleasant odor; and so on without
limit. Some persons look nice, walk
nice, talk nice, make nice visit, write a
nice letter, live in nice house, wear nice
clothes, make nice present, etc.
"Again, the word 'a,cful,' which means
dreadful, fearful, sublime, is used as a
general adjective for nearly all purposes,
both good and bad, by those who cannot
select separate and appropriate adjec-
tive for each separate purpose; and we
accordingly hear of an awful nice day,
an awful dull knife, all awful good pear,
an awful old hat, ETC., etc.
"Another word, got is used profusely
by some speakers. Some of our readers
have perhaps heard the mans narration: /:
after l got your letter got on horse
back, and when got to Boston I got a
carriage, but got wet before I got to the
Office, and.T got such cold as l can't get
rid of. I got to the hotel and got my
supper, and then got to bed, but it was
long before got to sleep. When got
up in the morning and got my breakfast,
1 got to the cars. / got home before
night
ITO avoid all such inelegancies, or to
correct them when they have become a
habit, repeat to yourself the correction,
and continue to repeat it till it becomes
ready and familiar in use. In this way
young persons may acquire the habit of
using the best language, and the longer it
is continued the more easy and natural
it will become. Always select the
shortest and simplest words, and those
which convey distinctly the intended
meaning. All this will require attention
and pains, without which nothing is ever
accomplished"