The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-01-22
Our 0lio.
MIsNOMERs.

ceSter as "a wrong name. lt Is sur
prising to notice how many of the objects
and events familiar to US all are thus mis-
called. DR.. E. Gotham Brewer, in his
invaluable "Dictionary of Phrase and
Fable" devotes a considerable space to
the consideration of this subject, and he
is not the only distinguished writer who
has considered it worthy of his attention
A few of the most common errors are
these:
Irish stew is dish never seen in Ire
land.
Turkeys do not come from Turkey, but
from North America, through Spain or
India. The French call them "dindom,
l. e. d'Lnde or cog d H'de, term which is
equally incorrect.
Turkey rhubarb neither grows in Tur-
key, nor is it exported from Turkey. 1t
grows in the great mountain chain be-
tween Tartary and Siberia, and is Rus
sian monopoly.
Turkish baths are not of Turkish ori-
gin, nor are they baths, but hot-air rooms
or therm9.
In the "Ode to Mummy" is the query,
"Is Pompey's Pillar really misnomer?'
I will answer that the noted Alexandrian
shaft was neither erected by Pompey, nor
yet to Pompey, but either to Septimus
Severus or one Of the Caliphs.
The tube rose is no rose, but the tuber-
Gus polianth (Poltanthes tubcrosa.)
Again, even the great John Milton was
in error when he wrote
Thick as Autumnal leaves that strew the brooks in
Fallambrosa.
The trees of Valambrosa, being pines do
not fall thick in Autumn, and the brooks,
consequently, are not strewn with them'
I am now writing with pen, and yet
pen means feather, from the Latin word
penne, which signifies wing. The ex-
preston, "a steel pen" is not by any
means q choice one.
German silver is not silver at all, nor
was the metallic mixture invented by
German, but has been in use in China
time out of mind.
Japan lacquer contains no lac at all,
but is made from the resin of kind of
nut tree called anacarliaces.
Brazilian grass does not come from
Brazil, or even grow in Brazil, nor is it
grass at all. 1t consists of strips of
palm leaf { Chamaerops argenteo) and is
chiefly imported from Cuba.
Catgut is not the gut of cats, but of
sheep.
Sealing wax is not wax at all, nor does
it contain a single particle of wax. 1t is
made of shellac, Venice turpentine and
,innabar The last substance gives it its
leep red color, and the turpentine renders
The shellac soft and brittle.
To the lovers of cigarettes [ would say
hat rice paper is not made from rice, but
rom the pith Of Tungtsau, Or hollow
1lant, SO called because it is hollow when
The pith has been pushed out.
Meerschaum is not petrifed ''sca foam,
IS the word implies, but composition Of
silica, water and magnesia.
Gothic architecture is not the architec-
ure of the Goths, but the ecclesiastical
style employed in England and France
before the Renaissance.
Dutch clocks are not of Dutch, but
5erman (Deutsch) manufacture. This is
very common mistake.
Arabic figures were not invented by the
Arabs, but by the Indians.
Blind worms are no more blind than
noles are; they have very quick and bril-
liant eyes, though somewhat small.
BARON, IDIOT AND SLAVE.
These are very common words, aud yet
We now use them in far different sense
han they were formerly employed.
Idiot means simply private person,
me not engaged in aay public office.
Hence, Jeremy Taylor says "Humility is
/ duty in great ones, as well as in idiots
private persons.) The Greeks have the
ga priest or an idiot" Qay-
man, "a poet or an idiot (prose wri-
err As idiots were not employed in
public Offices, the term became synony-
nous with ineompetency to fulfill the duties
hereof. (Greek idioses.)
Baron properly means a dolt, from the
Latin Laro Ga thorough fool.) 1t was a
erm applied to Servian soldier, then to
/ military chief, and ultimately to lord
The reverse of this is seen in our word
lave Ga servile menial which is the
Slavonic word slaU (noble, illustrious;) but
he Slavi being conquered by the Romans,
we're reduced to the hard condition of
'hewers of wood and drawers Of water"
But probably the strangest corruption
S that of the word aeoy''s Lane. Bane is
he Teutonic word for all poisonous herbs.
The Greeks, installing banes for beans,
translated it huamos, as they did hen-bane
.haos-huamos.) Now aoolf's- s-bane is an
'conite, with pale yellow flower, and
therefore, called white-bane to distinguish
t from the blue aconite. The Greek for
white is leuhos; hence leuAos-kuanaos, but
uhos is the Greek for wolf, and by
'lunder leuhos-kuamos (white- BEAM got
nuddled into lukos-kuamos (wolf shane
Now science steps in and makes confusion
worse confounded. Botanists, seeing the
hen r1itu of n, llino noop;ta n bo,n roefor