Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-07-30
ExPKEssIvE LANGUAGE.
Picturesque and Obsolete words, aud
the Value OF Dialect.
ro,ao, c,oh.


It has FREQ uently been remarked that what
a language gains in polish It loses in force.
Rude dialects often possess vigor Of ex-
preston that is lacking in more civilized
tongues. Some languages, like Russian and
Gaelic, are peculiarly rich in expression OF
love and hate; in caressing terms of affection,
or in emphafic expressions of dislike and ILL.,
Will Eastern tongues are rich IN variety and
hypxhote especi.iIy in cnrses; the evils an
an87r 0rienisl will Invoke on the head of an
enemy exceed the most fertile Invention OF
Billinfsrate fshseller or irats coaster. There
Is an inEcnnity and comprehensiveDes
about them which dull Western brain does
not suggest. Quaint provincialisms yet lin
ger in rural districts, and in many instances
the new modes of expression which have
taken their place, if more elegant, are far
less forcible. Disraeli has made list of
some now obsolete words, and contrasts the
expressiveness Of the ancient scattering" as
compared to the modern "vagabond," the
old adeathsmanu against the modern "exe-
cutiouer.n What volume of history is
contained in the old term for heretics,
asouLmurderers.n As modern writer has
remarked, the expression denotes 30 exactly
the spirit in which good and worthy men
looked upon their theological opponents,
and IN one word gives the key 10 the perse-
cutting spirit of the age.
Mapv picturesque words have now passed
ont of date. A modern poet would not
write of the spittering" Of the grasshopper,
AZ did Herrick; and yet what word would
m LONGER speak of envy "dusIingn the luster
of a mans fame. Often, however, In re-
mote country places, We find expressions
familiar to us through works of centuries
ago still in common use. Pure Chaucerisms
Aourisb still on rural lips. aNaughty" is
vet used in some districts in its ancient sense
Of worthless, rather than wicked. naughty
trees,n etc. Many counties have certain pc
culizr expressions. Sussex peasants talk of
bsiur aleer,n an untranslatable term i'm
plyinx not actual hunger, bat the sensation
that accompanies an undue postpone
ment of dinner. Poor people in Devon
will speak of . "tweasey bit of meat"
or . atweasey dog" TO denote the small
Ness or insignifcance of the article named.
The anorthern farmer,n both aold and new
styles,n presents many examples of quaint
local expressions. Any person familiar
with rural districts might collect some odd
phraes from the lips Of the country folk.
aYou scholardT" We once heard Sussex
Lad say to school-fellow; @why, you're
ignorant a dirt and igeneranter.D Why
should dirt be taken as type OF lack oi
knowledge? Still qHainter was the bene-
diction Of an old Irish woman, who receiy-
ing larger aims than abe had expected,
wished that sIvery hair of your head may
be candle TO light you to glory. "A
happy deaihn is q favorite good wish among
tome Of the lower orders Of Irish; We have
know il placed first among congratuiatlons
10 bride.
POET and noyeIists have cot overlooked
exl.~iyeness of dialects, and have avaiied
a. IFvrs Of their melody OF their coPious-
- -Trnu.ia1s fnxo orfhodox words Ike
B,1h = I1us = - Dnsa Dia1acs ss :,
IS - 8 - : 80 s'|