Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1882-03-04
English and American English.

An American friend of mine, in response
to the question by an Euglishman IAN
exceedingly positive and dogmatic person,
as it chancedl, "Why do EngIishman never
say i guess replied (morc wittily than
justly, " Because they are always SO posi-.
tive about everything" But it is note.
worthy that whereas tho American saws
frequently al guess" meaning Il know"
the Englishman as freely lards his dis.
course WITT the expression, "You know"
which is, perhaps, more modest. Yet, on
the other side, it may be noted that the
down East" American often uses the
expression of attentive interest "Indeed. "
Among other familiar Americanisms
may be mentioned the following:
An American who is interested in a mar.
rauye or statement will say us that so ?"
or simply "So!" The expression "Possi.
BILE J is sometimes but not often heard
Dickens misunderstood this exclamation MS
equivalent to at is possible, but does not
concern me;' whereas in reality it is
equivalent TO the expression as it posi-.
bic - l have occasionally heard the ex.
preston "Do tell ~ bpt it is less frequent.
ly heard now than of yore.
The word right" is more frequently
used than in England, md is used also in
senses different from those understood in
our English usage of the word. Thus, the
American will say right here" aud right
there, where an Englishman would say
lust here or lust there" or simply
here or there" Americans say right
away where we say directly" On the
other hand, am inclined to think that the
E"gush expression fright WE'LL" for very
wen Is not commonly used in America
amercaus say Eyes, sir" and mo, SIR"
with sense different from that with
which the words are used in England but
they mark the difference of sense by a diff.
ference of intountion. Thus, if n question
rs asked to which the reply in England
would be simply yes" or ''no" (or accord.
ing to the rank or station OF tho auerist,
yes, SIR, or mo, SIR inionaied as with
us in England. But if the reply is intend.
ed to be emphatic, then the ,ntonation is
such as to throw the emphasis on the word
"sir-the reply is Eyes, sur" or mo, SIR"
In passing, may note that hive never
heard an American waiter reply ''yessir,"
as our English walters do.
The American use Of the word "auit"
is peculiar. They do not limit the word,
AS we do, to the Specification take leave"
in fact, | have never heard an American
use the word in that sense. They gen.
orally use 1t ms an equivalent to ''leave or
or stop" In passing, Que may notice ms
rather strange the circumstance that the
word ''quit," which properly means ito 60
away FROM aud the word "stop," which
means to ''stay," should both have come
to 10 used ms siguifying TO "leave OFF,
Thus Americans say quit fooling" for,
leave off playing the fool" "quit sing.
ing, quit laughing" and SO forth.
To English ears an American use of the
word ''some" sounds strange-vix., ms an
adverb. An American will say, ~ think
some ~ buying new house" or the like,
"for have somc idea Of bnyiug," etc. |
have indeed heard the usage defended ms
perfectly correct, though assnredly there is
not an instance in NIL the wide range of
English literature which will justify Il.
30, also, many Americans defend ms
good English the use of the word good"
IN such phrases as the following; II have
written that note good" for swell" "thAt