Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1890-06-13
ENCLiSHMEN'S ENGLISH.
An Americans Observations Concerning
the Use of Words In London.

Quite at random l make up a list of
articles TO which the English assign
names differing from those we use:
That which we call bowl is here
known as a basin. In England you
ask for basin of bread and milk.
That which is known to us pitcher
is here called jug.
A donkey is here called 4 mOke; in
America moke is a negro. Local
slang for a cab horse is cats 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 common
est.
What we call crackers are here
known as biscuit, and | suspect this is
strictly correct.
What we call shoes are here known
as boots, and what we call boots are
here known rs bluchers. There is one
shoe called the 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 IS
bitter beer.
What is here known as hash we
should call j stew, and what we call a
hash is here known AS a mince.
In England our overcoat becomes \
great coat. our undershirt becomes q
vest. aud our drawers become panta-
looms. 1t is said that when George w.
Childs of Philadelphia. WAS in London
a number of years ago he walked into
haberdashers and. seeking TO appear
to be native, asked to be shown the
STYLES in silk waistcoats. "Jeems. :"
cried the proprietor To his assistant,
step this way and show this Hameri-
can gentleman our aowery weskits:'
What we call sick the Englishmau
calls i'll; sickness here implies nausea
aud vomiting. The British usage is
wrong; but the late Richard Grant
White settled that point pretty definite
IL. How came the British to fall into
this peryersion? 1t was. l thins. be-
cause the British can go nowhere ex-
cept by water; that travel by water in
duces unpleasant symptoms of nausea
aud retching. which condition. called
sickness. gradually came to be re-
CARRIED as the correct definition of the
word sickness. | can't imagine how
the British justify their use of the
words homesick. hcartsick. and love
sick.
Here they call a street car tram;
correct. Here too an elevator is "A lift
and that Is right.
- * Ne call telegram Is here
called telegraph; ii will probably
never lie determined which of these
usages is the better. Our postal card
is here = post card; cuffs become
wrists.
That material known to US IS canton
flannel is here called swans down. and
our muslin" is known hereabouts rs
calico"
Our locomotive" becomes engine.
aud our conductor is here guard"
What We call "stewing' Culinary
,erm) the British call ''simmeriug;
our lunch" is here luncheon" and
our baggage" becomes luggage"
Our wheat is called corn" and
our corn" i called maize" or.
sometimes. Indian corn. Pigs feet
are called "trottcrs." By the way. Il
theatrical name for bad actor is rot
ler.
A chill" is here called 'Tigor.
and the eruption commonly known
among u As ''hivcs" is here known as
.'uettie-r-z..' Candy is known various
IL As sweets, '.sweetmeats, and
Jolly"
Writing to John Smith. your social
equal. YOU are expected 10 address him
as John Smith. Esq; If he be your
tailor. grocer, etc. you address him as
MIR. 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 8
SYNONYM for likely" and like. "
Another barbarism everywhere pgera-
lent in the United Kingdom is the use
of the adyerb directly" for the con.
junction las soon as"-e. G.. directly
he went out shut the door" Charles
Dickens. who was quite slovenly al
times. seems to have been addicted tC
this indefcnsible vice.
What does this British word left
tenant" mean? | should like to know
Quite" is another hackneyed wore
here; it is edged in upon every occa
sion.
The first criticism l would pass upor
the press of London would be for tn,
indirectness of its speech. When ;
newspaper writer wishes to convey thu
idea that yesterday was pleasant day
he says: Yesterday was not an un
pleasant day" A good play is mo
half bad. "a humorous speech is''not un
relieved by w.t." u riotously applaudet
address is mot wholly unaccented b!
demonstrations of approval" and 81
on. an infn. ct ad naus. Now all thi
sort of thing may be subtle and it ma,
be conservative, but it is not in th'
spirit of the Anglo-Saxon. and it vexe
me to find so little of the Anglo-Saxol
in the literature, the speech, and tn
practices of the very people where
had thought to find SO much Chicag
NeUs.