The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-07-14
THE WORDS WE USE.
Interesting Studies on the Subject Made
by q RalinhlA Writer.

or, q noted professor, made the follow
ing statement: "The best educated
person in this room will not use more
than 600 or 700 words" He also as
signed small number to persons of
limited education, stating that an ig-
norant man would not use more than
200 or 800 words. I had before seen
stateme nts Of similar import in public
print, and to test their correctness I
began an investigation of the matter.
The subject was brought anew to my
mind by observing an article in which
Prof. Bancroft remarked: at has been
estimated that an English farm hand
has vocabulary limited to 300 words.
An American workingman who reads
the newspapers may command from
700 to 1000 words. Five thousand Is
a large number, even for an educated
reader or speaker" This assertion is
much nearer the truth than that of the
institute conductor mentioned. For
the benefit of those who may be inter-
ested, offer the results of my study
on the subject. An intelligent person
can make the same examination, and
will arrive ut substantially the sumo
results.
took Webster's high school diction-
ary, edition 1873, containing 434 pages
of vocabulary, and examined each
word in the book. 1 made II note Of
those words which 1 supposed l had
used at some time either in speaking
or writing. I counted the primitive
words and those derivatives whose
meaning is most at variance with the
primitive. Thus, count fright and
fruit, but not frighten, frightful fright
fully nor fruitage, fruiterer, fruitful,
fruitfulness, fruition and fruit-tree. I
omitted most of the compound words,
especially when the component parts
directly indicated the meaning, as
milk-pail, Westinghouse, rag -man,
but counted those whose significance
was not directly indicated, as crowbar,
quicksand, tinfoil. AS the result of
this examination, l had 1928 words,
which, think, myself have used.
There were 419 in A, 52S in B, 766
in G, 455 in ID, 235 in f, 800 in F, 279
in G, 2S6 in H, $50 in l, 81 in j, 40 in
X, 29O in L, 476 in NJ, 144 in N, 217 in
O, 7l5 in P, 55 in @, 397 in r, 954 in
S, 454 in T, AZ in U, 14Sin V, 202 in w,
23 in X and Y and 10 in q.
Had I counted the various deriva-
tives in common use, it is probable the
number would be nearly double.
To make a further test of words at
my command, spent about two hours
in writing from memory words in A.
was able to note down 537 words that
could use if occasion required. This
is thirty-five per cent. more than had
counted from the dictionary. Should
the same proportion hold good in all
the letters, it would follow that l can
recall from memory 10,700 words, all
of which are familiar.
I made another count and came to
the conclusion that could give a fair
definition of at least $4,000 words in
that book, and would understand their
Specification in printed article OF
spoken address.
The above estimates are based upon
my own experience and knowledge be-
cause it was convenient to make the
experiment with myself. Every we'll
informed man will be as competent, or
more so. Either professor mentioned
will have a more extended vocabulary
than have.
then took at random, in the same
dictionary, page in each letter, and
counted the words in very common use.
On twenty-four pages there were 254
such words. This would give $500
words in use by persons of the most
ordinary intelligence. None of these
lists include any proper names.
At the time of making this study, one
of my children was three years and two
months of age. l noted down (and still
have the lists) 213 words used by her
in one day. They were words that any
intelligent child would use, chiefly
names of household articles and com.
mon things, with the most ordinary
verbs and partciples. did not heal
all she said during the day, nor do
think she used all the words she knew,
I estimated her vocabulary at 40(
words, and she did not know enough
to carry on any except childish con
versation.
From all of the foregoing observa
tions drew the following conclusions
Every well read man of fair ability
will be able to define or understand
1000 or $4,000 primitives and princi
pal derivative words.
The same man in his conversation
and writings will use not less thar
5000 or 1000 words. If he be liter
airy man he will ommand 1000 or 5000
more.
Common people use from 1000 tc
1000 words, according to their genera
intelligence and conversational power
An ''illiterate man" Zone who car
not ready will use from 1900 to 2,5O(
words.
A person who has not at command al
least 1000 words is an ignoramus and
will find difficulty in expressing his
thoughts, If, indeed, he have any tc
express.-George Fleming, m Lttera
tire.
Ciugston Departed in Haste.