New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-30

complaint is made are so hagrant hs 10 ciea'o
| the SUSPICION that British Consuls are barely
| more than half educated. Lord Granville's
index expurcatorius contains such distorted
and senseless forms as these "Dsrecom-
mended.n "unmotiyed.n y" spiritiste, " increase
| m ent.p "demissionr for dismissal, "arresta-
tionn for arrest, "suscitated" for raised, and
"yeridicaln for true. There are many addi-
tional instances of correct words that are
incorrectly used. transaction takes the
place of compromise, necessarily" OF imme-
diately. "took act of took note, propagation
of prolongation, and" restitution of dismissal.
Johnsonese is also a popular jargon in the
Diplomatic service. "Signalize" is used in
place of point out, Criminal is a substitute
tor very small, and category" for class and
instead of returning to previous understand
ing the diplomatists or consuls consider 1t
more dignifed to orally themselves to an
antecedent solidarity Lord Granville seems
to regard it as discredtable to the service that
so many correspondents are taking such unwar-
rantabe liberties with their mother tongue.
He would have them speak and write with a
reasonable degree of purity the language OF
the country they represent. The Queens Eng
lish first as 4 matter OF loyalty and common
sense Spanish or Bengalee afterward, if there
be leisure or wit to acquire familiarity with
the language of the country where they re
side.
The Diplomatic and Consular corps will
profit by Lord Granyille's lecture, and lille
away his circular for future reference. There
is another body of dplomatists and CORE
spondents that cannot be subjected to the
discipline of the Foreign Office. The minis
tiers peuipotentiary and ENJOYS extraordinary
of the London press residing at foreign CAPT
tails will have the same license in the use OF
the English language which they have always
enjoyed. The circular of the Foreign Office is
not directed to them, and they Will he Tree 10
follow their own caprices. If the truth were
laid bare the amateur diplomatists OF the
press would be held responsible for majority
of the literary offences of the professional
diplomatsts. Slovenliness OF STYLE, distortions
of plain and honest words, pretentOus use
of incongruOus phrases, are bad habits which
the regulars acquire in their literary recrea-
tons. when the flies or the London Journals
are received and the work OF the volunteers
comes under their eyes. The newspaper cor
RESPONDENTS and leader writers introduced
such words as "vcridIca," "signalize" :" iran
chise of duties and category" and the con-
sus and secretaries of legation speedily adop ed
them The Paris correspondent of The London
Times, who fills up the gaps in his acquaint-
ance whenever sovereign out OF employment
happens to stroll along the Boulevards iii search
of a dinner, would keep diary and store mp
"reminiscences for posthumous fame, If he were
no; allowed to produce his own aud his guests
conversation precisely as it occurs. If the use
of such phrases rs "antccedent" and "pcnulu-
mate solidarity" were intcrdicted, he could
not discuss any phase OF European diplomacy
It is the volunteer ambassador of the London
press who takes the mother tongue between
his teeth and bites it until it bleeds. lie
knows that the English people wish to have
public affairs discussed with the utmost ser-
BUSINESS and accordingly he fashions high
sounding phrases and pOrtentnus words Tor
general use. They have doubtful ring at
first, but they soon pass current even IN Par
lament The diplOmatists in the regular ser
vice have no wish TO be archaic In matters Of
literary style. Accordingly they adopt the
diplomatic jargon OF tie day.