The Irish standard., 1890-05-03
I 1HE IRISH STANDARD: sATURDAY. May 3.
HEARD IN ENGLAND.

HEARD in ENGLAND.
Some Things Eugene Field Learned
in London Town.
Assign Names Differing from Those
We observation-disclosures of Speech
Prevails Everywhere.
You must pardon me for using that
word molasses. Having lived six
months in Britain l should have said
treaclc, writes Eugene Field in the
Chicago News. l study to be correct
even in little matters of this kind, but
find it very hard to conform to English
as it is spoken this side of the saline
pool.
Quite at random I made up list OF
articles to which the English assign
names differing from those we use:
That which we call a bowl is here
known as basin. In England you ask
for basin of bread and milk.
That which is known to us as pitcher
is hero called a jug.
A donkey here is called moke; IN
America a mol1e is a negro. Local slang
for cab-horse is Seats meat" because
the meat of horses is peddled around
the streets for feeding to cats. BY the
way, British cats average much larger
than our American cats, and they are
notorious chicken-killers. The brindle
cat seems to be the commonest.
What we call crackers arc here called
biscuit, and suspect that This is strict
ly correct
What we call shoes are here known
as boots, and what we call boots are
hero known as bluchers. There is one
shoe called tho hilo, because it runs
high from the heel up back of the ankle
and is cut low in front.
Our druggist is here chemist, many
of the older practitioners retaining the
old spelling-"chymist."
What we call ale is here known as
bitter beer.
What is here known as hash we
should call stew, and what we call
hash is here known as a mince.
great coat, our undcrshirt becomes a
vest. and our drawers become panta-
looms. 1t is said that when George w.
Childs, of Philadelphia, was in London
number of years ago he walked into
haberdashery, and, seeking to appear to
be native, asked to be shown the
STYLES in silk waistcoats. ''Jeemes,''
cried the proprietor to his assistant,
'sstep this way and show this Hameri-
can gentleman our flowery weskits!"
What we call sick the Englishman
calls i'll; sickness hero implies nausea
and vomiting. The British usage is
wrong; but the late Richard Grant
White settled the point pretty definite
". How came the British to fall into
this perversion? 1t was, | Think be-
cause the British can GO nowhere except
by water; that travel by water induces
unpleasant symptoms Of nausea and
retching, which condition, called sick
ness, gradually came to be regarded as
the correct definition of the word sick
ness. can't imagine how the British
Justify their use Of tho words homesick,
heartsick and lovesick.
Here thoy call street-car a tram;
correct. Hero, too, an elevator is lift,
and that is right.
What we call a telegram is here called
telegraph; it will probably never be
determined which of these usages is the
better. Our postal-card is here a post
card; cuffs become wrists.
That material known to us as canton
4
our muslin is known hereabout as
calico.
Our locomotive becomes engine, and
our conductor is here guard.
What we call stewing culinary term)
the British call simmering; our lunch
is here luncheon, and our baggage be-
comes luggage.
Oar wheat is called corn, and our corn
is called maize, or sometimes Indian
corn. Pigs feet are called trotters. by
the way, theatrical name for bad
actor is rotter.
A Chilli is hero called *'rigor," and
the eruption commonly known among
us as ''hives" is hero known as ''nettle-
rash" Candy is variously known as
'ssweets," "sweetmeats" and dolly:
Writing to John Smith, your social
equal, you are expected to address him
as John Smith, ESQ; if he be your
tailor, grocer, etc., you address him as
Mr.. John Smith.
The word "apt" is exceedingly popu.
lar here. 1t is ''apt to rain, ''apt to be
muddy" man is "apt to go down
town. bank is "apt to suspend" etc.
Even the best prints use this word as
synonym for ''ikely" and ''hke."
Another barbarism everywhere preva-
lent in the United Kingdom is the use
of the adverb directly for tho con-
junction las soon as"-e. g., ''directly be
went out | shut the door," Charles
Dickens, who was quite slovenly at
times, seems to have been addicted to
this indefensible vice.
What does this British word cleft
tenant" mean? | should like to know.
"Quite" is another hackneyed word
here; it is edged in upon every occasion
Tho first criticism would pass upon
the press of London would be for the
indirectness of its speech. Whom Z.
newspaper writer wishes to convey the
hot T..