, 1888-05-30
THE WORDS WE USE.
Contradiction of n Popular NotIon-Notes
of n Close Observer.

Contradiction of n Popular NotIon-Notes
of n Close Observer.
At an educational meeting held in this
state a few Jars ago, the conductor, a
noted professor, made the following state
ment: 1.-THE best educated person in this
room will not use more than 600 or 700
words" He also assigned a smaller num-
Der to persons of limited education, stat
ing that an ignorant man would not use
more than 200 or 800 words. 1 had be-
fore seen statements of similar import in
public print, and to test their correctness
/ began an investigation of the matter.
The subject was brought anew to my
mind by Observing an article in The
Chautauquan some months CO., in which
Professor Bancroft remarked: at has
been estimated that an English farm
hand has a vocabulary limited to 300
words. An American workman who
reads the newspapers may command
from 700 to 1000 words. Five thou
sand is a large number, ever for an edu-
Gated reader or speaker" This assertion
Is much nearer the truth han that of the
institute conductor mentioned. For the
benefit of those who may be interested l
offer the results of my study on the sub
ject. An intelligent person can make
the same examination and will arrive at
substantially the same results.
1 took Webster's high school diction-
airy, edition 1878, containing 434 pages
of vocabulary, and examined zach word
in the book. / made a note of those
words which 1 supposed l had used at
some time either in speaking or writing.
l counted the primitive words and those
derivatives whose meaning Is most at
variance with the primitive. Thus, l
count fright and fruit, but not brighten,
frightful, frightfully nor fruitage, fruit
erer, fruitful, f~ruitfulness, fruition and
fruit tree. / omitted most of the com
pound words, especially when the com
ponent parts directly indicated the mean
Ing, as milk-pail, Westinghouse, rag-man,
but counted those whose significance was
not directly indicated, as crowbar, quick
sand, tinfoil. AS the result of this ex-
animation, 1 had 1923 words, which, l
think, l myself have used.
There were 410 in A, 52S in B, 766 in
G, 455 in d, 235 in E, 800 in F, 270 in G,
2S0 in II, $50 in 1, 81 in j, 40 in X, 900
In l., 476 in NJ, 144 in N, 217 in o, 715 in
P, 55 in @, 397 in r, 954 in S, 454 in T,
AZ in U, 14S in v, ZOE in w, 90 in X and
Y and 10 in q.
Had l counted the various derivatives
in common use, it is probable the nusn-
Der would be nearly double.
To make n further test of words at my
command, l spent about two hours in
writing from memory words in A. l
was able to note down 537 words that l
could use If occasion required. This is
30 per cent. more than / had counted
from the dictionary. Should the same
proportion hold good in all the letters, it
would follow hat 1 can recall from mem
DRY 10, 700 words, all of which are ia
miliar.
1 made another count and came to the
conclusion that l could give n fair defini-
ton of at least %, 900 words in that book
and would understand their Specification
in n printed article or spoken address.
The above estimates are based upon
my own experience and knowledge be-
| cause it was convenient to make the ex-
pertinent with myself. Every well in
formed man will be rs competent, or
more so. Either professor mentioned
will have a more extended vocabulary
than l have.
1 then took at random, in the same
dictionary, a page in each letter, and
counted the words in very common use.
On tw~enty-four pages there were 254 such
words. This would give $500 lords in
use by persons of the most ordinary in
t~elligence. None of these lists include
any proper names.
At the time of making this study, one
of my children was 3 years and 2 months
Of age. l noted down (and still nave the
lists 213 words used by her in one day.
They were words that any intelligent
child would use, chiefly names of house
hold articles and common things, with
the most ordinary verbs n participles.
1 did not hear all she said during the
day, nor do 1 think she used all the
words she knew. l estimated her vo-
~cabularly at 400 words, and she did not
know enough to carry on any except
childish conversation.
From all of the foregoing observations
/ drew the following conclusions:
Every well read man of fair ability
will be able to define or understand
90, 900 or %, 900 primitives and principal
derivative words.
The same mar In his conversation and
writing will use not less than 5000 or
1000 words. If he be q literary man he
will command 1000 or 6, 1000 more.
Common people use from 1000 to
1000 words, according to their general
intelligence and conversational power.
An "illiterate man" Zone who cannot
ready will use from 1000 to 2, 800 words.
A person who has not at command at
least 1000 words Is an ignoramus and
will find difficulty in expressing his
thoughts, If, indeed, he have any to ex-
press. George Fleming in Literature.