Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-06-19
EMBELLISHMENTS ENGLISH.
An Americans Observations Concerning
the Use of Words in London.


the Use of Words in London.
Quite at random make up a list of
articles 10 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 moke; in
America a moke is a negro. Local
slang for cab horse is eats 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 I suspect this is
strictly correct
What we call shoes are here known
here known as butchers. 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 as
bitter beer
What is here known as hash we
should call stew, and what we call a
hash is here known as a mince.
In England our overcoat becomes a
great coat, our undershirt becomes a
vest. and 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
a haberdashers and, seeking TO appear
to be a 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 fiowery weskits!n
What we call sick the Englishman
calls i'll; sickness here implies nausea
and vomiting. The British usage is
| wrong; but the late Richard Grant
White settled that point pretty definite
ly. How came the British to fall into
this perversion? 1t was, 1 think, be-
cause the British can 90 nowhere ex-
cept by water; that travel by water in
duces unpleasant symptoms of nausea
and retching, which condition, called
sickness, gradually came to be re-
garded as the correct definition of the
word sickness. | can't imagine how
the British justify their use of the
words homesick, heartsick, and love-
sick
Here they call a street car tram;
correct. Here, 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
flannel is here called swans down, and
our muslin is known hereabouts as
''calicO."
! Our locomotive" becomes engine"
and our ''conductor' is here a guard. -
What we call "stewing'' Culinary
term) the British call ''simmering;;'
our ''lunch" is here 'luncheon,n and
our baggage" becomes luggage"
! Our wheat" is called corn" and
our corn is called maize" or,
sometimes, Indian corn. Pigs feet
are called "trotters." By the way, a
| theatrical name for bad actor is rot
| ter
A ''chill'' is here called ''rigor, :"
and the eruption commonly known
among US as 'hives" is here known as
"nettle-rash." Candy is known various
! ly as Sweets" '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" Il man is ''apt to go down
town" bank is ''aut to susnend etc
Even the best prints use this word as a
synonym for ''likelyn and dixie. "
Another barbarism everywhere preva-
lent in the United Kingdom is the use
| Of the adyerb 'directly" for the con-
! junction ''as soon as''-e. q, directly
he went out [ shut the door" Charles
| Dickens, who was quite slovenly at
llIhCo, oCClllS " nave bcCu dduICItu W
| 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 occa-
| sion.
The first criticism would pass upon
the press of London would be for the
indirectness of its speech. When a
newspaper writer wishes to convey the
idea that yesterday was pleasant day
he says: Yesterday was not an I'M
pleasant day" A good play is mot
half bad, "a humorous speech is mot I'M
relieved by wit" a riotously applauded
| address is mot wholly unaccented by
demonstrations of approval" and so
on, an info. ct dd naus. Now all this
sort of thing may be subtle and it may
be conservative, but it is not in the
spirit of the Anglo-Saxon, and it vexes
| me to find so little of the Anglo-Saxon
in the literature, the speech, and the
practices of the very people where
had thought to find SO much Chicago
NeaOS.