Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-04-19
Vernacular Journalism.

The alterations in our tongue have been
brought about in part by use, (which sway
eth most and hath an absolute command in
words" as an old English writer has said
The usages of speech in given district are
dependent on casual incidents, in measure,
but more on the distant purpose of those
who are presumed to be patterns in Ian
guage In a country town, for example,
professional men, teachers and those who
use English in formal and public way, are
held responsible to degree for the standard
of excellence which the community adopts.
The town newspaper, likewise, has its share
of accountability, contributing to the main
tenance OF reputable English as vehicle OF
thought, or helping to lower the taste and
practice OF its patrons. 1t is not asserted
that good grammar and pure English will
be found in each house if the chief citizens
are correct in their matter of speech; but if
those who know what is desirable, and is APP
proved by the accepted authorities are SLOW
emily in speech, and given to vulgarisms, the
influence will be strong and disastrous.
While Judging newspapers which set them
selves up as oracles or assume to be wits, or
deal in sensational matter, it is well also to
notice the journalistic habit of adapting the
paper to the quality of English in vogue
where the editor issues his weekly or daily
sheet. 1t may be coarse and debased Eng
fish which is preferred, but nevertheless,
because it pays, the paper speaks the dia-
lect of its subscribers. Jerky, expressive,
not always reverent, sentences, compose the
material, and slang terms do service with
out intermission. 1t is legitimate inquiry
if vernacular journalism be not serious Of
fence against good taste, and against what
may be called Justly the ethics of the pro-
fession.
Let it be promised that reference is not
made to the frontier press to the exclusion
of journals printed nearer the centers of in
formation and refinement. 1t is not neces-
sarily the country papers which chiefly
offend. If representative papers from all
the states were studied for the purpose of
ascertaining the peculiarities and infelicities
of language which are permitted, and even
cultivated, the casual reader would be sur
prised and almost startled to see the varie-
ties of English which are utilized by the
press. The favorte expressions of the
neighborhood reappeari in the columns, which
are headed very likely with the assertion
that the paper is devoted to the spread of
intelligence, and the education of the people
in necessary directions. In ordinary Eng
lish, for example, it would be said that a
man was arrested and imprisoned, but in
the vernacular of communities from the
northern line to the gulf there would be
found by some an amusing and confusing
divergence in expressing the simple fact.
The very circumstance that people laugh at
the grotesque language insures the continu-
ance of this depreciation of good English.
The most revolving details are served in ag-
gressive, vernacular terms, and this filling Of
space is called journalism. A familiar pro-
uio tu in, oil tio tba hoo lin
being ingeniously and Extensively constructed
on that basis. Or the most serious and i'm
portant interests are referred to by surpris-
ing and undesirable epithets. Not long ago
medical class at its graduation was greeted
with the headlines in the morning paper,
"Turned Loose" 1t is not sacrilege to
joke about doctors, even when the diploma
Is fresh, but this rather astonishing method
OF salutation was not agreeable, IL is to be
presumed. A paper may not convert a
single political opponent; it may not carry
through one project for public improve.
ments; its influence in any public way may
be nullity but if it deals systematically
in bad English and in slang expressions,
favoring theological lecture and a prize
fight with the same vocabulary, it will de-
press the popular taste and cheaper the
mother tongue, which ought to be treated
with respect and left unused rather than To
be subjected to abuse.
1t is not expected that the time is near at
hand when the average newspaper will be an
authority on all topics, especially in good
English. There will be vulgar papers as
there are to be vulgar people. Yet is there
not danger that journals of fair standing and
with reputable constituency will go too far
in lowering the standard, by using marketa-
BILE but indictable methods IF sneech soma