Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-10-05

H.
Hints How 10 raIa We'll aud How
escape criticism for n Lack af Gu
ture-A Chapter in Social Educ,
t!Ou.
Number of Appleton's "Parchmer
Paper Series, entitled Don't; Mann,
OF Mistakes and Improprietius More q
Less Prevalent i'll Conduct and Speech.
is full of valuable hints, some of whic
may be superiluous to many readers, bn
all of them, it may be presumed, will hi
somewhere. In his preface the autho
and compiler meets some criticism in nd
vance, It is admitted, for example, tina
gone persons may condemn few of hi
inJunctions as ''over nice, and the autli
or adds 'All that can be said to thes
persons is. that every ono has the Lawful
rig hit to determine for himself at wha
point below the highest point he is con
tent to let his social culture stop" Th
following chapter on "What Not to Do i,
Speech Is given entire
Don't speak ungrammatically. Stud,
books of grammar and the writings Of tn,
best authors.
Don't pronounce incorrectly. Lister
carefully to the conversation of cultivated
people, and consult the dictionaries.
Don't mangle your words, nor smothe,
them, nor swallow them. Speak with {
distinct enunciation.
Don't talk in high, shrll voice. ard
avoid nasal tones. Cultivate chest.,oice
learn to moderate your tones Talk al
ways in low register, but not too
low.
Don't use slang. There is some slang
that according 10 Thackeray, is gentle
manly slang, and other slang that is vul-
gar. l! one docs not know the difference,
ies him avoid slang altogether and then he
will be safe.
Don't use profane language. Don't
multiply .epitiets and aditctives don.
be too fond Of superlatives. Moderate
your transports.
Don't use meaningless cyciam&tions,
such as "Oh, my' "Oh, ceacliey =
etc.
Don't interi"ct sir or madam freely into
your conversation. Never say maam at
nll. Young people should be taught to
cent on the second syllable Of mamma
and papa, "Yes, uncle" no. aunt"
and SO on, instead of always "Yes, sir. F"
"No, maam, etc. Sir is right towards
superiors, bat it must even in this case be
sparingly used.
Don't address Young lalv AZ Miss.
Don't say Miss Mary" "Nie,s Susan"
This, strictly, is perlnis .,9!e with ser
wants only. Address yonng ladies' by
their surname, wit. prefix of Miss, ex-
cept when in a fr.m.ly OF sisters n iis.inc,
tion must be iuale, and then give tho
name in fail.
Don't clip final consonants. Don't say
f,,.
and singing. Don't say All fo, and.
Don't mispronounce vowel. sounds in
unaccentcd syllables. Hp4t say persi-
tion Cor position, psrta.9p for potato, SEN
tunce for sentence. On the other hand,
don't lay too much stress on these sounds
touch thom lightly but correctly.
Don't say Setch for catch, nor ken for
can. Don't say fcller for fellow, nor win
der for window, nor meller for mellow,
nor to-morrer for to- morrow. Don't ima.
gine that only ignoramuscs make these
mistakes. They are often, through care
lessness, made by people of soine educa-
tion. Don't, therefore, b2 careless in
these little points
Don't say socatafy for secretary, nor
sal'ry for salary. Don't say hist'iy for
history,
Don't say loo for dew or due. Don't
say dooty for duty. Remember to give
the diphthongal sound of GU wherever it
belongs. Tho peyersity Of pronuncia-
tion in this particular is singular. "a
heavy doc fell last night" one rustic will
say "Du tell !" will come MS a responea
from another.
Don't drop the sourd of whsle it be-
longs, ns aim for arm. Uahm for warm,
hoss for horse, govahinent for govern
ment. The omission Of in these and
similar words usually when it falls after
q yowel--is very common.
Don't pronounce calm and palm as il
they rymed with liam. Give the The
broad sound, as in father.
Don't say gents for gentlemen, nor
pants for pautaloons. These are inexcus.
able vulgarisms. Don't say vest for waist
coat.
Don't say party for person. This il
abominable, and YET very common.
Don't say lady when You mean wife.
Don't say fright away" if you wish t.
avoid Americanisms. Say immediatel,
or directly.
Don't say rubbers on gums. Say over
shoes. Why should the material of al
article of clothing be mentioned
Don't say female for woman. A SOW j
q female mare is female. The fe
male sex of the human kind is entitled t.
some distinctive term.
Don't say sick except when nausea
meant. Say ill, unwell, indisposed.
Don't say posted for wel-iuformed
Don't say balance for remainder. Dom
uso trade terms except for trade pui
poses.
Don't say, "IIave the cars come in
Say, "Has the train come in?" 1t is be
ter TO travel by rail than by cars. Thes
are simply preferences matters of tast
merely.
Don't oall your servants girls. Call til
cook cook, and the nurse nurse, and tll
housemaids maids.
Don't use wrong adjectives. There
perhaps no adjective 50 misused as ell
giant. Don't say san elegant morning
or an "elegant piece of beef" or ''an ell
giant scene," or San elegant picture
This word has been so vulgarized by mi
use that it is better not to use 1t at all
Don't use extravagant adiectives. Don
say magnificent when thing is mere
pretty, or splendid, when excellent {
some other word will do. Extravagan'
of this kind is never in good taste.
Don't use the words bate and despi
TO express mere dislikes. The young
DIV who declares that she "hates yello
ribbons" and "despises iurnips," mi
have sound principles, but she evinces