Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-08-11
DO You know How to TaIks

"a white and red .calf'' means one
calf, but ga white and red calf means
two calves. There is Il sharp distinction
between obiiity and capacity. CIpacity
is the power of acquiring knowledge,
but abiltty is the power of applying it to
practical purposes. g found the way
easy" and ~ found the way easily
convey different ideas. In speaking of a
look of illness on persons countenance,
the correct form is, g lie looks bad,'
not badly" The young lady may
look "bewichingly" at the gentlemen,
but she looks " bewitching" in her silks
and jewels. Aqgrarate is frequently
misused. An offense may be dggrarateG,
but person is provoked, irritated, or
angered. Alike is often incorrectly
coupled with both. "They are both Just
alike" is rs incorrect rs the IIibernicism
/" | saw it with both my two eyes" A
disease spreads "over all" the country,
not call over' the country.
There is nice distinction between
dnswer and rcply. We answer u ques-
ton or a letter, but we reply to an argu-
ment or accusation. Lovers of big
words may use anticipate instead Of cr-
pcct. We may expect visit from bur-
glars, but we do not anticipate them
unless we take measures to frustrate
their designs. .Any should not be USED
in place of at all. "She is not at all
BETTER" not "any better"
at all, as an intensive phrase, is too
frequently used. AT times it gives en-
phasis, but generally it is mere tautolo-
gy. In many cases, especially when
repeated, it is IIibernicism. "There
wasn't anybody there ut all, at ALL"
~ length should not usurp the place Of
at last. "At length we heard from
him." should be ait last we heard from
him" III length means fully, in detail.
As poet and author Indicate a person not
necessarily of the male sex. the words
poetess and authoreSs are pathological ab-
surdities. As well say mritress, man
neously used for rest orren,ainicr. "He
used the rest of his money to improve
his farm" not "the balance" BetUcen
is often misused for among. BctWecn
is used with reference to two, and
among to more than two. A man di-
vides his property detVeen two children;
if he had more than two it would be his
duty to divide it among them.
There is difference between bravery
and courage. Brapery is careless cour-
age, but courage is calculating and eau
tious. Brarery may be blind, but cour-
age advances with its eyes open. Bring,
fetch and carry are too often used indis-
criminately. TO bring is to convey to
or toward; to fetch is to 60 and bring,
which involves two Journeys; TO carry is
to convey away, or off, and is opposed
to both fetch and bring. The superilu-
Gus use of 6ut is II common error. "There
is no doubt but that Guiteau is guilty."
should read "no doubt that" etc. CAL
cutate is sometimes vulgarly used for
intend, purpose, expect; as, 'He calcu-
lates to 90 tomorrow" Under the head
of case in grammar the following are
common: Instead of ''Let you and l
CO." say "you and me-" "He is as
good as nc;" ''as L." "She is as tall as
him." "as he" "Nobody said so but
he;" s'but him." "John went out with
James and Il" ''and me-" "You were
a fool to do it," "Who? me? "Whop
II" "Who do you meanP" "saY
whon." ''If | aUas him; .'if I mere
he." "Was it him?" "Was it he?"
"For the benefit of those Whom he
thought were his friends;" "Who he
thought" etc. "Who do you take it to
be?" "whom do you," etc. 81 am sur
prised at John refusing to go;" Sat
Johns refusing" "They prevented
him going going forward;' "prevented
his going forward. .'-Louisriile Farm
and FtreStde.