The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-02
ENGLISH AS SHE is SPOKE.
How BritOns and Americans Use and
Misuse the English Language.
Little Slang Used by Respectable English
PeOple-A List of Different Words
Meaning the Same Thing.
Correspondence of the indianapolis Journal.


LONDON, March 20.-An interesting volume
could be written for American readers upon the
way in which the English people speak the
English language In a letter the subject can
only be glanced at. Let me first record what 1
have observed along this line that affords me
pleasure. Naturally l have compared English
habits of speech with those in vogue amongst
ourselves, and candor compels me to say that the
English have not always been the sufferers by
this comparison. There is less slang used here
Indeed, in conversation Of men and women be-
longing to the respectable middle class, you hear
scarcely any slang. This class have finer
sense of propriety than the same people on our
side, and they are not so fond of changes. New
phrases are being constantly coined by the
active American brain; but the English keep
their language like everything else, much as it
was given to them by their fathers. They
excel us, too, in the apt use of phrases which
indicate politeness. The man who, in a crowded
thoroughfare, mashes your pet corn, or hobs the
point of his umbrella into your face has at least
decency enough to ask you to excuse him. If
the lady with whom you are conversing happens
to not hear distinctly some remark you have
made, she does not ask bluntly, 'What was that
you said, nor does she go through the awkward
form of explaining that she didn't catch your
meaning she interrogates you with a pleasant
beg pardon, SIR" so naturally and charmingly
uttered, in most cases, that you almost feel like
making yourself unintelligible second time
just to hear her say it again. In English
exhibitions you never see the rude
command 'Hands off," the request
=. -
This trait impresses one very favorably when
out shopping" Those who wait upon you speak
as though the service they were rendering was
pleasure rather than condescension; nor does
their polite speech seem to be measured by the
amount of your purchase, for often, in buying
little articles, have been treated with so much
attention and courtesy, that l have really re-
GREETED had not more money to spend. The
placard saw in window in one of the provin-
cial towns, announcing that "a large stock of
new goods and civility" were always on hand,
seems, as regards the latter article to express
the simple truth with reference to all such places
over here. 1 must say, furthermore, that the
English people speak the language in better
tones than we. Their voices are fuller better
modulated and more musical OF the feminine
portion this is particularly true. The educated
English woman is charming conversationalist
charming, not so much for what she says, as
for the way she says it, In this respect our En-
glish sisters possess advantages over American
women, which go very far toward counterbal-
ancing the superiority of the latter in point of
good looks. In regard to the use OF abuse of the
letter H." the lower classes and the illiterate
portion of the middle class, transgress most
abominably. This charge, however, cannot be
laid against the educated and refined, and it is
seldom one hears the aspirate misplaced by
public speakers, either in pulpit or on platform
But the English, if freer from slang are more
addicted to 'provincialisms" than are, and l
must say, also, that the male section of both
the upper and lower classes are terrible swear
ers. The upper-ten let off the steam with com
paratively harmless explosives of the Dun
dreary type, but the riff-raff of the towns and
cities stoop to depths of profanity that are sim
ply awful
DIFFERENCES IN PRONUNCIATION.
The great difference between the English and
American pronunciation of words is in the
broader sound given by the former to the letter
A [ observe, too that many words of three
syllables, which correct American speakers ac-
cent on the second syllable, are pronounced
here with the accent on the first-consummate
and demonstrate. for instance the American
pronunciation being the right one in both cases.
They still spell wagon ever here with two g's,
and traveller with two Is, and they still iealously
retain the Il in such words u color, honor candor
etc. Some words are given an arbitrary pro-
nunciation without regard to rhyme or reason
Lieutenant is always pronounced 'lefftenant,"
and when they hear our version of it they scarce
ly know what is meant. In many words.
again, the is given the same sound as a. This,
l suppose, Is borrowed from the French, but it
de alxr o1A to
is always Darby, and clerk, clark. And, speak
ing of clerks, am reminded that this term is
used to designate a different class of persons
from those to whom it is applied amongst us.
1t is the general name given to all grades of
book-keepers: Dry goods clerks, and drug
clerks. and the like, are unknown here, as are
also statesmen" and ''salesladies, )" the persons
answering to these being called Assistants"
shops" A saloon is called public house,
or public for short. A dry goods merchant is
draper" and what we would call q motion
store" is called ''haberdasher's establishment"
Canned" fruit is always timed" fruit, and she
who goes to the provision shop to get it for you
is not your ''hired girl y utyour servant PEG
pie are 'sick' here only when they have an attack
of nausea; when indisposed I'M any otherway, they
are ill The doctor who attends them is often
er called medical man than ANYTHING else
and the individual who fills the prescription is
never spoken of as druggist but always as a
chemist" When the English speak of man
as being clever" they mean that he is a man of
talent and ability; we mean by the word that
the man is amiable' 1t is far FROM compliment
in our country to call lady ''homely, but as
the word is used here it would mean that the
person was neat and tidy, possessing homelike
qualities. What we call pitcher is here
known as Jug the former word being used
to designate, in a general way, any article of
The bureau which forms so
useful part of our bedroom sets. is here the
'chest of drawers" The Sidewalk" is the
'foot-path" the hack" is cab" and the
street cars are universally called trans" How
ever diligent correspondent you may be, you
must never mail" letter IN England; you
must always WAY post it. and in like Ike manner the
not the 'letter-carrier" 'School teachers" are
always 'schoolmasters;" or ''schoolmistresses, D."
and if you were to speak of the school-house7
people would think at once that you referred to
the ScEOol-maSter'S residence Insurance conn