The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-12-06
"AM.ERLCANLSMS


lea and England. He sets out by say
ing that he found less difference in Ian
guage and customs between England and
the Uuited States than exists between
England and Scotland And the "dif-
ference" he says, between Scotland and
England and the difference between
America and England are both 1 hold,
largely owing to the fact that both Scot
land and America are in many things
more English than England itself" This
he states to be especially true in matters
of language. What people commonly
call an Americanism" or "Scottic-
ism, is, for the. most part, some perfect
ly good English word or phrase, which
has gone out of use in England, but has
survived in America or in Scotland
Thus the word BARN is used by West
Saxon Alfred, while it would certainly
not have been used by any true Scottish
Kenneth or Malcolm. So the word fall
for autumn, Mr.. Freeman says, he can
distinctly remember in his childhood.
There is, he says, no difference of dia-
lect between England and America, but,
as in different parts of England, there is
a difference of local usage There is, in
deed, we are told, less difference in this
respect between the United States and
England as whole than between the
English Of the northern and southern
parts of Britain itself. He remembers
when railroad" instead of railway"
was the more common usage in England.
"Station" he prefers to depot" though
both are foreign words. In America we
say store always where the English
say shop" and Mr.. Freeman thinks that
a perfectly good reason for the American
word can probably be found in some cir
cumstences Of early colonial life. The
word Z" store is, however, now used in
London for the co-oF erative stores"
which have become so impol tant a fea-
ture in the shopping line in that me-
tropolis. Where we use the word "city''
the English always say clown. q In
England city" means a corporate town
or municipal borough, and this idea is
meant to be conveyed when the word is
used. In London it designates partic-
ular section of the metropolis.
He was good deal surprised in Amer
lea to see Real Estate Office" written
up as place of business-which Cooked
to him very much as if anybody had adj
vertised Jetsam and Flotsam office.
No one in England" he says, would,
if man had bought houses or lands,
say that he had bought real estate. He
would, if he did not define the particular
thing bought, be more likely to veil it
under the general name of property.
He has heard Britishers mock at such
phrases as "town lot, "city lot" but
there is in reality nothing exactly an
swering in England to these things. The
word block" (for square is explained
by the fact that American towns are
built in blocks" which is not the case
with the old English towns. "Conduc-
tor Is used for guard on the rail
roads" under the idea that it is a finer
word. 81 guess" is entirely proper, if
only it is not used to the exclusion of
other forms; "Ireckon" is as good Eng
lish as English can be-; but at I calcu-
late" Mr.. Freeman says he begins to
kick" " Endorsing a sermon" thirty
five years ago, in England, would have
raised laugh but the phrase is used
now. But he doubts if any one in Eng
land would use the phrase the balance
of the day which he sometimes heard
in America. He thought it odd to hear
persons say in America opponent" and
"inquiry" for Opponent" and enquiry"
But in Virginia, at least, we think the
accent in these words is more commonly
on the second syllable. The young gen
Grafton are, however we fear, ignorantly
adopting the modern improvements.
The word clerk" is pronounced clark"
in England, and not clurl, as in Amer
lea. The strict pronunciation of the word
Mr.. Freeman says, would be clark, and
so a Scotchman does call it. People in
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