The National tribune., 1885-04-23
THE WEEDS OF WORDS.


FRIESDs OF THE CLUB: Slang words and phrases
arc those lnelegant expressions which are con-
SANITY sprlnging up. ard may be considered by
some as weeds among the flowers of words. Il re-
lined and cultivated car cannot tolerate anything
winch sayOTs of slang. liz is simply horrible
don't yon know" Yet the Use of slang should not
be too freely condemned Slang words often ex-
press what we wish TO say, IN such iorcibe and
phatic iaDguage that the idea 10 be conveyed is
conveyed very forcibiy. While the idea ex-
pressed IN an elegant mild, correc. form, gives
scarcely any impression.
Words are. after all nothing but the channels
through which living thoughts flow and those
words which make our thoughts live, should be
used. As man progresses, his needs become
greater ia language az in everything else and new
words are ever beng coined to meet the demand
words which in the beginning were slang but
which gradually become good English" And
preaid that many OF the slang words now in use
VIII be loui IN the dictionaries Of the future and
the English language will at length become If it
has not already the most powerful and forcible of
al ianguages.-ho d-be Linguist, Spring Hill
Kan.
THE DRGss OF LANGUAGE
FRIENDS OF THE CLUB: Slang is the dross of lam
guage; 1t Is used by people who are too indoIent
toacquire good grammar All who use il will soon
find they eaEnct express themselves without it,
1t IS invariably used by all depraved persons and
II for no other reason than this should avoid its
use We should attend 10 these little things that
we may be worthy OF greater deeds. ! would say
Il Ike TIE TRIBUNE very, very much" but the
sentence has become stereotyped, so think il I'M
necessary Tor any one 10 write on that subject
viii be taken for granted unless they state 10 the
eontrary.-timer j.. Ellsworth Phillips. Apulia
Onondaga Co.. n. Y.
WHO WILL SECOND THE MoTIoN2
FRIENDS or THE CLUB: In Websters Unabridged
Dictionary slang Is defined as low vulgar ufiau-
tborlzed language. Should use slang? Ger
talniy no thoughtful person will answer In the
affirmative. move we all quit using IT, Is there
a second TO the motion 7-Ernest L. Gates Cameron
No.
A PLEA FOE SKATING Kinks.
FRIENDS THE CLUB: On reading Miss Jennie
kemphers letter on the evils of roller-skuting
In The TRTBCHE of March 10, / could not help but
think she had exaggerated them considerably.
DO not THINK she can understand the -uiyect upon
which she wrote so eoqueiItly, or, IL she does the
skating Kinks she has frcquented could not have
been very popular ones. Here, our first men and
women skate, and consider it n healthful exercise
as well as ii pleasant pistime and 1 am sure they
would not care to be classed as yenomu,s reptiles
and frequeniers of dens of vice. Again cannot
understand how IL leads young people from the
house of God, for the skating Kinks are open only
certain evenings during the week, and not acces-
eible on the Sabbath. In answer TO her question
What Christian lady or gentleman wants to be
ehrown into the society of bar-r,Som rouyhs and
saloon bummcrs? think can take the response
biiity of answering, None! But ask Where will
you lind good Christian lady gentleman who
VIII not do all in their power 10 raise such degraded
souls from out the abyss in which they have sunk?
ask you, Friend Jennie if you think the best way
Of amusement, just TO please the overtime of